<br><br> <div><span class="gmail_quote">On 8/29/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">william ballard</b> <<a href="mailto:yardbird@vermontel.net">yardbird@vermontel.net</a>> wrote:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Yo all,<br><br>I'm estimating the rebuild on a 1904 Stwy A on the stage of<br>neighboring HS. (Yes, the music directors are fully aware of the <br>delicate qualities of a performance piano and are committed to<br>diligent care of this one, once rebuilt). After several years of<br>discussion, they finally have a shot at funds through the Development<br>Office.<br> <br>Immediate question: the ivory coverings. I just need to convince<br>people that although we will be refinishing the original fancy<br>legs&lyre and that the original ivory coverings may look usable, in<br>fact they'll be more trouble than they're worth. At the ends of the <br>keyboard, the original thickness is 0.050". There are 16 checked<br>heads (read, to be replaced during a restoration) and 28 checked<br>front (half, resulting from split and peeling key-stick "fascia"). <br><br>Certainly, any of this can be repaired and replaced during a whole-<br>nine-yards restoration. But I'm figuring that will cost 2-3x starting<br>over with a first-class plastic recovering. And the HS students won't <br>notice the swap. (Plastic? Ivory? Only your music director knows for<br>sure........)<br><br>Any opinions on this?<br><br>TIA<br><br>Mr. Bill<br><br>"If we see you SMOKING we will assume that you are on fire and will <br>take appropriate measures"<br>    ...........Sign in a Music Dept. Hallway<br>+++++++++++++++++++++<br><br>Hi Bill,<br>If the conditions in this high school are anything like those here in Wisconsin, humidity 100%+ during the late spring/summer/early fall and then heating season arrives and the humidity drops within days to 5 perhaps 10% remaining there for much of the winter. I'm amazed that the ivory has survived this long! Yes I'm well aware of Dampp-Chasers, I'm also experienced in schools misusing them! The first battle will be who's job it is to add water, custodial staff or teaching staff. If the teachers get the job, they aren't there during weekends, holidays, Christmas break, etc. The next battle is keeping it plugged in, performance pianos get moved a lot and those moving it aren't used to unplugging an acoustic piano! Ivory is easier to "pop" off for those with a prediliction to do so, the plastic one piece front and top don't come off that easily! I've been working in high schools for 35 of my 38 years in the biz. I've seen most of the tricks the little darlings can pull. I say most because there's a new crop of little darlings every year and you just never know!! </blockquote> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div>   My"short" answer PLASTIC!!!!!!</div> <div> </div> <div>  Mike</div> <div> </div></div><br>-- <br>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. <br>- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky<br><br>Michael Magness <br>Magness Piano Service<br>608-786-4404<br><a href="http://www.IFixPianos.com">www.IFixPianos.com</a><br>email <a href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com">mike@ifixpianos.com</a>