What an appropriate subject and right in time.

I used Larry Given's book on the first player piano I worked on.
I got the impression from that book that it was okay to use white glue
in the pneumatics.  The result is that when that player piano stops
working it's the end.  I don't claim that Givens approves of white
glue, but I didn't get the message then.  Art Reblitz's book on
rebuilding player pianos is in my mind a better text and I would
recommend it (besides the fact that it's still in print).

One word of advice to anyone who is rebuilding an automatic musical
instrument whether it's a standard player, a reproducing grand, an
orchestrion or music box:  Never cut corners.

There are time proven methods for every step of the way.  To place a
patch on a pneumatic because it's otherwise okay, for example, is the
way to ensure that the time and efforts that you spend on your repair
won't last very long.  To skip the valves or pouches because they look
okay is inviting a source of leaks that can mean the difference between
a tight pumper and an aerobics class piano, or an Ampico that plays but
somehow is missing the dynamics a bit and a true reproducing piano.

Eliyahu Shahar