•Craig Brougher mentioned that Aeolian destroyed their own industry. Aeolian had class -- I was there! I knew the work was quality, and it was done by workers who had pride in their work. However, when Aeolian sold out they made a mistake of selling the Aeolian name and business to a the Winter pian...

•Andy Taylor wrote: > Why aren't full size uprights made anymore? The public probably > wouldn't buy them, but the _pianists_ probably would. What would > be wrong with building brand new 52" or 54" upright players? They are being made. No company listed had anything taller than 52" (132 cm). Prices...

•Doug Henderson brought up an interesting point about human pedaling verses pianola pedaling (sustaining). Human performers do not use the sustaining pedal in the same way that a common player piano does. Pianists learn early on, to rely heavily on the sustaining pedal, causing many notes to sound l...

•I enjoyed the discussion of player piano tops for storage that I started. I quite agree. I try to discourage my customers from storing all their rolls on top of the piano. I always put a piano scarf on mine to protect the finish and then prop only 5 or 6 rolls there as I am playing them. I am now h...

•I read Ed Chaban's and Don Teach's letters with great interest, especially in regard to the economics of roll making. It really makes me all that much more appreciative of our dedicated experts who do cut rolls and who do such a fine job. You know, I often point to my guests and prospective roll bu...

•Many thanks to everyone who responded to my plaintive plea for advice on piano moving. The situation is this: I work at Ohio Dominican University, a little college in Columbus, Ohio. We revived our music program by hiring a splendid music professor. Like many such teachers, she gives private lesson...

•Perhaps one of the reasons for the development of the fan accordion Duo-Art expression system is that it plays both U.S. and U.K. roll styles well. Right now I have two fans and one standard, all grand pianos, all in the same room, and the comparison is most interesting. I have many U.K. rolls and ...

•No doubt many player piano rebuilders are feeling the squeeze. Our costs are going up and my income is not keeping pace. The prices rebuilders charge have gone way up, but so has the amount of work required to restore these instruments. One could have the most efficient shop going and still the typ...

•Bill Maguire's posting was troubling to me -- specialized tools in the scrap heap? Yes, the lack of demand for specialized rebuilidng services may have reduced the tools' value, but there are still people out there who would buy them, although only at "fire sale" prices. Still, that would be better...

•I have been following this thread with interest. Like many here, this is something that I would not have done. I have never heard an elec- tronic system that could play like a well-rebuilt Ampico system that is installed in a piano that is properly regulated. They just do not have the same dynamic ...

•I am an independent technician (Registered or not makes no difference to me; what you know and how you do it, does). I am also acquainted with those pesky 70's Aeolian players. I was amused at one poster's advice in yesterday's MMD to dealers who had these things. My experience with these instrumen...

•Dear Larry, Greetings from The Bronx. I am sorry to say that the modern so-called DuoArt pianos are not reproducers. The name was owned by Aeolian-American so they decided to lend it to it's modern players which were an amalgamation of at least two different player systems. The roll frame, tracking...

•The Nemours Mansion and Gardens of Wilmington, Delaware, recently prepared its "Marie Antoinette" musical tall case clock for journey to a very special, temporary exhibition to take place at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This rare clock, circa 1785, plays an organ and a dulcimer ...

•I've installed a few humidity control systems in non-player uprights, and in my experience they help somewhat in stabilizing the tuning between visits and have postponed at least one re-stringing job. I've yet to encounter one in a player piano. Dammp-Chaser (the most prominent, and perhaps the onl...

•Judging from the latest post [170427 MMDigest], Ronsen hammers win. The Wurzen felt is the preferred hammer on some piano tech forums because they sound like old time Steinway hammers right out of the box. I think they are sold as Ronsen Weickert hammers. Very nice. Ronsen will weight match to your...

•Greetings MMDers. I hope you will forgive the longwinded introduction that follows. I decided that I should take the time and do a proper introduction of myself. I never did so, but I merely lurked and commented on things from time to time. Some of you know me, some of you don't. I have spent the l...

•I do not install Pianomation players, but a few things that D. L. Bullock mentioned were of interest, and I'd like to ask these questions in regard to what he has already said about them, hoping to clarify more in regard to their "ease" of installation and accessibility. While I have never had my "...

•Snippet of old 'Henderson' QRS roll on the Web! Hello MMD readers, I wish to thank Editor Rhodes for publishing my "Bad Rolls" text, a few days ago, regarding the 'Demise of the Player-Piano'. Radio was a factor, but since pianos survived the stock market crash, albeit as a downsized but viable ind...

•Hello MMD readers, Just read a posting about the Baby Ampico, promoted with the A-type of Amphion action, from 1927 to approximately 1931, and perhaps a bit later, depending upon the factory inventory. These were very popular in Maine summer camps and seaside cottages, many still on location when w...

•( Robbie, Here is the article I promised concerning the trip Anne ( and I made. I have had all the people involved to read and correct ( any mistakes, and they approve of all the info included. [ [ Thanks for checking with the collectors, Sam. It's a fine article! [ -- Robbie In MMD 2001.05.05 it w...