<HTML>In a message dated 12/12/01 6:07:37 AM Eastern Standard Time, A440A@AOL.COM writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Steinway L, >>describes the action as  VERY  difficult to play</BLOCKQUOTE> In August I evaluated a Mason & Hamlin AA3 in a university professor's studio.  With all the weights screwed on the cheap set of weights (60+ grams) that I carry in my tuning kit, the keys would push the weights up to the top.  The professor and his students had been struggling with this piano for years.  The university felt they were getting good service from a firm (S&S dealer) that touted themselves as the premier rebuilders in the Southeast. I thought I knew what to look for in 45 plus years of tuning  and figured I would be removing weight from the sides of the fairly recent Renner hammers and seeing if I could find space to add weight to the front of the keys.  I wrote up my estimate accordingly.  And purchased Spurlock's weights and Wally Brooks' gram weight scales at the recent NC conference. Then I got the action home to work on.  Talk about finding space for weights!  All the keys up through C5 had just empty holes!  Those guys had just gone through knocking all the weights out!  I assume that with new hammers heavier than the originals, there was trouble getting keys to return, so they opted for quick, positive results.  Which they got. One advantage for the institution is that I am able to provide within my estimate more than I had originally bid on.  Hammering lead back in is going to be simple enough so that I can give attention to other details I find necessary, like fixing pulley keys, repinning hammer flanges, etc. Has anyone on the list ever run across heavy touch from missing weights? Bill Maxim Maxim Piano Service 212 Newpark Place Columbia, SC 29212-8666 (803) 732-9225, FAX (803) 732-2641 wmaxim@aol.com</HTML>