I was recently called out to inspect an Aeolian "Sting II" player piano
which was having some volume-control problems, when using electric
operation.  After some needed adjustments were made, the player still
had problems, either playing too loud or not at all.  After playing
several rolls, I noticed the pump box was overheating, and it soon began
to smell bad.

I found that the only place the box was vented was where the wires came
into the unit.  Also there was originally a metal cover box over the
opening, which the seller/dealer had removed.  I could find no other
place where the box was vented.  It seems that the whole thing had
overheated on many occasions in the past, but went ignored or simply
unnoticed.  I guess that the good old boys down at Aeolian just threw
this baby together and shoved it out the door in the last days of
production.

I have never seen this kind of problem before, but I will watch for it
in the future when I see another one of these last-ditch masterpieces of
Aeolian craftsmanship -- or should I say crapsmanship?  What a pity that
the only really decent  player system made in the 60's, 70's, and 80's
was so poorly manufactured.  To think, if they had only used leather
valve facings in the plastic valve blocks, their players would have been
every bit as tight as the 1920's version.  A few extra dollars would
have made all the difference in the world, but I guess that Aeolian had
a bottom line that was more important than customer and technician
satisfaction.

Jim Jelinek