I am sure that several restorers have a pile of old player parts
that they would like to turn into cash, but I hate to see old tracker
bars being stripped of their nipples.  These older tracker bars are
usually of better weight and mechanical quality than the ones that
were made for the modern players.  Besides, the tracker bar nipples
are significantly tapered at the end where they are soldered to the
tracker bar and so I doubt how useful they would be for use as straight
nipples.  I appreciate the service that Alan Erb is trying to provide
to those looking for ready made brass nipples, but I think buying stock
brass tubing from supply houses such as www.SmallParts.com is an easier
approach and saves the original parts for the those restoring older
instruments.  If you need tapered nipples for repairing a tracker bar
you have, then Alan's idea is probably the right way to go.  Perhaps he
might even have the same tracker bar like the one that your are trying
to repair.  His asking price for tracker bars is certainly reasonable.

Wade Newton