[ Simon Tremblay asked in 080322 MMDigest :
 [
 [> Where can I get _good_ materiel (tubing, cloth, leather, etc)?
 [>
 [> Do schema or tubing plans exist (so useful when the tubing,
 [> which became as fragile as glass, is now in the bottom of the
 [> piano in many little pieces!)?

Hi Simon,  I have been attempting to help the player piano world for
almost twelve years via my web site at Player-Care.com.  While there
is still much that I would like to accomplish, I have been able to put
together hundreds of pages of useful information about various aspects
of the repair and restoration of player pianos.  In a very real sense,
it's been my goal to fill in the blanks that I found as a player
technician when I first went into the business back in the early 1970's.

While Player-Care can be somewhat difficult to navigate, I think you'll
find that reading the information I have spent years compiling will be
very helpful.  However, if you're looking for 1-2-3 snap answers, you'll
probably get frustrated.  Point in fact, understanding player pianos is
all about the fine details that go into making them function properly.
Once you have a firm grip on the fundamentals and theory of operation
of the various devices inside a player piano, the 'mystery' starts to
fade and the skills and persistence required to do a good job begin to
become very clear.

If you find that you're having difficulty finding a particular piece
of information, please don't hesitate to write to me at
<john@player-care.com>

Musically,
John A Tuttle
Player-Care.com
Brick, New Jersey, USA