There are many different reasons for owning a player/reproducing piano,
ranging from being an outright nutcase to "I got it when my daddy died
and it's not hurting anything sitting there."  Would it not be
interesting to take a poll and see what the profile of our community is?

Extreme perfectionist -- Piano must be original in every respect;
researches every aspect from the source of original materials to how
they sharpened the punch on the perforator.

Perfectionist -- Piano must perform to original specifications; gets
upset when it drops the high note he can hardly hear on his best day,
when set at intensity zero.

Ampico/Duo-Art Music Collector -- Looking for every number in a series
no atter whether it is musically pleasant to listen to or not.  Enjoys
hours of discussion of the technical aspects of each piece and can spot
a missed note or mis-timed chord in a heartbeat.

Gadget freak -- Likes the mechanical aspects of the mechanism and the
beauty of the piece in his living room.  Will run a roll through it to
impress his friends.  Every function has to work, but happy with sanded
hammers and new bridle straps.  Usually a car nut.

Piano Music Lover -- Doesn't play well or maybe not at all.  Roll
collection consists of popular music of various eras that is fun to
listen to.  Probably loaded with QRS and Play-Rites.

Ambivalent -- Yeah it's there and ya know what?  The darn thing still
works after all these years!

Hater -- It was in the wife's family for years, doesn't work, but she
won't let me get rid of it.  We bought a new house and moving next
month. It's going to fall off the truck.

Where do you fit?

Rodney Diehl (Fischer Ampico "A" converted to play 88's only -- gadget
freak/music lover)