Im getting my Mason & Hamlin AA delivered this week, I can't wait. Any suggestions on how to keep it dust free? car duster? cotton cloth?

Here are your options:

Dusting: The Original California Car Duster - ONLY get that duster and follow their directions prior to use. If not, you will get greasy streaks on your piano. They will come out, but it's a pain.

Fingerprints: Microfiber cloth soaked and rung out as completely as possible in water, or water with a little white vinegar. Curry uses the latter solution. DO NOT buy the el cheapo, 10 to a pack, Walmart special microfiber cloths, you will scratch your finish. High quality only purchased at an online upscale-car care website.

Waxing your piano with a high-quality auto wax is a good idea especially if you are prone to having people put their greasy paws on your piano. That's another topic though.

Inside: Close up the piano as soon as you are done using it. And/or Edwards String Cover - if you don't mind missing hearing some of the overtones and not seeing the strings. And/or rechargable leaf blower to blow out the inside - I use this all the time.

Good luck,
Derick

P.S. Are you having it polished (i.e. high gloss)? Or is it the regular satin finish? Just curious. Everything above still applies although you don't have to worry about scratches as much.

I bought the Original Car Duster (you can find it at WalMart, too) on Derick's advice and can vouch that it works like a charm. Plus, it's BIG, so I can dust the entire piano in seconds flat.

Would one of those computer keyboard vacuums work for dusting the inside?

A slightly damp chamois works great.....a drop of dish detergent will get rid of stubborn fingerprints if you have them...
Mat D.

Monica,

Regarding computer keyboard vacuums, first I started with this:



But as you can see it only gets in the easy to reach places:



So then I got this:



Get under all the strings, cleans off soundboard, all those impossible to reach places. It takes about 30 seconds once a week.

Derick

Hmmm....I bought one of the computer vacuums a few days back but haven't taken it out of the box yet. I was hoping it would be strong enough to pick up the dust if I just suspended it above the strings. Maybe I should return it and go the leaf blower route instead.

Actually, looking down at my computer keyboard, it's absolutely filthy, so I guess I'll keep the vacuum AND look into the leaf blower.

I tried the computer vac on my keyboard, forget it. I did have a couple of years of built up dust and stuff in there. I took the leaf blower to it and voila, brand new keyboard.

Derick

Derick - where do you place the leaf blower when dusting the strings and soundboard and action etc - just above the strings at a 45 degree angle? Also, may I ask which gorgeous Bosie you own in those pics?

Monica, another option is an air compressor. If your husband already has one, you're good to go! If he doesn't, I bet he'd love to have one, (along with the ubiquitous nail gun of course ).

I'm tellin' you, a blast of LP air cleans those strings lickety split.

Yeah? Well, just make sure you're not nailin' it when you should be blowin' it!

Cheers!

A simple bellows, such as used in a fireplace, is more than adequate. Just be careful not to scratch the piano if the nozzle has metal on it.

Air from a compressor is at such high velocity that it might cause damage. Also, oil may be carried with the air stream. Any lubricant that gets near the tuning pins may ruin the piano, requiring a full rebuild and restringing.

Best not to trade a small problem for a big one!

--Cy--

This leaf-blower has a continuously variable speed control on it thru the "trigger", so it's easily controllable and does not result in a "blast".

Prior to use, I fully charged it, aimed it at a mirror full-force and ran it until the battery was drained. I did this to test for oil droplets. The mirror was oil free.

windward, I hold it at about a 45 degree angle, maybe less. the three pictures are all of my Imperial. The only difference is in the latter two I have the Strauss music stand added.

Derick

I'm interested in the car wax recommended by Derick. I have a few small surface swirls in the finish of my Petrof. In the wrong light it is very noticable and looks terrible. I recall the dealer talking about a car polish that they use to remove surface scratches (Mothers brand I think). Does this ring a bell with anybody??

Best wishes
Randy

Cory has some really great stuff for piano finish maintainence and for dusting under the lid. Cathy gave me a bottle of their Super High-Gloss piano polish, and it works wonderfully. A little goes a long ways too.

