If we are musical antiquities collectors, and we wish to keep every
item in our collection untouched, then we are not actual musical
antiquities collectors, but are, instead, lovely box or furniture
collectors.

To keep every item in our collection in untouched condition, we should
put each one into an hermetically sealed glass box and hang each one on
the wall.  By the way, it must be a darkened glass box to protect it
from any light.  That would mean that we can neither hear nor actually
see our collection.

Come on, no one is going to do that, but if you are of the belief that
no restoration must be done, then that is what must be done.  Would
that make anything more valuable?

We are, with some exceptions, all interested in the music that these
instruments once put out.  I have restored hundreds of these instruments
over the last thirty years.  I can tell you that I am in this business
for one purpose and that is to satisfy my customers.  In the rare
occasions that they want me to do something that would destroy an
instrument, I will talk them out of it or send them looking for someone
else to do it.  However, most of the time, they have several things
that they want:

1. They want a functional musical instrument that family members
may play manually as well as play from the rolls.

2. They want that instrument to look beautiful in their home.

3. They do not want to call in a repairman every month or two --
they want it dependable.

4. They will purchase one that looks like new quicker than they will
one that looks like it is old and decrepit.  Even though it may play
like a dream inside, if it looks old, that means a slower sale.

When a person owns a player piano or another instrument that Aunt
Maudie owned, they more often prefer it to look like it did when Aunt
Maudie owned it... and she bought it new.

One major thing, when I restore one to like-new condition, I know that
I will not have to go out to see that piano for anything other than
regular tuning for decades.  I do a touch-up regulation after a year
or two with the regular tuning and usually charge nothing for doing so.

Even though it may look like-new, it actually works like new as well.
I have re-restored several that looked great but the "restorer" did not
know the first thing about making a piano or pipe organ work dependably
for thirty years or more.

Some of the very well-off collectors can afford to go even farther than
I usually go.  One such collectors insists that "every" piece of metal
in every instrument be plated even thought it was not originally plated.
This, you might say, is overkill, but I understand the reasoning for
it.  The plating prevents the metal from rusting for many years longer
than a mere coat of lacquer will allow.

When I do restoration to like-new condition, I have rules that I go by.
I use the best quality materials I can get. I do not use any plastic or
modern substances, with the minor exception of molded plastic keytops
(the ivory is not always reusable).  I do use lacquer in refinishing
the case as most people are not willing to pay the extra to get an
original shellac French polish finish, which we also do when asked.

If anyone is building their dark glass box and are looking for an old
decrepit player piano to put in it, I still have over a hundred such
instruments for you to purchase quite inexpensively.

Though it may be considered appalling, I have painted a 66-note Pianola
player blue and yellow in the colors of the St. Louis Rams.  I did it
to get attention to my showroom windows, but I have not sold it yet.

I also have a customer from time to time who wants to paint up a grand
into an art case.  It is usually done on a less expensive piano and I
can't imagine that it does anything but raise the value.  The customer
is happy and someday perhaps they will sell it.  Until then value is
not important.

DL Bullock
St. Louis
www.thePianoWorld.com