<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2600.0" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Have acquired a 1921 Geo. Steck Baby Grand from = a client. Has a very sweet sound (except that many of the bass strings are = tired--more "thunky" than musical).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>All this discussion of bolstering hammer = knuckles begs the question: Is it worth doing on Brambach/Francis Bacon style knuckles, or = should I follow my original inclination which is to save up the necessary = shekels to replace the shanks, knuckles and hammers (which are otherwise in pretty = good shape. Hammers obviously not originals. Ivories obviously are and in = good shape.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Any experience or thoughts on this piano much = appreciated. Market value? I paid $800.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>By-the-way, stripping the old finish has = revealed a very, very dark and closely grained wood I've not seen in a piano. Could it be = a dark walnut or really dark mahogany?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Alan</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>