To Rebuild or Not - 7' Ivers & Pond

Clark caccola@net1plus.com
Mon, 16 Aug 1999 12:41:47 -0100


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Mr. Kerrick here brings up the topic of ivory keytops which has been
foremost on my mind over the past few days. We just sold a 1920's 6'7"
piano that we bought partially rebuilt, work now which we are
completing. All of the parts including the keys came boxed, but we were
under the impression that it had fairly intact ivory and this was one of
its selling points (how many stupid points does this one get?).

Most of the tails were intact, but most of the heads were missing and
those remaining were either damaged or inexpertly removed. However,
since we sold it with ivory, I opted to install a new used set of
matched heads and tails from two uprights but what a waste of resources!

>From now on, I'm going to apply some guidelines as to which keyboards
should be restored and which should be recovered with plastic with
points like age, make, size and amount of damage. The high quote Mr.
Kerrick cites from Walker Piano Service is definitely one means of
accomplishing this.

I would probably restore the ivory on the instrument in question. We
have an 1890's 9' Kimball(!) with a bad set of replacement plastic
keytops which not only will be restored to ivory but may get a new
keyboard to accommodate using broken ivory heads. Anyhow, enough of my
venting.

Like Mr. Kerrick, I have little experience with Ivers & Pond grands
especially of this age and size; we have worked on many of their
uprights which can be very satisfactory instruments. I did some
inquiring, and the soundboard problems may be common to their older
grands though apparently they sound nice.

We are rebuilding a Henry Miller grand of comparable age and size for a
customer. It did not share the quality of workmanship which I assume is
described of this Ivers & Pond, but correcting these flaws and
redesigning parts of the scale should improve it both in terms of
monetary and musical value.

Clark Panaccione

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