[ Luke Myers wrote in 171228 MMDigest:

> How many notes/pneumatics can be removed from a player action
> before the roll starts missing notes?

Hi Luke,  The answer to that question from my point of view is "zero."
Both my Steinway 88/65 and my 1914 Steinway Duo-Art play all 88 notes
when the 88-note mode is selected.

I don't remember when but somewhere in the 1920s most roll companies
stopped using all 88 notes (especially since most reproducing pianos
used the last and first four notes for the expression coding and a few
people who had 88-note players, but liked to play reproducing rolls,
did not want the expression coding to play any funny notes on the
player piano).

But, if you have great ragtime and blues rolls of the early 1900s,
many of them use the entire compass of the keyboard and I have quite
a few rolls that may play note 1 and also note 88.  I want all the
piano notes to play.

Personally, when I have a player piano restored, I request that all 88
notes are to be restored to playing condition.  So don't loose notes
and do try to rebuild all the 88 notes if possible.  That is my two
cents worth

Musically,
Larry Norman - from very cold Virginia where it is now 23 degrees F.