Twilight for an ivory covering

[Michael Magness]

On 8/29/07, MICHAEL MORVAN <keymaestro at verizon.net> wrote:
>
> Bill,
>    What do "they" want to do concerning the ivory, and what do "you" want
> to do concerning the ivory? A new ivory keyboard is going to cost about
> $3,250.00 by the time it is all said and done, repairing the existing
> ivory
> with that much damage is a nightmare to say the least. Have you considered
> mineral plastic? It has two of the three coveted properties of ivory and
> bone, 1. it is cool to the touch, 2. it grips your fingers, and, at a
> fraction of the cost of new ivory. It comes in off-white and crème color
> if
> someone is looking for an ivory look.
> Just some thoughts.      Mike
>
> Michael A. Morvan
> Blackstone Valley Piano
> Dedicated To Advancing The Art Of Keyboard Restoration
> 76 Sutton Street
> Uxbridge, Ma. 01569
> (508) 278-9762
> Keymaestro at verizon.net
> www.pianoandorgankeys.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "william ballard" <yardbird at vermontel.net>
> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:56 AM
> Subject: Twilight for an ivory covering
>
>
> > Yo all,
> >
> > I'm estimating the rebuild on a 1904 Stwy A on the stage of  neighboring
> > HS. (Yes, the music directors are fully aware of the  delicate qualities
> > of a performance piano and are committed to  diligent care of this one,
> > once rebuilt). After several years of  discussion, they finally have a
> > shot at funds through the Development  Office.
> >
> > Immediate question: the ivory coverings. I just need to convince  people
> > that although we will be refinishing the original fancy  legs&lyre and
> > that the original ivory coverings may look usable, in  fact they'll be
> > more trouble than they're worth. At the ends of the  keyboard, the
> > original thickness is 0.050". There are 16 checked  heads (read, to be
> > replaced during a restoration) and 28 checked  front (half, resulting
> from
> > split and peeling key-stick "fascia").
> >
> > Certainly, any of this can be repaired and replaced during a whole-
> > nine-yards restoration. But I'm figuring that will cost 2-3x starting
> > over with a first-class plastic recovering. And the HS students won't
> > notice the swap. (Plastic? Ivory? Only your music director knows for
> > sure........)
> >
> > Any opinions on this?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Mr. Bill
> >
> > "If we see you SMOKING we will assume that you are on fire and
> will  take
> > appropriate measures"
> >     ...........Sign in a Music Dept. Hallway
> > +++++++++++++++++++++
> >
> >
> >
> >Hi Bill,


With all due respect to Mike from Blackstone, I will reiterate, it is in a
high school! I should explain, one of the school districts I tune for had a
Steinway 0, on my recomendation they got rid of it and now have a Yamaha C3,
why you may ask? In the first place I did not feel a public high school with
the budget crunches being forced on the music departments could afford to
maintain a Steinway. This was an elderly Steinway, purchased used, by the
school from a private party, eventually rebuilt and at the time it was
traded in on the C3 in need of another rebuild. I think we can all agree
Yamaha and most other makers parts are cheaper than Steinway parts, even if
you use non Steinway parts. In the second place the piano wasn't being cared
for, it sat in front of the instrument lockers in the band room most of the
time and had little "dimples" all over the top from the corner cleats of the
band instrument cases. The Yamaha has fared a little better but not all that
much.

My point is, yes it may be a Steinway but look beyond that, look at the
shape it's in now, that is what it will resemble in 5 to 10 years. Music
Directors are full of good intentions but they get busy, things get hectic,
details get forgotten, so wherever possible bulletproof(almost literally)the
piano. In 2, 4, 8, years those directors may have moved on and those
promises will have moved with them. I would depend on those promises about
as much as I would depend on using a Whitney spinet for a concert featuring
Horowitz!
I approach my work from a practical point of view, if it's a Steinway, OK
someone was willing to pay more for their piano. There are better pianos.
Anybody seen or heard a Steigraeber? I have. Remember Steinways haven't
changed in over a hundred years, I could be wrong but I believe there have
been some innovations in the last hundred years.
My point is just because it says Steinway on it, don't let that rob you of
your common sense!

Mike


-- 
I sit down to the piano regularly at nine-o'clock in the morning and
Mesdames les Muses have learned to be on time for that rendezvous.
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070829/df15f8db/attachment.html