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MMD > Archives > July 2000 > 2000.07.15 > 05Prev  Next


Non-Original Instruments at eBay Auction
By Andy Taylor

eBay and the 'Net is littered with these plastic player systems,
often offered as 'original' coin pianos of the era.  A severely flawed
pneumatic system stuffed into a worn-out upright doesn't sound the
least bit musical -- it's very irritating and is a catalyst for some
of the things that is wrong in this field, and damaging (to a small
degree) to all of us.

I took these systems apart, and wrote many articles (check the MMD
archives) of the many design faults of this system, like little bitty
inside valves with pouches made from stiff fish tank air pump
diaphragms, expected to work from six foot of tracker bar tubing.
Couple that with a restricted plastic tracker bar, and it's a wonder
they play at all---if you can hear the old weak piano over the turbine
motor running at full bore drawing enough water lift to shampoo your
carpet.  The sad fact is, it could be designed much better with very
little extra expense of the maker who shall remain nameless.

Frankly, whoever buys these fraudulent things, deserve what they get.
If it malfunctions (and it will) _just please don't call me_!

In the same mentality, we sometimes pay high dollar for unusable player
supplies, but strangely enough, the man who pawns this stuff on us is
lauded as some kind of a saint.  Am I missing something here?

Modern definition of 'Coin Piano':  A leaky pneumatic player piano
system connected to the big vacuum cleaner at the local car wash.
50 cents a play.  Wwhhhirrrrrr... Piano?  I cant hear it!  What piano?
I can't hear you either!  <chuckle>

Andy Taylor


(Message sent Sat 15 Jul 2000, 09:16:00 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Auction, eBay, Instruments, Non-Original

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