So just this afternoon I find a Craigslist ad for a coin piano stating:

  "Coin operated player piano.  The piano was made in NYC.  Has better
  than average sound and playing ability.  Stays in tune very well.
  Most player pianos were built with cheap pianos because they were
  used as machines not pianos that were played by a musician."

Excuse me?!  Most player pianos were _not_ built with cheap pianos,
and they _were_ pianos, not just machines.  Almost every player piano
out there had been built with a long-lasting and durable piano of high
craftsmanship.

I really don't know where the person got that idea from.  From the
picture, the player mechanism looks pretty clunky.

Link to ad:
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/atq/5791755280.html 

Luke Myers
ldmyers95@gmail.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

 [ Player pianos sold as luxury items before 1920 were typically better
 [ quality than later player pianos sold as consumer items in a very
 [ competitive market.  Coin pianos by firms such as Wurlitzer and
 [ Seeburg were always high quality, durable machines built to survive
 [ abuse in rough lounges.  -- Robbie