I have to comment and give you some background.  I'm 56 and from the
Midwest.  I never knew of an amusement park or a carousel or band
organ; they just weren't around here.  In my elementary school, we had
three rooms of each grade: grade 1-3 had a piano in the room and the
teacher played each morning, in the higher grades we had music class.
I don't remember how often, but the teacher would push a piano into the
room and would play, we would sing.  She also had a holder that held
five pieces of chalk and she would draw the staff on the blackboard.

My grandmother had a piano from a child and kept it all her life;
She was born in 1900.  I was always allowed to plink on it and always
wanted one.  In the early '60s, we searched the newspapers for a used
piano but every time we called they were always gone.  In 1965 we went
to a music store to see what they had: no pianos but used organs, we
were somewhat pushed into buying one.  I took organ lessons and have
always played since.

I'm an only child and never left home.  When my parents were gone,
I decided I wanted a player piano as I would never be talented enough
to play one well.  I had the number of a local rebuilder and called
him.  He invited me up to hear his Steinway Duo-Art; the roll played
was "Chimes of St. Cecilia" -- that sold me!  He just happened to have
a Marshall & Wendell Ampico B to be rebuilt.  It was the right size for
me so gave him the down payment, that was in 1995.  I enclosed a never
used porch and combined it with my dining room to have room for it.

A couple of years later I acquired a Stieff Welte cheaply; by this
time I was experienced enough to refinish it, and I had the innards
rebuilt.  I turned my parents' bedroom into an extra room and the
Stieff is in there, the only place I have for it.  I have no room for
any kind of another instrument nor can I afford to pay for restoration.
I personally don't have the time, money, space or expertise for more
musical instruments -- taxes, insurance and utility payments have went
up so much it takes more $$ just to survive, and I'm very frugal.  
I have to close off the "Welte room" in the winter as I cannot afford
to heat it.

If I would be tempted by a piano, it's either on one of the coasts and
getting a reliable mover is a problem.  I don't have many close friends
and they aren't really interested in mechanical music; a common comment
is "Can't you turn the pianner down, it's loud!"   Enough said.

Jay Merrill