Metro=Vac makes a really great portable unit with all the right attachments that's very, very powerful. I'm convinced that if by some mistake someone hooked up one end of the hose to the vacuum port and then the other end to the blower port, a serious time warp could be created.

Check with your dealer or tuner (or maybe the Petrof website; search for "Geneva International"). Finish care varies a lot, depending on what finish you have. You may well do serious damage.

I've never heard of car wax on a piano. A glossy finish shouldn't have anything else on it.

--Cy--

Yikes. I was so inspired by this thread I went out this afternoon and bought a leaf blower. But I couldn't use it because it didn't come with an extension cord and I don't have the right kind. But now I'm thinking that maybe I don't want to use it, as it doesn't have the variable trigger that Derick's does and given Cy's warnings. So now I have TWO things to return (the computer vacuum and a leaf blower) and one new thing to buy (bellows). And my soundboard is STILL dusty!

Derick - sorry for another question - but when I looked again at your piano picture here - the one with the leaf blower - I noticed you have an area rug beneath the bench and front two wheels. I've long been trying to think of a way to prepare my house for the arrival of whichever 7 footer I choose - my current piano is 5'10" - fact is for recording purposes I need the room less ambiant - especially once a larger piano enters - but for asthetic purposes I want to avoid changing my drapes which I like or covering too much or the hardwood or adding foam - such as I use and love downstairs in the actual studio. This idea that you have may work well as it will not intrude much on the remainder of the living room - but it might absorb some of the sound - also perhaps it helps with the quietness or the bench and keeping the floor scratch free?

My questions are if these were the reasons you chose this carpet option and if you can still move your piano slightly as needed. I know this is a bit off-topic but had to ask.

Thanks for the dust advice - I'll almost certainly take it!

Randy88 - the wax is Mequires Tech Wax. You can get it at AutoZone or any of the chain car-care retailers. It generates very little dust, and will mask fine scratches. If someone puts their greasy hands on your piano, a wipe with a dry microfiber cloth is all that is needed.

Monica - the only reason I bought this "leaf blower" was because it was the only one I had ever seen with continuously variable speed; which was key. The fact that it was cordless was nice too. I got it from The Sharper Image.

Windward - I have always liked the way an area rug looks under the front of a piano. I didn't do it for any other reason but decorative, and yes it does prevent scratches from the bench.

I cannot move/push this piano without help; I think it weighs 1400 lbs. However, if your piano is lighter, a low-pile Persian or Oriental rug would not create a whole lot of resistance preventing you from moving it.

Derick

windward music :

I had originally intended to go with a 9' x 6' area rug under my piano. However, as you can see, the room is carpeted with wall to wall carpeting. One carpet dealer told me that were I to put the piano on a large area rug over deep-pile wall to wall carpeting, the area rug would buckle and pucker considerable; I would never be able to get it flat. So, I compromised and put a 4' x 6' area rug under the front end of the piano where it fits between the legs. This gave me the added advantage of having the bench on the area rug where it won't show the indent caused by the bench legs. The same protection from the bench legs would be provided by a similar-sized rug on a hard surface.




Regards,

Bruce - firstly I absolutely love the one red wall - gorgeous touch with the grey.

Do you find all that carpeting dulles your sound at all - do you miss any harmonics or attack?

Derick - thanks

Derick :

The pictures were taken on a dull day in winter, and with the skylight and the outdoor overcast when the picture was taken, the rendition of the lighter walls and ceiling is not accurate. The room walls are actually beige and the ceiling white; the rendition of the burgundy is accurate, however.

Since this is the first home location for this piano, I have nothing with which to compare its tone except my slightly brighter Estonia 168 which was also in a wall-to-wall carpeted room. On this piano I also have an Edwards string cover installed. When I first installed the string cover, I noticed a slight mellowing of the overall tone, but now I'm so accustomed to it that I love it just the way it is.

I am sure, however, that if I had hardwood - or some other hard-surfaced - floors, the brightness of the piano would be greater than it is. For what I play, and for what I'm getting used to, this works beautifully for me.

The next time you're in Victoria, you're most welcome to visit and try the acoustics for yourself!

Regards,

Thanks Bruce - if you were talking to me