Caring for French Polished Piano

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 25 Mar 2007, 14:21

So, I've got this 1924 baby grand for next to nothing and it's obviously been French Polished not so very long ago. How do you keep the finish looking nice? I heard there was some sort of rejuvinating polish but you will have noticed that I am completely thick and unable to function without your advice.

Also, is there a way of cleaning that wooden frame-thing just underneath the strings? It's just dusty (God, I'm sounding increasingly camp about it all - surely a real man would just rejoice in filthy woodwork? When it's finished I'm taking it to the footie and putting copies of Loaded on the music tray).

Oh, and another thing - would it cost a lot to have the lengths of felt that go under the strings replaced? They look a bit skanky.

I can see this is going to cost me abloody fortune, but now I've started.....

Cheers!

jackg · Post by **jackg** » 25 Mar 2007, 17:56

I would have it looked at by a tuner before doing anything to the case in case its a duffer.
I read your previous post and it makes me wonder why the tuner did not want it, lack of space perhaps or did he know something you don't?

50:50 mix of white spirit and Linseed oil removes the dirt and dust then apply non silicon wax.

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 25 Mar 2007, 22:09

The tuner's a friend of mine so I'm confident that the piano's got something going for it. The house was being pulled down and the piano was destined for the skip two days after he was asked to look at it. I think it's a genuine case of not wanting to see an instrument destroyed which could still have years of useful life in it. He doesn't stock pianos so he wouldn't have anywhere to store it.

It's not an undiscovered gem or anything like that but I'm happy to spend a few hundred quid on getting it working again, if only out of curiosity. I might stick a recording of it online when it's playable so you can judge for yourself - and laugh at my playing, of course