[ John Tuttle wrote in 040302 MMDigest:

> As for the players that end up in the dumps, that's probably where
> they belong.  I'd like to see the 'supply' decrease to the point
> where the value of a restored player exceeds the cost of restoration.
> That would make the whole process a profitable investment.

John's comment made me think of an old "Batman & Robin" TV episode
where the villain, who was a comic book collector, went around buying
up comic books and destroying them to make the ones he had in his
collection more valuable.

Speaking of Batman, does anyone remember the episode where Liberace
played a villain who, after capturing the dynamic duo, was to have them
fed into a roll perforator?!

That leads me to this.  One thing I think is certain: mechanical music
-- as in player pianos, nickelodeons, etc. -- is fading from the
consciousness of the general public.  Over the past 25 years the player
piano has shifted from a piece of nostalgia to a piece of history.

What people remember as children or young adults has a very powerful
impact.  An unrestored '56 Chevy will bring more on the market than a
restored model A.

The public needs to be jolted once and a while.  In my memory there
were two such jolts for the player business.  The first was when Disney
introduced the "Old Piano Roll Blues", the second was "The Sting."

I have been watching a series on The History Channel called "Mechanical
Marvels."  They have spotlighted bridges, elevators, motorcycles,
computers and a two-hour special on the German Lugar.  Much to my
chagrin, I have yet to see a decent documentary on mechanical music --
what can be more of a mechanical marvel?!  Was not the Mills Violano
proclaimed one of the marvels of the century?

I think with the right scripting and crew a most wonderful documentary
can be made which will raise public awareness of our hobby.

What do y'all think?

Regards,
Brian Thornton - Short Mountain Music Works
Woodbury, Tennessee
http://www.shortmountainmusic.com/

P.S.:  I never take the pianos I have to dispose of to the dump.
I can heat my house for three days on the wood from one regular
upright.  I save the sound board for making hammered dulcimers and
Celtic harps.  Player actions get recycled into more worthy projects.