The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Here is a slightly off topic post from craigslist... well, it is mechanical music.

Maybe someone coming to the Wayne MME would be interested in this. I don't know anything about these things. It's listed on New York CL but the unit is in NJ.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/jsy/zip/1086471993.html

Unfortunately today the typical upright player piano is nearly worthless. Back in the 1970's (when they were around 50 years old) you could get one working by just replacing the rubber cloth and tubing for a few hundred dollars. Now the leather parts of the actions have commonly rotted out and total rebuilds are necessary. Even in the high end marked of reproducing pianos (expensive instruments capable of expressive playing) only the most expensive instruments are selling- plain cased pianos in need of rebuilding just won't move.

I recently had my player rebuilt (the player part only, not the piano action) at a cost of Three Thousand Dollars. It was purely for sentiment and because of my large library of rolls- the piano is not worth that and if I were to try and sell it I'd have to take a loss. If I'd been in my right mind I wouldn't have done it.

As your resident piano technician, I can say too that not only do the player actions need a total rebuild but also the piano itself. Clients ask me what their pre- WW I piano needs. "Everything." I say. " No, seriously ..." they reply. " EVERYTHING" I say as I smile beatifically. They eventually realize that I'm not kidding. And actually it's pre WW II as well although it's not quite so drastically necessary. People forget that 1960 was almost 50 years ago and felt wood and leather don't age very gracefully.
Jim

Another one in my neck of the woods. Looks like some rolls included.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/zip/1087963355.html

scooter wrote:Another one in my neck of the woods. Looks like some rolls included.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/zip/1087963355.html

Stay away from it. Gulbransen built very good pianos, so it probably sounds fine- but their player actions are very very hard to rebuild.

quick search shows even more free player pianos being offered.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/msg/1085044941.html

http://detroit.craigslist.org/zip/1074705778.html

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/msg/1085529046.html