Hi Gang,  Well it turns out that my "find" (the art case Foster from
Florida) was in pitiful shape.  I asked for a art case, and that is
exactly what I got: a case!

We dried out the soundboard, and it ended up with four major cracks,
every bit of 1/16-inch wide, all the way across, two of which went
under the bridges.  The crown was negative, and when you hit the board
with your fist, it was dead.  I was amazed the piano sounded good as
it did.  (Nothing to write home about, though,)

In addition, someone had been in there before, I found 2/0, 4/0 and
a couple of 6/0 tuning pins.  The treble was strung all the way across
with 14 gauge wires; What a mess!

There was considerable damage to the veneer around the bottom of the
piano.  It wasn't noticeable until the piano came home and dried out.
I am almost sure it has been wet.

I had bought a 1915 Foster from John Rotoskey, in untouched condition.
This piano was two years younger than the one we were working on.  It
was a plain-Jane case, and I had already cannibalized it to build the
Pianomation-equipped Foster (1918).

I took that piano apart, left the sides on the back, and tried the
fit if the art case to the unit.  It required a little fitting, but
everything is going to work out fine.  Would you believe the veneer
is the same?  Now that's luck!

My wife and I disagree on what the term "original" means.  She has
the view that every major part that came with a particular unit, and
to change things, it is no longer original.

I have the opposing view, that using identical parts, and using factory
procedures, insuring everything is aligned and correct, it is still
original.

We both would be interested in what the MMDers think.  I will admit
that this is an unusual situation; most piano rebuilders don't have
the same make of pianos around.  So we would be very interested in
everyone's input.  Does the fact that I am using the best parts of
each unit destroying the value of the piano?

Best Regards
Andy Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls
http://home.swbell.net/tempola/index.htm


 [ Editor's note:
 [
 [ Consider, for example, that a fine 1897 German barrel organ was
 [ returned to the builder in 1907 to be equipped with a paper music
 [ roll system.  Now, many decades later, would this organ be
 [ "original?"  What if the same factory did the same job in 1997?
 [
 [ One might say that an old modification is acceptable, but a
 [ recent modification is unacceptable, which is simply saying,
 [ "Old is better." 
 [
 [ Alternatively, one might say it is "original" if the factory
 [ performed the modification (however sloppy it might be), but
 [ a non-factory modification, of beautiful craftsmanship, is still
 [ not "original", therefore it's less valuable.
 [
 [ I really don't know the answer.  :(
 [
 [ -- Robbie