BARE!

The Erard is now stripped bare, ready for a complete refinishing of the soundboard, plate, and interior of the case.

Destringing now, starting from the bass strings and moving up--it's a pain.

The interior of the piano is a mess, and was not refinished the last time the outer case was refinished. There is staining here and there and the finish is blotchy and very amber. So, this is the first test of finish removal. With a simple cabinet scraper, the old finish flaked off easily.

And here is the first test section I did with scrapers and a bit of sanding. This is too dusty to go further with in the living room, so I'll finish destringing and then move the piano into the garage for refinishing.