I bought an unrestored oak Seeburg K with flute pipes at an auction
for $9000.  I wanted a "grade one" machine so I sent it away for a
professional and complete restoration, which cost me another $9000.
I love my K and it is just perfect, but in no way will I ever get
anywhere close to $9000 if I ever want to sell.  Most people are just
not going to take that kind of loss.

In most cases you are better off buying a machine that is already done.
That hurts restorers, and that is the reason that there are so few
left.

By the way, 30 years ago when I was about 30, I walked into my bank
with a photo of a Mills Violano, and they loaned me the money to buy
it as well as the shipping.  It took me a few years to pay for it,
but a knowledgeable banker knows that people who buy rare antiques
and collectibles pay for them.  Those types of loans rarely go into
default.

Al Menashe
Portland, Oregon