spray painted strings

[Douglasmahard@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 12/10/2000 1:46:25 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
dianepianotuner@hotmail.com writes:

<< >List,
 >
 >I have often wondered something and was reminded again of that something by
 >a 1909 Hardman grand piano I picked up last week.
 >
 >Occasionally, in running across older grand pianos like this, there is
 >evidence that someone has spray? Painted the strings gold in the tuning pin
 >area.  Even the coils of the strings are gold colored.
 >
 >So my wondering is: How in the world does someone get the coils of the
 >strings gold colored, but nary a speck of gold paint on the tuning pins
 >themselves?
 >
 >Keith McGavern
 >Registered Piano Technician
 >Oklahoma Chapter 731
 >Piano Technicians Guild
 >USA >>

Hi Keith,

I have a couple of customers with pianos in the same situation.  I think the 
paint has rubbed off the top of the tuning pins from the tuning wrench or the 
people who painted the plate and surrounding objects put rubber tubes over 
the tops of the pins. These are my two best guesses. 

My question would be does the paint on the speaking length of the string 
affect the tone or vibrational quality of the string?

I once was called to go appraise a M&H "A" and someone had sprayed the whole 
interior of the case with gold sparkly spray paint.  It looked like the 
person opened the lid, closed his eyes and started to spray indiscriminately. 
 Quite the mess, everything was cover.

Doug Mahard