Bill Masterman's post in the 001114 MMD brought back some memories of
the Nelson-Wiggen piano with the slot machine in it.  I have never seen
one completely assembled, but I did rebuild the piano and player
portion of one.

When the piano came into the shop, I wondered why the roll mechanism
was down near the pump.  There was no art glass or clear glass, as
Nelson-Wiggen often used, just a panel that had been "cobbled", for
want of a better word, where the glass should have been.

In later conversations with the owner he confessed that he had taken
the slot machine mechanism out of the piano and that it was stored in
his garage.  In those days, it was a felony in Texas to possess even
a _part_ of a slot machine.  Most of the "One Armed Bandits" that I
repaired were brought into the shop in the dead of night!

He later brought the slot machine portion in for us to look at.  The
whole mechanism was mounted on a shelf which slid out of the piano for
servicing.  The machine had all the same parts as a regular mechanical
slot with the exception that an electric motor "pulled the handle" or
started the machine.  The original wiring had been removed, so I am not
sure if you got a "play" each time you inserted a coin or not.  In the
Western Electric Racehorse (or Seeburg Grayhound) pianos, every nickel
(or other coin) caused the horses to race.

In later years I called the customer and he had sold the piano minus
the slot machine.  He hauled the parts that were left to the dump --
the fate of far too much in this business/hobby!

Ed Gaida