[CAUT] Clean-up Prepared Piano

[Fred Sturm]

On Feb 26, 2010, at 12:26 PM, Dennis Johnson wrote:

> There hasn't been enough time to quantify aural changes in the tone  
> of these notes, but anything that solidifies into the windings will  
> make a difference.  Besides, as far as I'm concerned the visual  
> damage is upsetting enough... and totally unacceptable.  I talked to  
> Arledge this morning and we came up with stuffing a towel and some  
> plastic or whatever under the strings to protect the board, then  
> trying to brush it out with acetone.  Anybody ever tried this  
> before?  I really don't want to replace them.  There isn't enough  
> time as it is.
>
> thanks,
>
> Dennis Johnson
> ___________________
>
I haven't done it, but I'd suggest if you go this way, you should try  
to wick away as much as you can from above, with absorbent material of  
some sort. That is, brush on acetone, blot away, repeat. As opposed to  
flooding it down to the towel, which risks/invites material being  
washed into the windings and between them and the core. Possibly use  
alternating wet and dry cloth (wet cloth instead of brush).
	I have a piano with markings like this, an old G-2. I haven't  
bothered doing anything, but have thought about it (every time I tune  
it). I have decided the risks are too great, since the strings sound  
fine as is, and the piano is now in a practice room (was in a faculty  
studio, former piano faculty member marked it).

Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu