First, bear with me while I establish what I am about, and let me say
that there could be no greater fan of the player piano than myself.
Certainly a more capable restorer or pianolist, but not a fan.

My familiarity with these most magical of instruments, has only been
recent and purely by circumstance.  On a regular thrift store run
searching out record albums, I came upon my 1912 Aeolian Themodist
Metrostyle player piano.  I took home no records that day, but I did
purchase the Aeolian for $100.00.

I had looked inside the top via the lid and saw things I had never
seen before.  With absolutely no knowledge of the workings, and no
reasonable justification for purchasing it, I determined that this
instrument should be mine.  $160.00 to the piano movers and a week
later the Aeolian was in my apartment.  The piano would move paper
very nicely as far as I could tell, but made no music.  A book from
the library, and some advice and materials from John Tuttle, and
I became a budding expert on the theory of how it worked.

While doing the evaluation and initial repair phase, I thought I would
locate some better condition piano rolls locally.  Craigslist directed
me to a nice couple locally who were simply trying to find a new home
for their 1915 Howard Manualo plus 50 rolls.  Sadly, the owners had
been advised that their non-working player was in need of pneumatics
replacement for the pump and reservoir.

With my limited experience, I noted to them, that two hoses were
hanging off the motor and the sustaining sections.  I reluctantly let
them know that, but, fortunately for me, they had already decided
that the piano needed to go to accommodate a remodel of their home.
$160.00 to the piano movers again, and a week later that piano was
also in my apartment.

It would appear that neither of my player pianos had ever seen unkind
storage and had likely always enjoyed living room status.  "Manualo"
pumped up and played wonderful music with the exception of three or
four keys which just stayed down.  A few weeks later, after receiving
the manual for this player, I nervously removed the "stack."  With
only information gained from free Internet literature, that manual,
and importantly, folks like yourselves, I successfully removed,
prepared for new, and replaced all of the tubing on the stack with
correct materials.

That old tubing had turned to stone and was beginning to shatter!
Removal, cleaning, and replacement involved about six hours of very
careful work.  "Manualo," now known as "The Rooney Player Piano" named
for the previous "caretakers," plays great music enjoyed by many on
YouTube.

Many other proud owners of player pianos have placed videos of
their instruments on line and it is obvious that many could use some
serious attention.  I'm sure that many of those owners are quite
happy with what they have and probably don't care whether it is
completely correct or not.  As is the case with myself, they likely
do not have the resources to have professional repairs done, and may
or may not have the mechanical aptitude to make recommended repairs.

Should their player pianos become completely inoperative, it should
always be possible for them to get those necessary repairs to at
least restore them to "working condition."  For all of you that
provide that, I salute you.  You are the true enthusiasts.  I, too,
hope to be available to do that for folks like myself and will then
be contributing to keeping more playable Player pianos playing.

How many other instruments found in an orchestra or a band have the
capability of actually being played with no musical ability at all?
I can think of none, other than the player piano, derived of course
from the magnificent piano.  Probably one of very few instruments which
can, solely, reproduce most any type of music imaginable.  Going back
a hundred years, the piano (in all forms) was principally the home
entertainment system of choice for most, and it remained so until the
radio arrived.

As stated, I have limited financial means available to have done, or
to do, a proper restoration for either of my pianos.  There is little
doubt in my mind that many, with reasonable patience, could do as
I have done with "Manualo" and am soon to do with "The Aeolian," but
it is not for everyone, and I realize that.

Old player pianos are very often available for the taking and it should
be encouraged and supported.  Non-working players will generally only
draw interest from collectors based on their worth potential, but most
will never even get that far.  I hope to be responsible for even a few
people obtaining and enjoying what I experience daily.  That could be
beneficial for those who supply materials to keep these marvels
working, and to folks in the future.

Consider that I live in an apartment, and there, up to now, have only
been two complaints regarding my piano playing.  Both were placed after
my piano went inoperative, waiting for the tubing to arrive from John.
Once the piano was making music again, the complaints stopped!

I live amongst people of all ages and nationalities, and I believe that
they all look forward to the next tune being played.  The only way this
experience could be better for me is if I could mount a player piano on
a trailer and drive it down to the town square to watch the faces of
those listening as I share the music.  Maybe someday!

Whit Greene