I got several letters today, asking me why I am fooling around with the
Ragtime Automated Music (RAM) stack after I slammed them pretty hard
last year.  So I will explain.  The production manager called me on the
phone and asked me, "What is your problem, Bud?"

Well, instead if yelling and screaming at him, I calmly told him
the basic faults of the system.  After much debate I was offered a
replacement stack and a $600 credit and he asked me to take down the
RAM HTML page.  I agreed to do so if they carried out their end of the
deal.  When they asked me about the Mechanical Music Digest, I told
them that I would also alert the group to the fact that RAM did try to
make things right.

I also told the production manager that I would give an honest account
of how the new set of pneumatics worked.  He has called me several
times to get some feedback on these new units.

I really hope by putting my head on the chopping block, risking
offending some of my friends here at MMD, I think RAM may actually
start to listen to some of us and maybe come out with a workable system
that player rebuilders would like to use.  I hope so.  That was my goal
from the outset.

We are still butting heads over the spool frame.  There was a time
in the past when RAM did make a metal spool frame, but when they tried
to cut costs, that is when they ran into trouble.

For those of you who backed me up, please accept my thanks.  By
sticking to your guns when you know you are right, you can make
a positive difference!

Andy Taylor

 [ Well done, Andy and Chris!  I've heard from others who have
 [ cautiously evaluated the RAM components, and they feel that
 [ good products will emerge _if_ the company will pay attention
 [ to quality control and respond to feedback from the customer.
 [ It's nice to know that, finally, someone at RAM cares.  Thanks
 [ for sharing your story with us.  -- Robbie