I have been following this thread with interest.  Like many here, this
is something that I would not have done.  I have never heard an elec-
tronic system that could play like a well-rebuilt Ampico system that is
installed in a piano that is  properly regulated.  They just do not
have the same dynamic range.

I see no problem with installing an e-roll attachment, since that does
not hurt the Ampico system and is reversible down the road.  The e-roll
actually gives the user the best features of both systems.

Electronic systems do have some nice features, including not having to
continually change rolls.  But something that really has not been fully
addressed is the life expectancy of the electronic components and the
software.

Years ago there were people who removed reproducing systems in order to
install Pianocorders.  Many of those owners have serious problems today
with finding parts and with media.  There are dead Pianocorders around
and some that have been removed from pianos due to those issues.  A key
consideration with any system is not when it is new but about maintain-
ing it later on down the road.  How long is a manufacturer going to
commit to supporting the system.?  As we all know, computers, software,
hardware, and age are not good combinations.  A good portion of today's
electronics are not designed for repair, nor are they designed for
longevity.  They are meant to be tossed and replaced when they fail.

Another issue is standardization of systems as well as electronic
components.  While systems have improved over what they were in the
Pianocorder days, this is still going to be an issue with future
installations.

Pneumatic instruments are amazing in terms of what they are able to
take over time.  A good rebuild should last for thirty years, and if
the instrument is properly restored again, it should last for another
entire generation.  Many readers of the MMD have seen examples of
instruments that have been playing, maybe not well, but are still in
operation with duct take, contact paper, rubber coatings, worn-out
hammers, garden hose, dead strings, plastic plumbing parts, and
added box pumps.  There are a lot of Ampicos and Duo-Arts out there
that function, although nowhere nearly as well as they were designed to
function.  The point is that they still play to some extent seventy
years later.  My guess is that electronic systems will be in serious
trouble in a far shorter time.

It seems to me that Wurlitzer had a combination electronic/pneumatic
system that they were putting in spinets in the 1970's.  I remember
seeing them when new, but I was never impressed with the way that they
played even then.  I wonder how many of those pianos are still in
decent operating shape?  The last one that I saw had the player gutted
out of it.

Compared to a full pneumatic rebuild, an electronic installation is a
fast, easy fix.  But in my opinion, it is not the best long-term
solution, especially when you have a superior system to begin with.
It is very expensive to completely rebuild an Ampico, Duo-Art, or Welte
in a first-rate fashion.  But if the instrument receives proper care
and is well maintained, it should still be operating thirty years from
now.  As for rebuilding the existing mechanism and refitting it into an
already-gutted piano, that is a process far more involved than it
sounds, as there were variations over the years in the mechanisms.  It
is always easier to rebuild the mechanism which was originally
installed in the instrument.

I have a strong feeling that, in due time, someone will regret that the
Ampico unit was removed, especially if the piano is a very nice one.

Randy Hammond