Don Teach wrote about Les Paul, "Anyone know what happened to his
Seeburg E he had in his recording studio in the 1960's?"

Don, I bought that instrument in the late 1970's.  It had been gutted
thoroughly before I got the instrument.  It was quite a late "E" with
the three-level modifying switch to control volume.

After having patterns professionally made, I had castings made in iron,
as in the original.  Adam Lojewski built an exceptional vacuum pump and
I machined the castings for the roll frame, pump stanchions, crankshaft
and the bracket that attaches under the keybed to regulate the speed.
I never got around to machining the friction drive wheel casting and
found an original flywheel and coin accumulator.

Around this time I was involved in a railroad accident that ended my
career as a locomotive engineer.  I lost interest in that particular
project and passed it on to my friend, Paul Manganaro.  Paul has
finished the piano beautifully and made a new xylophone and beater
mechanism.  Paul called me long distance, from his home in
Pennsylvania, to play the "E" for me.

After having it sit around my house for close to 20 years without
hearing it play, I was very happy to finally hear the lovely sound of
that instrument.

Keith Taylor
Jefferson, Maine USA

P.S. It was a treat to meet Mr. Paul and tour his studio in Mahwah NJ
when I picked up the piano.  His recording equipment was virtually all
home-made in his shop.  He's quite an accomplished machinist.