This ivory trade enforcement is getting silly.  Maybe my views are
too "country-boy" simple, but I had absolutely nothing to do with the
killing of a elephant in 1904, and I'm sorry, but the big guy that gave
me my ivory piano keyboard is dead, and there is nothing I can do to
bring him back.

I am against hunting any species to extinction, but I am also against
stripping a perfect piano keyboard of its ivory just to satisfy some
nutty legislation.  As a pianist, ivory and other thin materials "feels"
right.  Plastic keytops feel thick and cheap, and one 'Jerry Lee Lewis'
rake across the keyboard and they are forever scratched.

A good intact ivory keyboard is rare.  The elephant is long since dead,
and since I didn't kill him. there should be an exception for antique
pianos.

I remember playing the piano for a church a few years ago, that had
a old upright with loose ivory keytops.  I played it for a visiting
gospel group.  When I play gospel piano, I like to _play_ it.  I am
talking about a jazzed up, "sister act" style.  I did a downward rake
on this piano, and a few keytops went flying into the air!  It was
very embarrassing when the pastor got up and said, "I really enjoyed
the music, and Mr. Taylor played the keys right off of our piano!"
Everyone laughed.  The following Monday I glued them back into place
for no charge.  :-)

Just for fun, it would be a blast to install a smoke bomb in an old
upright, activated by it's middle pedal, then while you play the final
number, hit the pedal.  This would give the illusion that the old piano
"couldn't take it!" <grin>

Just a thought
Andrew Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls