On a repair call I went to look at a small grand used in a restaurant
bar.  The piano was a mess, with everything in it including whiskey,
beer, barf, swizzle sticks, cigarette butts and an empty Grand Mariner
bottle.  My first suggestion was to put a sink drain in the sound board
and connect the thing to the sewer drain.

After discarding this idea, a new lid was built.  The outside curve was
extended 18 inches and carved bar rail added.  A plantium (riser) was
built to raise the piano and lid to bar-stool height, and a kick rail
mounted on the riser.  A 1.5-inch gap was left between the lid and piano
case (for more sound maybe).  The lid is actually supported by brass legs
from the plantem with a few small blocks between the case and lid.

The bar rail was about 1-inch high and extended across in front of
the music desk, leaving access for tuning.  This gave him beverage
containment and more bar seating.

The piano moved to Colorado some time back so I have lost track of it,
but the last time I was at the bar it was still supporting heavy duty
drinking, playing and an occasional dancer.

This can also be a neat piano lid in a den or party room, inlaid for
chess, backgammon or other game board.

Jon Guy
Arnett, Oklahoma

 [ My dictionaries show neither 'plantium' nor 'plantem'.  What trade
 [ uses these words?  Could they be a variant of 'plenum'?  -- Robbie