I am disappointed by one aspect of the recent thread about the Hupfeld
piano player, and this relates to our treatment of original instruments
and unusual aspects of them.  The early German player pianos used a
'standard' 73-note scale with the roll going uphill.  With hindsight,
this is the correct way.  Just think about reading song rolls.

The problem is that people like to change instruments to make them
fit in with their own requirements rather than restore as per original.
Rebuilding the Hupfeld roll box to take 88-note rolls ruins the
originality and could confuse future students of our field.  Original
73-note rolls are hardly difficult to find these days, but may, of
course, not play your particular choice of music.  If this is the
reason behind the conversion, then I would say get a different
instrument.

Many years ago I bought a very nice, small, roll-played organ by Story
and Clark.  This was part way through a conversion to play standard
Aeolian Grand rolls -- both are 58-note at 6-per-inch spacing but the
Grand roll is slightly narrower and has different spool ends.  The
first job I did was to return it to play the correct rolls and over
the years I have acquired a large library of original rolls.  With
this, and my Model V Orchestrelle, I have two contrasting and original
roll played organs.

This posting is not meant as a criticism of any particular person,
more a plea for us to take more care over the standards of the
instruments we pass on to our successors.

Best wishes to all,  Nicholas Simons,  England

 [ With antique automobiles the same philosophy may be applied or
 [ consciously ignored.  I believe many more old cars became "hot rods"
 [ than were restored to original condition and function, because the
 [ owner's pleasure was in modifying it to suit his need or his fancy.
 [ -- Robbie