<HTML>In a message = dated 2/14/04 10:56:34 AM Pacific Standard Time, donmannino@comcast.net writ= es: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARG= IN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Dave, The new Vari-Touch action levers will be made from ABS later.  It w= as easier to put it in production with wood parts at first, then work on mak= ing the molds now that the design is finalized. Don Mannino RPT Kawai America At 08:57 PM 2/12/2004, you wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARG= IN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">List, I saw one of these Kawai uprights today(though I forget the proprietary = name), and it's interesting.  I didn't get as long as I'd have liked to= look it over, it seems pretty simple, as in "why didn't I think of that?" &= nbsp;There is a rail parallel to the keyboard that slides fore and aft, movi= ng the flange, sticker, felt assembly to put it in the preferred position. &= nbsp;The whole thing is operated by a lever on the right cheek block. One curiosity is that the flanges and stickers are made of wood.  G= iven that Kawai has long used ABS parts, and has now graduated to carbon gra= phite for the more expensive grand wippens, why the retro parts?  Mr. M= annino? I think it's a great idea, and it looks very easy to service.  &nbs= p; Dave Stahl </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> Don, Thanks for responding.  And I wanted to correct my statement that t= he lever is on the right cheek block.  It's on the left... I really believe that this is an innovative design that will be copied b= y many other companies in their own ways. Dave Stahl</HTML>