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Reprinting Vestal Press Publications
By D. L. Bullock

I would go along with most of Don Shenbarger's top picks list but the
last thing in the world I would reprint would be the Givens blue book,
"Rebuilding the Player Piano", by Larry Givens.  Although it was a
breakthrough in its time it is 90% useless for rebuilding a player piano.

Today's unrestored player pianos require far more restoration expertise
than they did in the 1960's.  Valves all need replacing now, and most
did not back then, as just one example.  Also, many of the companies
referred to in there are gone.  The Art Reblitz book has blown Givens
completely out of the water as far as usefulness to the rebuilder.

If you read the Givens book today, you will see it is doubtful there is
enough info for most people to rebuild a piano by.  There is a reason
I have bought many players that were halfway rebuilt, and when I bought
them I got a Givens book in the pile of parts and 20-year-old supplies
from PPCo.

D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
www.thepianoworld.com

PS: Reprinting Vestal Press Publications could be problematic since
Harvey Roehl sold the rights, negatives, originals, etc., to another
publishing company who is presently not producing most of them.


(Message sent Thu 18 Nov 2004, 17:15:19 GMT, from time zone GMT-0600.)

Key Words in Subject:  Press, Publications, Reprinting, Vestal

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