[pianotech] plate finish

[Berley Firmin II]

I will never strip a plate again. I mean completely. You are left with the 
rough casting requiring many hours to fill, smooth, and feather. Then you 
start the painting. I have just cleaned what was there, fixed any obvious 
dings, etc., and "gilded".
But now I have a new, similar problem to you. I have (for myself) a 
Wurlitzer Style IX Coin Piano. The plate is a wonderful dark green, with 
some pin-striping. Yes, I could perfectly match the paint color and hire a 
sign painter to copy the decorative work, but a great restorer suggested to 
me to just clean it up and clear coat. So I think that is what I'll do. 
(Sometimes I believe things are over-restored anyway!).
Berley A. Firmin II
LaCombe, Louisiana