<html> >Mickey, I'm not so sure this is correct. In the reminiscences of Franz Mohr that I have, from the book 'The Lives of the Piano' He says that Horrowitz wanted a brighter sound. quote. "As I began to file the hammers Horrowitz insisted I take off more and more. I protested all the way, and told him the piano would sound like tin cans. Well, Horrowitz got the sound he wanted, but it was the sound of tin cans and I had to throw away the hammers after his performance, No one else would have used them" unquote This referred to the preparation of a piano for a recording of Rachmainov Third, not THE Horrowitz piano - but it may give some insight into the relationship between Mohr and Horrowitz. Bob. > Thanks, Bob.  This is fascinating stuff (at least to me.  Maybe I should get a life.). I just remember that bio of Horowitz by, who was it? Glenn Plaskin?  Plaskow?  --something like that -- where he claimed (in a rather accusatory, 60 Minutes-type tone) that Horowitz insisted on changes to the instrument that rendered it virtually unplayable to anybody else -- as though that was some kind of gimmick.  I recall thinking, "Who cares?  Look what he <does> with it!"  Most of that biography struck me as petty, pretty much missing the point of the man's incredible artistry.  Oh well.  Just to second what everybody else seems to be saying, it's a damn shame we no longer have the actual piano action around to speak for itself.  Seems to me a shortsighted decision on Steinway's part.  Sigh. Anyhow, thanks for the book quote.  Mickey </html>