I have been reading the various thoughts on this with great interest
and a little amazement.  The one opinion  (by Nicholas Simons) that
I have to comment on is:

> The fitting of a MIDI system to any old instrument, even in a
> non-destructive manner, is not acceptable.  One argument to be heard,
> particularly with fair organs in GB, is that the music is cheaper.
> To that I say, If you can't afford the music, don't buy the organ.

Some of use to not have that option.  I would love to purchase new
music rolls for my player organ.  It is a Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ
with the Concert Player.  I have only nine original rolls (from 1921)
and they are getting very fragile.  The only way I can keep the
instrument operating is to use MIDI.    Every attempt to purchase
original rolls have been thwarted by roll collectors that do not even
have a instrument to play them.  It does have the option of using
standard piano rolls but these do not work the stops and traps.  I do
purchase these rolls but they just do not show off the instrument like
the Wurlitzer Concert rolls can do.

Without the MIDI board that I attached to the organ, in few years the
music on the Concert rolls would not be able to be heard.  I keep the
original player operational but until I can purchase a 98-hole roll
perforator I will be stuck with the MIDI.

Those of us with rare instruments sometimes have to do things that we
may not like to do but have to do to keep them going.  MIDI allows me
to keep the Concert rolls playable and to orchestrate new music for
my organ.  The MIDI board is easily removable.  There are no permanent
alterations to the organ.  The player is exactly the way Wurlitzer made
it.  When this board is in need of replacing it will be replaced with
whatever is being made at that time.  The original parts will always
function and hopefully I will be able to make or find rolls to use on
it.

The organ has a web site that is listed below for anyone that wants
to see it. It is the only style 160C Wurlitzer left with the Concert
player.  It is also possibly the only unmodified Wurlitzer Concert
Player left in operation.

If anyone has rolls for this organ please contact me.  I had an address
of someone with recuts but lost it when my computer crashed.

Thanks,
Philip A. Underwood - Owner Wurlitzer Opus 471
http://theatreorgans.com/wurlitzer.471/