•A word to the wise: When dealing with Schafer Bros. Piano Moving, *get everything in writing!* I cannot emphasize that enough. As with every piano mover, they're great until there's a problem. I am in the middle of a dispute with this particular moving company and I see no possible solution at this...

•A brief introduction. My name is Nick Hoad, residing in England. I have been interested in mechanical organs, or band organs, as I believe they are called across the pond, for many years. I guess this is due to being taken to steam rallies by my father as a young lad, and listening to the many reco...

•A few days ago I read with great interest, and later with much frustration, the information that Matthew Caulfield brought to light about the vague copyright issues in relation to non- and mechanical music issues. While his subject concerned the public domain and later concerns of the musical score...

•Several months ago I purchased a Gem roller organ on eBay auction. After examining the thing and trying to play a couple of the rollers that came with it, I have determined that it needs some work. My question is where to start! The main problem is that it doesn't develop enough suction. The reserv...

•I have a 5'9" Young Chang piano-shaped-object with PianoDisc 128+. I live in a loft and my neighbor below has complained about the piano's volume. The piano is not near a wall. We have a carpeted 3" concrete floor between us. I bought a sound level meter at Radio Shack and took some readings. When ...

•I've rescued a lovely Packard Harmonium (it is now) from the bonfire. Having restored it to its former glory, I'd like to very discretely fit a bank of small solenoids under the keys and play fairground-type music on it via a MIDI circuit board and a disc drive. Yes, I know it's probably sacrilegio...

•Never saw a reply to the question why are juke boxes named such. My understanding is the original coin needed to operate the machine was an American 5-cent piece, also called a nickel, and in slang version a "juke". I actually remember when you could play a juke box for a nickel, or six tunes for a...

•I have recently noticed a problem with my Ellington Manualo that has me stumped. It always plays normally when I play (via pedaling) a single roll, but when I play a large three-piece roll (for example a QRS XP roll), it comes to a complete stop for some reason, usually in the middle of the third a...

•A few years ago I found what appears to be Rolmonica rolls in an antique shop in Portland, Oregon. There were about a dozen. None have a tune name and none have the leader still attached, but they are meant to play 12 notes. Now, without a genuine Rolmonica, I would like to construct a spool frame ...

•As a collector, roll scanner and roll perforator I've seen attitudes of every sort towards collecting and sharing. Most folks are more than willing to share their collections with others through roll scanning, but there are those who won't for various reasons. Much has been said about the "misers"...

•In MMD 070103 Kevin McElhone asked for a supplier of the Sankyo 20-note musical movements which play a card strip or loop. You can order this movement from Selva Technik GmbH in Germany. Orders can be placed via Internet at http://www.selva.de/ They provide an English language web site. Selva offer...

•What shameful irony to take a perfectly good band organ and place it where it can't be heard but then pipe the sound through speakers. Why not just donate the band organ to someone who will appreciate it and play a band organ recording through the speakers? Seriously, a live loud band organ gives a...

•As a Registered Piano Technician I have had the misfortune of working on a number of these newer mechanisms over the years. At this point I flatly refuse to look at them. Every once in a while the local dealer might ask me to glance at one that came in on trade, if I happen to be in the store. But...

•Hello all -- A friend of mine, who owns a genuine 20er roll-controlled organ, has found that he also needs a crank "organ" that plays MIDI files via a MIDI player through a loudspeaker, mainly for singing use indoors. The "organ" should 1. look like a crank organ; 2. play when the crank is turned -...

•Design News reports that as a fun demo of application possibilities for pneumatics, Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc., has created a real "air guitar", using 62 small pneumatic cylinders and valves to play a real guitar: http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1395&doc_id=239327 A direct...

•I purchased a Mr. Christmas "Grand Music in Motion" box that uses an endless paper roll, about 2-5/8" wide, having about 12 songs on it. I am looking for a replacement roll for it or at least something I can put together. I've tried to contact the company, and was totally unsuccessful. Any help wou...

•About 35 years ago (or maybe a few more) Jim Fleagle built an Ampico B Vorsetzer and used it to play a 9-foot Steinway concert grand piano. He closed their home in Seattle and moved to the Olympic Peninsula, taking it with him, and eventually he sold it. Does anyone know where it went? Tom Binnall ...

•I own a 1924 Conway which was restored in 1994, at which time a vacuum motor box was added that is very similar (if not identical) to the one pictured here: http://playerpiano.yolasite.com/resources/pump-pix.jpg I recently removed the evacuator assembly from my piano, with reservoir intact, and blo...

•A friend (not on this list) emailed me about a problem he is having with his Knabe Ampico which he uses mostly as an organ piano. It's been so long since I did anything Ampico I can't answer his question. If someone here can advise how to resolve the problem, I will forward the answer on to him. "I...

•In Digest 970901 Ingmar Krause writes: > By the way: The minimum size to play a lot of music would be 12 notes, > which is one octave. (Now, who is going to discuss this with me? :))) This reminded me of an entry in Pierce's Piano Atlas (p. 360), which shows a picture of Bob Pierce and a spinet wit...