As many people in this group know, there are a lot of player pianos in
garages and in basements all over the US.  Nobody cares about them, but
they don't want to trash them or bother to move them.  I have found that
many people will part with theirs for as little as $100 or free as long
as you move it.  This is my idea of getting public interests up.

When  I was in New Orleans last weekend, there was a Wurlitzer grand
piano playing off a disk.  I noticed many people stopping to look at it.
When I show people my piano and tell them how much I paid for it they
often want one too.

This is against what we have discussed so much, surely, but it is my plan
to revive public interests.  I have had people ask me where to find a
player piano and they are shocked at the low cost.  Many people don't
know a toy piano sound from a Steinway.  I help people to find a player
piano and then I just fix the supply bellows and wind motor to get it
running again.  This hasn't failed me yet.

When people hear a beat-up but tuned player piano run they are very
amused.  They agree with the cost and they like the novelty of having an
antique, self-playing piano in their house.  It brings people happiness
and they can let their kids pump it without worrying about something
expensive getting broken.  Even if they don't play it that much, most
people just like having one as a piece of furniture, like why some people
buy reed organs.

You have to admit, the average person would not be very happy to spend
over $5,000 for complete piano restoration, therefore they would get
discouraged into buying a player piano at all.  Many people here know
that the sound of an old piano is good enough for them.  The bottom line
really is the cost.  That is the big selling point.

Damon Atchison