Key Tops
Ivory Keytop Replacement
Give your piano a fresh, ivory-free set of keytops. We replace old ivory keys with smooth, hard-wearing plastic, so your instrument feels lovely to play and is free to be enjoyed, sold or passed on.
The UK Ivory Act
Since 6th June 2022, the UK Ivory Act 2018 has limited the buying, selling and hiring of items that contain elephant ivory, including pianos with ivory keys. Reassuringly, almost all modern pianos use synthetic keys, so for the great majority of instruments there’s nothing to worry about. It’s mainly worth a look if you own, are selling or are buying an older piano that might contain ivory.
Instruments made before 1975 with a small amount of ivory (under 20% by volume) can usually still be traded once they’re registered. Replacing the ivory keytops with high-quality plastic is a simple alternative: there’s no ivory left to register, and your piano is free to be played, sold or handed on.
If you’re not sure whether your piano contains ivory, or you’d just like a chat about replacing the keytops, we’d be glad to help — drop us a line any time.
Full details are on the UK Government’s guidance for dealing in items containing ivory.