<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>  Hi Diane</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I am just doing a 1913 Mason = A piano for myself. It was ebony but when stripped down there was a whole host = of beautiful mahogany(not the boring kind either).  My only concern = was a blending in a Few pieces( strong back and key slip).  Just got home = to see the many coats of lacquer sanded flat and rubbed out with rotten stone, = Oh my gosh!  Drop Dead Gorgeous. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   The 1929 BB Mason & = Hamlin( in ebony) that I had displayed at Cal. state convention had many parts that = were mahogany but I can't remember how much.( I think many) I know that I = considered going mahogany.  In retrospect it would have been an easier finish = in mahogany because it had so much massively deep grain and took much = filling to get it flat and rubbed.(just that memory says it wasn't birch or maple. =   I'm guessing you should strip it first then decide.  By the = way I couldn't see any grain on either Mason I mentioned before it was stripped.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   Also the piano did have a = residual black dye in the wood which I was concerned but it sanded right out = except some trim pieces over the leg which got lighter. So I just stained them and = you can't tell much difference.  The piano is gorgeous brownish with some = red.  It was a water dye powder that we mix for color fastness.  Did only = minor toning on some strange grayish areas in the lid and on the top block of = the leg.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   I also modified the = soundboard by free floating the rear corner as there is so much tension trying to glue that = corner down without ripping the bridge off the board. Hope the tone is as good = as Ron O,Del and others suggest.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Hope that helps = </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   Dale Erwin</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:dianepianotuner@hotmail.com" title=dianepianotuner@hotmail.com>Diane Hofstetter</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 06, 2001 1:43 PM</DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> M&H Refinishing?</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <P>To those of you with knowledge about what's likely to be under all = that ebonized finish--what are the chances that the M&H BB can be = refinished in a wood tone?  I looked at it as well as I can and the only wood tone = that shows <U>anywhere</U> on that piano are the soundboard, bridges, block, = action parts and keybed.  Everything else is ebonized and the customer = wants it to be mahogany.</P> <P>TIA</P> <P>Diane<BR><BR></P></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <P></P>Diane Hofstetter <BR>245-M Mount Hermon Rd.#343 <BR>Scotts = Valley, CA 95066 <BR>ph 831-438-6222 <BR>fax 831-430-9741 = <BR>dianepianotuner@hotmail.com <BR><BR clear=all> <HR> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <A href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</A><BR> <P></P></BODY></HTML>