piano veneer: which year ?

General discussion about piano makes, problems with pianos, or just seeking advice.

Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune

Post Reply
karen
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 19
Joined: 13 Dec 2012, 08:58

piano veneer: which year ?

Post by karen »

i am sure my piano it not mahogony veneer. It is an antique. When did this staining to look like mahogony start...is this not a modern technique?...
User avatar
Colin Nicholson
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1704
Joined: 04 Jul 2010, 19:15
Location: Morpeth, Northumberland
Contact:

Re: piano veneer: which year ?

Post by Colin Nicholson »

"Staining" is sometimes the wrong word to use, depending on what the French polisher did all those years back. Wood veneers are often 'coloured' with various dye pigments and mixed with shellac to achieve the desired results - and often several different kinds of veneer are used. Also some veneers have a "background" colour (eg oak) - and then further brush strokes with a darker colour. No one could guess when staining mahogany started, but many pianos around the 1920s and 1930s were popular. However, certain parts of a piano are not veneered such as beading, ornamentation.

French polish itself is also available in different colours.... eg Garnet polish & button polish. Depending on how many layers are used, the more layers will make the wood look darker. There is no set stain for any piano of any period, and again, the word "stain" is often used in the wrong context.
AA Piano Tuners UK

Colin Nicholson Dip. Mus. CMIT CLCM PTLLS
Piano tuning & repairs. Full UK restoration service
http://www.aatuners.com
Tuition ~ Accompaniment ~ Weddings
http://www.pianotime1964.com
Member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen
karen
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 19
Joined: 13 Dec 2012, 08:58

Re: piano veneer: which year ?

Post by karen »

thank you for explaining the term - staining - it definetly is veneer- How does one know if the lid of the grand piano is solid and not veneered?
User avatar
Colin Nicholson
Executive Poster
Executive Poster
Posts: 1704
Joined: 04 Jul 2010, 19:15
Location: Morpeth, Northumberland
Contact:

Re: piano veneer: which year ?

Post by Colin Nicholson »

You will need to download to us TWO photos of your lid to verify if it is veneer or solid wood - we cannot say unless it is seen - and your answer will depend on the quality of the photo .....

Photo 1: Top of lid showing polish & grain/ colours & patterns
Photo 2: Side of lid showing any signs of different colour/ separations/ end grain etc
AA Piano Tuners UK

Colin Nicholson Dip. Mus. CMIT CLCM PTLLS
Piano tuning & repairs. Full UK restoration service
http://www.aatuners.com
Tuition ~ Accompaniment ~ Weddings
http://www.pianotime1964.com
Member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen
Barrie Heaton
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3603
Joined: 30 May 2003, 20:42
Location: Lanc's
Contact:

Re: piano veneer: which year ?

Post by Barrie Heaton »

karen wrote:thank you for explaining the term - staining - it definetly is veneer- How does one know if the lid of the grand piano is solid and not veneered?
veneer has be used for over 4000 years not on pianos just 300 years very seldom do you find solid wood pianos oak ones are the most common. grand lids would cost to much to make them solid mahogany

Barrie
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page
rocklandpiano
Junior Poster
Junior Poster
Posts: 23
Joined: 29 Jan 2013, 11:38

Re: piano veneer: which year ?

Post by rocklandpiano »

Veneer is found mostly on older pianos from about 25 years and back. Most piano companies don't do veneer work now because it is an art form, and the market won't pay for art anymore. The best pianos today just don't have it.
Old uprights are where some of the most beautiful veneer work was done, and the fame of the various brands of piano did not always affect the quality of veneer work.
vernon
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 914
Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 10:29
Location: N.E.Scotland
Contact:

Re: piano veneer: which year ?

Post by vernon »

to discover if the lid of your piano is veneered or solid,remove the long brass hinge and scrape the socket.Yo will then clearly see what it is made of.. Only older quality pianos were solid. We are just french polishing a 1909 bechstein B grand that has a beautiful solid mahogany top.
Our mission in life is to tune customers--not pianos.

Any fool can make a piano-- it needs a tuner to put the music in it

www.lochnesspianos.co.uk
Post Reply