Hopefully, someone will be able to try this roll reading machine from
Ragtime Automatic Music and give us an unbiased report on it. However,
I think that Ken Caulkins should definitely plan on attending the MBSI
convention in Charlotte, NC in September of '98 and set up his equipment
for an honest review and evaluation. People need to see this first-hand
and decide for themselves if it actually does what is claimed of it.

I have heard a lot of stories about RAM products, and have also seen
and worked on a few instruments. I cannot recommend them to anybody.
But I don't want to prejudice anyone against one of Ken's new products
until I'm satisfied that they work they way they were intended and are
substantial, designed for the long haul. Trustworthy people build
trustworthy products.

Nothing is worse than products that do not perform as advertised, or
that easily break down and give problems. It becomes a disillusionment
that is not gotten over quickly, and after forking over several thousand
dollars for the ride, you are not too excited, anymore. So it's better
to be wary and let the guy prove the worth of his invention, first.

Does it have built-in protection against shorts and reversed power
leads? Does it get hot? Does it have a thermoplastic trackerbar that
can sag or distort over time? What happens when the holes get clogged
with lint and dust? Can you clean it easily? Are the magnet valves
susceptible to dirt? Do they have a rapid-fire response at vacuum
pressures all the way from 3.5 inches to 90 inches? Are they easily
cleaned? Replaceable? How well does it perform? Just copying a roll
can be done dozens of ways. Copying a roll _well_ is very difficult!

I'm from Missouri, Ken, so you're going to have to show me!

Craig Brougher