<html> <body> Hi Ron,                Yamaha uses this or a similar material for catchers, butts, knuckles, and back checks.  It's very consistent in thickness and friction properties. Also the stretchiness is nice and consistent. I love it for grand back checks.  More expensive than buck skin.   I think Kawai and some other Asian piano makers also use it.   Don. M will soon correct me if I'm wrong.  <G>  Up to the 20yr age it performs as well as buck skin, but the rep lever skins seem to be harder than buck skin after this period of time.  Improvements have taken place in the formulation over this period.   So no comments on longevity,  I reserve judgement. regards Roger At 10:09 AM 2/15/2004, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I know Ecsaine is being used in upright butts and catchers, but I don't recall any mention of it's being used in grands or elsewhere in the piano. Is any manufacturer using Ecsaine as a knuckle covering, repetition lever skin or cloth, backcheck covering, or key bushing? If not Ecsaine, what other artificial leathers, etc are currently being used in pianos? Ron N _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: <a href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" eudora="autourl">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a></blockquote></body> </html>