Hi,

Let me clarify my feelings about plastic and plastic type parts in
general. There are lots of plastic things I like. (And lots I don't
like) I was, however, only referring to plastic in pianos and player
pianos.

My primary objection to plastic parts in pianos and player pianos comes
NOT from the ability or inability of the part to do it's designed job
or whether or not it will last as long or longer than a part made from
"natural" materials. My primary objection concerns repairability and
availability.

Just as one small example, I was hired to repair a Kohler & Campbell
console player (circa 1960). The problem was missing teeth on the drive
and rewind gears. The gears were made of a "teflon-type" material. The
previous technician had attempted to fabricate and glue in a section of
new teeth which worked for about a week. After exhausting all my
contacts "at that time", I enlisted the services of a gear maker. Since
the "cut" of the gear was so odd, he had to purchase a special cutter
with the correct angle before he could start. Cost $150.00.(I paid for
and took the cutter when he was done making the gears) Then he made the
two large gears. Cost $150.00/gear.  And then the small drive gear.
Cost $75.00.

I won't speculate about whether or not the problem would have occurred
had the gears been made of metal but the fact that they were
unrepairable and unavailable (as new parts) made the whole process of
repair very costly. And except for the fact that the gear maker said
the quality of the teflon he used to make the new gears is much better
than the old teflon, there is no guarantee the new parts will last any
longer than the old ones did.  That's my problem with plastic parts.

Musically, John Tuttle