Refinishing (optional)

Although I generally don't recommend refinishing antique pump organs, I understand there are times when it can't be avoided.

Most people understand restoring a 140 year old antique musical instrument is a lot different than restoring a 40 year old coffee table. Pump organs are usually built out of aged Oak, or Walnut, which means restoring these hard woods requires a little different restoration process.

The key is removing the finish that was used back in that day, without damaging the wood's grain. Century old hard wood grains have a very tight grain pattern, which provides the wood's rich, natural beauty – unlike what we have today.

Today, most hard woods are grown on steroids. Lumber companies want their trees to grow tall and fast – that's called "speed to market." As a consequence, today's wood grains just don't have the beautiful grain designs that the old woods have.

If these hard woods are refinished correctly, the results can be stunning. Below is an example of what I mean.

Since most pump organs don't require refinishing, the price to restore a pump organ will never include refinishing, as it's an extra charge – that's called "managing expectations."