I have had a vision some time now, which was to pit a Duo-Art or an
Ampico I restored against a piano of similar quality with the PianoDisc
player system installed.  Last month the opportunity arose.

For a few years, I had been restoring regular players for a dealer/client
in North Carolina.  He acquired a 1935 Steck Duo-Art which I restored
in my shop here in Tennessee after he had gone through the piano part.
I accompanied the piano back to N.C. to make sure everything was O.K.

He had been installing the PianoDisc for some time.  This was his first
original reproducing piano.  The Steck was set up next to a Kranich &
Bach grand of slightly larger size which had the PianoDisc installed.
So here was my chance!  I have always maintained that an old pneumatic
reproducer was better than the "'Disc."  Now I was going to find out!

The first roll I put on the Duo-Art was "Kitten on the Keys", a lively
and foot-stompin' performance.  The K&B PianoDisc delivered a rendition
of "New York - New York", which, even with a digital clone of Frank
Sinatra and a big band backing it up, was a flat soulless performance.

The client shook his head and said, "I either got to keep this in my
apartment or sell it real quick.  It's going to make my other piano
sound sad."

Was it Liberace who laughed all the way to the bank?  Well, I, at
least, laughed all the way back to Tennessee.

I'm just finishing up a Fischer grand with an Ampico in for a dealer in
Nashville who sells the PianoDisc system installed in new Kawai pianos.
I'm not expecting this match to be nearly as close as the previous
election.

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