<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha= rset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 6/7/2004 5:41:48 PM Pacific Standard Time, Erwinspia= no writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>In a message dated 6/7/2004 4:39:11 PM Pacific Stand= ard Time, ilvey@sbcglobal.net writes:</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial size=3><STRONG>List,<BR><BR>Have any of had = experience with the Abel shanks and flanges?   Pros & Cons...<= BR><BR>David Ilvedson</STRONG></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>   David</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>  I've used at least a dozen or m= ore sets of shanks and they are a fine product. They are geometrically = correct for Steinway & also Masons with and 18 mm knuckle placement. The= ir original Mason parts had the screw hole too deep & the screw hol= es had to be drilled deeper in the rail, gnash, SO I complained, I= mean I gave incredibly valuable & professional feedback (Grin) & Wa= lly had them changed. All teh shanks in the sets are thinned the same amount= top to bottom & the only place that might be a problem is in shank flex= in a FFF concert situation or with heavy hammerweights. It's a plus if your= e' trying to reduce strike weights</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>  I've had only one set with any pinni= ng friction problems & protek seems to have remedied this.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>  I see the add for the new Abel stwy = whippens. I'm curious to know of anyone that have tried these? The proto typ= es of several yrs ago were not refined enough so if Wally says there good no= w  then they probably are.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>   Dale</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"= >Erwins Pianos Restorations <BR>4721 Parker Rd.<BR>Modesto, Ca 95357<BR>209-= 577-8397<BR>Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin Sales<BR>www.Erwinspiano.co= m</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>