Scratches in the surface of a Roland

[Constance]

So, I've got this old Roland EP-9 digital piano that I'm going to sell. But, there are scratches in the surface.

One day, while much younger, my daughter scratched the phrase "Take Me, no you're ugly" into the metal top of the EP-9 (it came from a greeting card about alien abduction). The EP-9 still sounds fine (for a digital piano), but I'm not sure how these scratches will affect its worth. My wife seems to think they could be buffed out, but I have no idea how to accomplish such a thing.

Has anyone ever tried to smooth or buff out scratches on the metal surface of a keyboard?

[Janet_Girl]

Depends on the type of metal.  Stainless steel, use stainless steel polish.  Brass, use Brasso.  Regular steel, use polishing compound.  Use 0000 steel wool and a light touch.  Once it is buffed out, use Johnson Wax to protect.


Janet

[Constance]

Well, it's definitely not stainless or brass. It's that textured black stuff (seemingly) common on synth's and the like.

I'll try the polishing compound, 0000 steel wool and the Johnson wax. Thanks, Janet.

[Janet_Girl]

If it is painted, use a crinkle Black paint to blend afterward.


Janet

[Constance]

Oh, right. Good idea.

[tekla]

Test whatever idea your going to try on some obscure section to make sure you're not just going to make it worse.

[glendagladwitch]

If that doesn't work, print one of the names below on a bumper sticker and stick it over it.  Maybe add a picture of the artist.  You can buy the blank bumper sticker sheets at an office supply store.

1. Keith Emerson (ELP, Nice)
2. Rick Wakeman (Yes, Strawbs, David Bowie)
3. Jon Lord (Deep Purple)
4. Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
5. Richard Wright (Pink Floyd)
6. Tony Banks (Genesis)
7. Billy Preston
8. Ian Underwood (The Mothers Of Invention)
9. Steve Winwood (Traffic)
10. Nicky Hopkins (Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck)

[tekla]

11. Linda McCartney, Wings (and if her keyboard virtuosity wasn't enough, she sang back-up vocals too.  Sure, like the keyboards they were not turned up in the mix - that's just because they didn't want to embarrass the other people in Wings.)

[Constance]

Test whatever idea your going to try on some obscure section to make sure you're not just going to make it worse.

Good point.