The piano that betrayed Goldfinger

[Alan Barnard]

I was asked to resurrect a 1911 McPhail upright that had been in a basement
for years. 

Which I did, courtesy of 4 ounces of CA, mostly.

Anyway, the hammers had been sprayed forest green (except the strike
areas), the rest rail was sprayed gold (with considerable overspray all
over the place), and the damper blocks are a bright orange--the color that
utility companies use to mark underground lines, etc.

I assume someone liked to play rags or other old-time music with the case
opened up so we can watch the hammers flying around.

Alan Barnard
Salem, Missouri


> [Original Message]
> From: Paul Mulik <tubist at swbell.net>
> To: piano <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 04/28/2006 12:11:45 PM
> Subject: The piano that betrayed Goldfinger
>
> Hello list,
>
> I went to tune an old Cable grand today at a little country church.  The
> pastor had told me over the phone the day before that a ballpoint pen had
> recently fallen down into the action, and asked if I could remove it
while I
> was there.
>
> When I pulled out the action, I was surprised to see that it had been
> covered in paint -- GOLD paint.  Someone had obviously re-whatevered the
> action at some point, and decided to put a finishing touch on the job by
> spray-painting the entire action, keys and all (except for the hammers,
> which appeared to be original, and the new keytops).  I wonder what would
> possess anyone to do such a thing?
>
> Paul Mulik