<HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-= 1"> <META content="IncrediMail 1.0" name=GENERATOR>  </HEAD> <BODY style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0px 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 5px= 10px 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bgColor=#ffffff background="" scroll== yes ORGYPOS="0"> <TABLE id=INCREDIMAINTABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100= %" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD id=INCREDITEXTREGION style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; CURSOR: auto; FONT-F= AMILY: Arial" width="100%"> <DIV> <DIV>David...You SURE draw a fine line. Here's the dictionary's vers= ion of the three words.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Translucent=Almost transparent; allowing light to pass through dif= fusely.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Transparent=Transmitting light; able to be seen through with clari= ty.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Opaque=Not clear; not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant = energy.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I don't know if you have worked with old German ivories. but they ar= e at least twice as thick and would fail the see through test as per the = attached picture.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Let's change the question:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Why do 99% of USA pianos have that wafer thin key top covering = which, in all old USA pianos comes unglued easily and chips at the d= rop of a hat? As against a quality German keyboard.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Did the Germans have a cheaper source of ivory? or were the Yanks pe= nny pinching?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>PS The keyboard shown had 36 ivories and tails replaced!!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regards</DIV></DIV> <DIV> Robin Stevens</DIV> <DIV>Convener "INTUNE SA 2004"</DIV> <DIV>22-25 July 2004 Mercure Grosvenor Adelaide SA</DIV> <DIV>08 8633 0533 <A href="mailto:mmrr6596@bigpond.net.au">mmrr6596@big= pond.net.au</A></DIV></TD></TR> <TR> <TD id=INCREDIFOOTER width="100%"> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width="100%"></TD> <TD id=INCREDISOUND vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD> <TD id=INCREDIANIM vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></T= ABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BODY></HTML>