> I have been to the House on the Rock museum several times, and am
> curious about the number of instruments that appear to be custom
> built.  I was curious about the player mandolins, and player guitar
> as well as a few other oddballs.  Are these genuine, or phonies
> backed up with recorded music?   Who does their design and building?

My friends and I refer to it as "Ripoff on the Rock".  Although I have
found there are many who will argue with me, it is *my* opinion that,
although much of what is there is real, a good deal if it is fake. I
am a musical instrument repair technician by trade (woodwinds my
specialty). I can tell you that there is *no* way to make some
instruments play mechanically, as they supposedly do at HOR. It
simply is not possible to have a mechanical device that can simulate
human lips around a bassoon reed. At the very best, it would sound
more like a duck than a bassoon. Yet, the "mechanical bassoon" at
HOR has a most wonderful sound (which I believe emanates from a
small speaker strategically hidden behind the instrument).

Again, this is opinion. I am unable to prove my allegations.

jwmiller
Saint Paul MN