keytops (Question)

[Dale R Fox]

No,  Yamaha will not sell their "Ivorite" keytops for general replacment.
 They will sell individual tops for pianos that originally were so
equipped,  provided you can supply a serial number.

I asked.

Dale Fox

On Wed, 17 Oct 2001 06:38:02 -0400 "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
writes:
> John,
> What is the standard grained polyester keytop ? Are there any 
> manufacturers
> that you know of who are using them?
> I'm trying visualize what they look and feel like.
> 
> By the way do you know if the ivorine that Yamaha uses on their high 
> end
> grands are available for purchase?
> Tom Servinsky,RPT
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Delacour" <JD@Pianomaker.co.uk>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2001 12:37 PM
> Subject: Re: keytops (Question)
> 
> 
> > At 09:26 15/10/01 +0200, Richard Brekne wrote:
> >
> > >I hear a lot of folks talking about using routing or sawing 
> techniques in
> some
> > >way for removal of old key tops / fronts in preperation for 
> renewal.
> > >
> > >I would like to hear a bit about why you all do this instead of 
> using
> some
> > >form of heating up the the old keytops so as to "peel" off the 
> old top /
> front
> > >material.
> >
> > Me too, Richard.  I've been reading this thread in amazement and 
> feeling
> > thankful that the Atlantic Ocean is likely to prevent me ever 
> having to
> > deal with one of these doctored keyboards.
> >
> >  From what I gather, it's not a question of removing the old 
> coverings but
> > of removing a thickness of wood under the covering so that the fat
> stick-on
> > key covers will not be higher than the original ivory or whatever.
> >
> > My first reaction is, what is the point of going to all this work 
> in order
> > to fit nasty fat acrylic key-covers when you can have the keys 
> recovered
> by
> > a specialist in thinner sheet material, either grained celluloid 
> or the
> > latest industry standard grained polyester?
> >
> > Secondly, what difference is it going to make on many repair jobs 
> if the
> > wood of the sharps is a millimetre or less above the level of the 
> woods of
> > the naturals ads a result of raising the sharps to the new level?  
> The
> > answer is virtually none, and if it's necessary to plane a mm. off 
> a grand
> > fall to accomodate the fat key-tops, that's not the end of the 
> world
> > either.  If you're going to use these dreadful key-tops to start 
> with, why
> > balk at removing a tiny amount from the fall, which can easily be 
> built up
> > in the future if necessary.  Nonew of this would be necessary if 
> the keys
> > are properly recovered.
> >
> > Many years ago, when I could not trust the specialist firms to do 
> a good
> > job, I did sometimes use moulded sets of covers, and if it was a 
> hight
> > class job, I would remove the ebony sharps and raise these using a 
> couple
> > of thicknesses of walnut veneer to keep the wooden tops level.  To 
> prise
> > off 36 ebonies and raise them is very quickly done and there is no 
> damage
> > to the keyboard.
> >
> > Nowadays I wouldn't consider using moulded tops.  Either I recover 
> the
> keys
> > myself in sheet stock or I send them to Kluge or a very good 
> English organ
> > keyboard firm, and have them beautifully done in polyester sheet.
> >
> > This routing and planing business is about the wildest thing I've 
> read on
> > this list in the past few weeks, and I've been reading some pretty 
> wild
> things!
> >
> > JD
> >
> 

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