Indeed, most of what piano roll buyers will find at eBay is unwanted
junk -- followed by a deceptive description and an unbelievably high
minimum bid -- most of which would be garbage fire starters to most
people as Brian Tate informs us.

Obviously, any eBay bidders (buyers) should be highly cautioned when
placing a bid on something about which the seller furnishes little or
false information on, or the seller claims they don't have sufficient
knowledge about what they have to give you any further information.

Unfortunately, I too have experienced the highly desperate seller's
lack of adequate description, resulting in nothing more then a $350
dollar box of 65-note scrap paper all spooled on sawed-off pin ends.

'Once in a blue moon' you might find a rare gem that you've been
looking for, but then you have to decide whether it's worth paying half
your wallet's worth for it, and if your willing to buy all the other
some 200 rolls it comes with you really don't want or already have.

But of course, there is always the advantage of the seller on eBay,
that profits off of the guy that pays half his daily's wage for some
torn copy of "Silent Night" or "A West a Nest and You" that was sitting
in someone's garage swamp for 20 years, and when they found it again
decided it was worth four or five times it's actual value.  For these
reasons and many more, sellers should also be much more investigative
on what they are selling so they won't expect so much money out of the
buyer that no one places a bid on it, thus depriving the public of some
possibly good merchandise.

eBay can hardly be considered a good source for music rolls.  The
best deals can be found in local news papers, piano stores, rebuilders
shops, and occasionally antique shops, among others.  Based on past
experience, I would only recommend using eBay when bidding on an item
which you find to be extremely desirable or collectable, and worth the
money.  And be sure to find out everything you possibly can first,
before making a commitment.

I'm fairly certain that if these factors are considered before placing
bids, it could result in a much more musically rewarding experience and
a more enjoyable transaction from the perspective of the buyer and
seller.

Nathan Bello
Gladstone, OR, USA