> Jody recommended Art Reblitz's book on piano servicing as a good book
> for newcomers.  If the newcomer is interested in doing hands-on work
> Art's book is a must, but another must is Art's companion book on
> player mechanisms.  Highly recommended also is Craig Brougher's book.

I've read that it costs thousands of dollars to get a piano repaired,
cleaned or tuned.  I've also read here that they should be serviced at
least yearly.  Considering that the piano is a only a Winter Piano, and
isn't worth all that much, would one say that cost of servicing a piano
is a more labor-intensive process or a parts-intensive one.

Basically, if the parts are cheap and it's just the expertise of the
serviceman that is the bulk of the cost of servicing it, I might get a
book and take a stab at doing the work myself.  Of course I don't expect
to be able to do half as good a job as a professional in ten times the
time.  It just seems that ownership and care of pianos are confined to
the idle rich, when you look at the cost of things.

Another thing I'd like to do myself is restore my Nicole Freres
music box.  After it sat idle on a restorer's shelf for eight months
untouched, I got a little impatient and took it back.  The backlog of
boxes waiting to be serviced is around 18 months.  I was quoted for
around four months, because the work required was considered minor.
I'd, of course, get a smaller box for a few hundred dollars which
I could practice on, before attempting to touch the family heirloom :)

Michael Grosser