Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > March 2007 > 2007.03.09 > 05Prev  Next


Seek Recut Duo-Art Rolls
By Bruce Grimes

Regarding Randy Hammond's note about the availability of Duo-Art rolls,
I think it was evident that Keystone had little real interest in the
Duo-Art.  I bought heavily from them for a while and watched as quality
seemed to get worse and worse, not just missing or in some case slurred
(two feet long) sustaining pedal holes, but mis-labeled rolls as well.

Having a large library I was able to compare my new replacements to
what I received: wrong titles, wrong roll numbers, wrong Opus numbers,
sloppy perforating.  You never really know if the label has anything
to do with what's in the box, unless its a Milne medley.  I think it's
good they've stopped punching Duo-Art rolls; the wide-spread consensus
seemed to be that their disinterest in the Duo-Art was what killed the
market for their sloppy Duo-Art rolls.  I would certainly agree.

The Powells [Klavier] and Frank Adams [A.M.R.] developed recutting
quite admirably from what Larry Givens gave us when he began.  But
I wouldn't knock what Larry did -- he was truly our white knight.
I think we all were happy to have anything back then: I still have
a bunch of what we used to call "Given's cut-rite" when he was punching
on that lovely orangish Glassine stuff.  "They crinkle when they play."

I too am shocked that nobody is cutting real Duo-Art rolls, except
perhaps Julian Dyer.  But his output, though impeccable, is still quite
limited.  David Saul has been talking about his new Duo-Art perforator
for years now, and I'm certain if he produces Duo-Art rolls they will
be of the highest quality.

I punch a lot on my Lebarjan and can see how often the coders at
Aeolian moved notes just slightly enough to grab a note out of the
middle of a chord using the snake-bites.  Size really does matter
a lot.  I have heard the difference between rolls with tiny snakebites
vs. rolls using regular size punch holes.  It is real.  It is a fact.

Given the prices Duo-Art rolls are getting on eBay, one would think
that the operators of the perforator that's putting out new copies here
in the States would be kind enough to Duo-Art owners to out-rig proper
theme holes, so that they could make Duo-Art rolls we could all be
proud to own.  The technology is there, so is the market.  The only
real question is why.

Bruce Grimes


(Message sent Fri 9 Mar 2007, 19:25:09 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Duo-Art, Recut, Rolls, Seek

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page