Hi Benjamin,  One of the best barrel piano restorers in the country
lives just down the road from you in Rochester, New York.  Call me, or
have your friend call me, and I'll answer your questions and put you in
touch with him.  Here he is playing a barrel piano he restored (which
sounded almost as bad as Barrel Organ Phil's piano when he started):

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwrI__sig1Y 

Regards,
Craig Smith

P.S.: I can't resist at least one sarcastic remark about Phil's piano.
The guy commented that "you can make a lot of money" with this piano.
The only way to make a lot of money with that piano is from people
paying you to stop playing it!