Dear Subscribers,

Bruce Clark touches upon a sensitive issue - one to which we can all
relate and involving decisions with which we can all sympathize. Don't
throw that old player action out! Give it to me! But who really wants
it? Not the dealer - its not financially sensible. Not the musician - it
has no artistic "worth". Not even the historian - its not yet old enough
to be of more than a passing interest. No, the only person who is likely
to want an old, unrestored player action is the enthusiast.

Steve Cox, of Laguna Rolls, has a favorite saying...
How do you become a millionaire in the piano roll business?
Start with two million!

Is this not true of player restoration as well? How do you persuade folk
to pay a small fortune to bring a $500 piano to working order as a
player, whilst convincing them that it will repay their outlay? Its
tough. People want to know that their money is recoverable, and yet in
all truth players are not (at least at present) good financial
investments.

One day though, when the oil runs out and everyone gets back to owning
horses and making their own amusement, people will be grateful for the
efforts of the merry band of MMDers.

Roger Waring
Solihull
England