Hi everyone, maybe it's the heat these days making me a bit lightheaded, but I've had a strange idea to implement on my piano in order to improve its aesthetics.
I own a near-grand W. Hoffmann, Renner action, which does its job very well and has a pretty good sound for its size. What I don't like, however, is the keyboard covering, which I think is made of a synthetic material like acrylic; to the touch, it gives that typical and horrible (at least for me) sensation of touching plastic, which ends up being very slippery.
As a complete novice in the matter, the idea flashed into my mind to replace the synthetic covering with one made of bone or ivory (I saw some piano spare parts websites that still sell ivory keys, when I thought they were out of commerce by now). Or another idea was to replace the current keyboard with one of the same dimensions from an old instrument. What do you all think? Is it feasible? How expensive would it be?
Perhaps this is more of a curiosity than a question!
a set of complete ivory veneers I believe goes for about 2000 euros. mounting them is not easy. Special white cloths are needed to be glued between the key and the ivory, special glue... and then everything must be finished with precision. It is not easy. the final result can be disappointing, because the eye perceives every smallest imperfection of lateral filing of the keys and non-uniformity of spacing. Then you have to realign the entire keyboard using appropriate paper shims on the central pins of the keys..........Ivory looks beautiful, but it is not appropriate for the piano.
Replacing the entire keyboard: first of all, the inclinations of the keys and the length must be identical, as well as the position of the lever and the fulcrum. Then you have to deal with the leveling of each key
Thank you for the answer, now I have a clearer idea. I heard from some local dealers and repairmen and they told me that this practice of replacing the keyboard or the key covers is not such a rare thing; in fact, it often happens that many replace the ivory keyboard, even if in good condition, with a synthetic one. So all that's left for me to do is wait for a good opportunity!
P.S. Why is bone not good for the piano? Isn't it also used, for example, for the organ? I own a small English piano from the beginning of the century that has a yellow bone keyboard and it doesn't seem bad to me. I have also read, for example, about boxwood keys... I don't know!
Let's say that the piano keyboard originated as ivory and ebony. The high cost of ebony and the savings from using "tusk" and therefore respect for the elephant (an animal, moreover, with specimens in significant decline), have induced manufacturers to use synthetic materials. No one, modernly speaking, has thought of using bone or boxwood. Furthermore, piano technique, having evolved compared to that of the harpsichord or fortepiano, requires a particular "tactility." Ivory and ebony were two materials perfectly suited both for sliding and for "grip." Moreover, they withstand excessive finger perspiration well. Some manufacturers (especially American ones) have studied particular synthetic mixtures, some even not perfectly polished, which are not very aesthetic but quite effective. Some are also not perfectly white and/or characterized. If, however, your keyboard is made of ivory, I would try to save it... unless it is very deformed and/or hollowed out.
P.S. It should also be noted that in some antique pianos, the key finger lever is slightly shorter than normal.
