<HTML>In a message dated 3/26/2002 11:25:14 PM Pacific Standard Time, bsnook@pacbell.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:Re: key length Date:3/26/2002 11:25:14 PM Pacific Standard Time From:<A HREF="mailto:bsnook@pacbell.net">bsnook@pacbell.net</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent from the Internet               List</BLOCKQUOTE>                When my Father had his Yamaha dealership one of yamahas one selling point was that full six inch key which is about 1/4 inch longer than many. Also As I've learned of late that there are two lengths of head scales. Meaning the front large piece of the white key. The old stwy head scale is 1 7/8" where many pianos including some vintages of steinways use a 2' head scale. But frankly I've not known of a pianist to notice this difference which I think would be important. If you order new keys substituting the 2' for the shorter the net result is a shorter sharp. Now I think that woud make a few people crabby. >>>>>>>>.Just an ancillary thought to the topic.>>>>>>>>> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">                          Dale Erwin >Wim: >A friend of mine just mentioned something of which I was not aware. He played a 80 year rebuilt O in a show room, and he liked it, except that the keys were not as long as the new pianos. I > I do not have any specific information that I can tell you, but I have had my own personal experience. My wife and I were playing on some pianos at a Steinway dealership, and two of their pianos had short keys. When something was mentioned, the dealer insisted that all the keys were the same length and got out a ruler; naturally he was wrong. I remember that one of the pianos was a NEW 'art' style $270,000 piano, the other was an older model. My wife mentioned that she had experienced many older Hamburg Steinway pianos that had short keys. The only thing that I can confirm is that I saw a NEW Steinway that had short keys . . . so at least I know for sure that such a thing does exist. Bradley M. </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>