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The recent thread about a walnut piano had me thinking:
Who would honestly think they had a walnut piano when it is in reality something like stained oak?

The difference in patterns is so obvious..

I think even I can tell oak but I wonder how many people could distinguish between various similar looking hardwoods stained as something else.

This is why I left the pine floor in my music room as pine. Somebody suggested using a chestnut stained varnish. To me it then just looks like pine with a brown varnish on it!

The various hardwoods don't look alike at all.
E.g. Mahogany looks very distinct from Santos Rosewood.

Sometimes people choose a color, rather than a particular veneer, to match their décor. That is purely a design decision, and completely valid.

I suppose some are fooled into thinking that oak veneer stained brown might be walnut but I rather suspect most of them think it is oak veneer stained brown.

Very few, if any, pianos with whatever veneer make it through the line without some stain somewhere. The color of the veneer on the key endblocks doesn't quite match the color of the veneer on the lid, etc.

And then there are (or at least were) the pianos that looked like everything was veneered with some exotic or other when, in fact, they were covered with paper printed to look like some exotic veneer or other. Underneath all that plastic who could tell? My clue was seeing the same -- as in exactly identical -- swirls and colors in the lids of several different pianos. This does not happen with wood veneers.

ddf

Del, you might know. Has anyone ever built a "real" ebony piano? To my understanding, ebony is not a good wood to veneer.

Steinway has (and does, I think). Beautiful pianos. I don't know if there have been any others.

ddf

Thanks Del.

I have very little knowledge about woods. I can see if I like the pattern and color but I don't see nor think it so relevant how much paint they added to it. Actually I prefer lighter over dark, and most varnishes make the wood look darker against what I prefer. But wood gets darker also over time anyway. Is there varnish to make wood look again/keep looking like fresh cut?

I can see the repeated patterns in laminate floors but it does not bother me too much. On a piano laminate probably would disturb me more though

>Who would honestly think they had a walnut piano when it is in reality something like stained oak?

I guess most people are like me, who cares how it's called as long as it looks great

Steinway's website shows Macassar Ebony as one of the nine available veneers in their "Crown Jewel Collection" option.

Larry.

In general the wood colors less then the finish. Some woods, especially tropical, get lighter over time instead of darker.
Most varnishes tend to get yellow.
The only way to get back the "original color" is to remove the finish carefully and then very very lightly sand the veneer. HOWEVER, it is very hard to sand so light that you won't get through the veneer.


Believe me, some woods have such fantastic, beautiful patterns that, you can't even come close to that with stained wood.

Wim, I believe you I have seen very nice patterns on pianos. It's just that I don't know if it's real wood, printed or painted on, or what . And I'm quite happy with glossy black I have now which probably isn't varnished ebony but what do I know