Testing for Ivory

I am told you can test for real ivory by burning a piece - it should smell like singed hair. Is there a more non-destructive way? Also my old 'ivory' tops are in two piece unlike the modern plastic one piece key tops. Is this good to keep or should I get them replaced as they are well worn with dips. Was two pieces the way with old pianos or did the better pianos have one piece even in ivory?

Yes, you can tell by looking at them. It takes some experience, but not much.

I have never seen two piece plastic. Ivory is usually made with 'heads' and 'tails' to conserve the tusk's material.

You will be spending a lot of money to replace a set of worn ivory with ivory.

piece even in ivory?

One piece ivory has been used on a number of high end pianos. It is rare. Regards,

Ed Foote RPT http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html Well-tempered CD's at Gasparo.com. GSCD #332, 'Beethoven In the Temperaments' GSCD #344 . 'Six Degrees of Tonality' Caution, these CD's contain pure intervals and extensive liner notes!

Thanks it looks like mine are ivory. So let me ask you this - should I clean them up and have the tuner stick back the loose pieces, or am I better to have him just replace all the key tops in plastic? As I said the most used keys have indents in them from were but none are missing, just some loose.

Mari

Just look at it, Mari. If it's ivory, you will be able to see a fine grain to it. Also, at the backs of the keytops, there is usually a seam or a line that crosses the key perpendicularly.

All The Best,

I think you would like to keep the ivory. It has a better 'feel' to it than plastic, and once it is gone, it is gone for good. Have your technician reglue the ivory that is loose. The indents on the most used keys are simply signs of the piano's history and getting rid of them will have to be a personal decision. (I actually like the feel of a keyboard with some wear in the ivory).

If none are missing, I recommend repairing what you have. Regards, Ed Foote RPT http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html Well-tempered CD's at Gasparo.com. GSCD #332, 'Beethoven In the Temperaments' GSCD #344 . 'Six Degrees of Tonality' Caution, these CD's contain pure intervals and extensive liner notes!

definitely opt for a new plastic keytop/front recovering.

Depends on the piano, the condition of the ivories & the player. Going by her description, the loose pieces seem like a minor problem. But if the entire piano is shot, then it doesn't make sense to spend money on plastic keys.

I've found that ivory absorbs more moisture than plastic. If the player's hands have a tendency to sweat a lot, keeping the ivories would probably be a good idea. My hands don't sweat much, but I still prefer the feel of ivory.

On top-quality older pianos, ivory keys are a valued feature.

I've got this great piano that has its very own rearview mirror. It keeps people from creeping up behind you while you're playing. Then again, if that's your primary concern, maybe you should quit playing 'Chopsticks' over and over and over... <G>

I am very lucky in that my 1987 Falcone is a modern piano with one piece ivories. It feels great, I don't sweat a slip when I play and I don't know where the hell Falcone got them except from maybe ol Bosendorfers or something. Damion Bertram, pianist, conductor

Save the whales! They make us look thiner !

(And the famous : 'Jessus saves ! Moses invests !'

JT asked:

You probably don't. Not that you shouldn't try to preserve a pre-existing good set. And as aforementioned, I suppose those whose fingers sweat a lot (now there's an intriguing problem!) really do need them.

I can feel the difference, but it's not something to write home about. However, there are good and bad plastics, too, and I once played a rebuilt grand with plastic keytops so bad I'd slip off them constantly. I've only met one such nasty plastic in 40 years of playing.

Save the elephants!

Joe Kubera

That all depend on who is doing the re-gluing, on site repairs are not as good as repairs done in the workshop. It all down to good butt joints and the glue used. The problems come when folk use the wrong glue and it stains the ivory.