<HTML>In a message dated 4/17/01 1:55:10 PM Central Daylight Time, stephen_airy@yahoo.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I was wondering -- what is the smallest it is possible to build a piano and still have 88 keys?  </BLOCKQUOTE> The biggest problem is making a plate that will hold the tension of the strings. Some high tech plastic or other lightweight metal will have to take the place of the cast iron plate, which is about 2/3rd of the weight of a piano. The other heavy part is the cabinet. Again, a plastic or light weight wood would need to be used. The action and keys would also have to be made of plastic, (except for the hammers and dampers, of course). The strings and presumable the tuning pins will still have to be made of steel. If money is no object, perhaps you can find a plastic company to come up with making all the parts. But even if you could get the piano to weigh less than 100 pounds, it might still be hard for one person to pick it up because of the size. It is not that easy to carry a 100 pound item that is about 5 feet wide, 20 inches deep, and 30 inches tall out in front of you. Unless you can jerk it up over your head. Willem </HTML>