I am writing this because I feel that digital [solenoid] players can
never truly or seriously rival the old pneumatic player piano.  Sure,
the keys magically go down on a digital player as well, but where is
the suspense that comes with a roll-operated player?  It's simply not
there, and trying to do away with the old players by introducing
electrical player actions, can only result in the complete replacement,
not the restoration, of the electronic components.

Once that electrical player action gets a good solid shock, it ain't
going to play anymore!  The solenoids in electric players are not, can
not, and will not last for even half as long as the wooden mechanical
fingers on a Standard or similar action.

I believe it was John Tuttle who said something to the effect that
the day a digital piano could perfectly image the sound, tone, and
acoustics of a stringed piano, that the acoustic piano market would be
dead.

A digital player piano is nothing more than a glorified electrical
machine, that, unfortunately, relies solely on electricity to power
itself.  The electrical player piano will never be able to give the
same satisfaction that a pneumatic player can.

Can you imagine, for a second, what the Standard Player factory workers
would think if they knew that someday, one of their players would be
sold with the following descriptions, such as 'No idea how it works',
'Can't remember how to play it', 'We used it a lot but have since
gotten a Yamaha Disklavier', etc.

If the digital players ever achieved the status symbol that Duo-Art
reproducers, Weltes, and Ampicos have, all the serious player
rebuilders like Art Reblitz would be out of business, since they have
not and will not have anything to do with an electrical player.  That's
not their passion.  Their passion is restoring instruments that were
built to last more than a hundred years or more if cared for properly.

My own Auto-Player is 105 years old, and still in good condition, and
its stack had been restored within the last 20 years, but I couldn't
find any name of the restorer who did the work.  The piano bears a June
1st, 1928 tuning date with the initials, "C.F. Bath." The entire player
action in my piano is altogether in remarkable condition.

I will continue to be an undying fan of the foot-pumped player pianos
unless I see a digital player that can truly satisfy me.  That chance is
pretty slim to nil.

Luke Myers