I have read all the feedback about prices and interest in mechanical
music declining and I agree with most of them.  In my business, unless
I can get one real cheap, I don't buy players to resell.  My success in
that area has been mostly with the more modern Aeolians sold to vintage
folks who have the recollection of them from the past.  These customers
are few and far between.

The restoration part of my business is 99% rebuilding pianos for those
two magic words, "Sentimental Value": "It was my mother's piano",
"It was my Aunt Lillie's piano", "It was in our family for years",
"It's all that I have of my uncle, aunt, grandmother, grandfather, etc."

Down here in south Florida the older population is rapidly assuming
room temperature.  Also, the demographic is turning away from retirees
from the North to immigrants from the South.  These wonderful folks
haven't a clue as to what a player piano is.

I think the organ business is also going the way of the player piano.
Again, the room temperature aging thing.  There are pockets of organ
clubs still going but they are dwindling.  Companies are getting out
of the organ business: Kawai, Yamaha, and I think Roland are all into
digital pianos.  Hammond still makes the B3 and others, primarily for
specific church use.  Lowery is still alive and well, but alone in the
reasonably priced market.

There will, I guess, always be the big theatre organs -- Allens, Rogers
and others -- for the fans of the megabuck theatre organ, but I 'spect
those don't fly off the shelves too rapidly either.

As rebuilders we don't need a backlog of five years work -- we all know
these things take time to do.  I hope I can get to all my work while my
customers are still alive to pay the balance.  Maybe I should get a
bigger deposit.

Arthur Marino