Reflecting on Eric Bergstrom's message about surplus parts in MMD
16.04.25, I readily admit to being in need of a "spare parts clearing
house" myself, and a thought comes to mind that I will just throw out
for what it's worth.
John Tuttle maintains a very useful website http://www.player-care.com/
wherein he sells a wide variety of new player parts than lend themselves
to current production techniques, and also has links to other player
piano issues. I have not suggested this to John (perhaps dangerous on
my part) but I wonder if he might consider setting up a parts
buy/sell/exchange "bulletin board" style page similar to his player
technician reference?
For anyone not familiar with that reference, John has a page, ordered
by state, of player-piano technicians who offer services in those
particular states. John provides only the storage space for the
information and the bandwidth needed to access it, but the information
shown for each technician is self-written and submitted to John.
I submit that a parts disposition service could be set up the same way,
with individuals submitting their items for sale, trade, or wanted to
buy. Advertisers could pay a small fee (15-20%?) or realized
price/value for the service.
John would accept no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of
any item so advertised, nor the veracity of any advertiser. And this
could well depend on whether John could have this set up as a
"self-service", user-edited page, since I'm sure he does want to have
to manually add, delete or change and maintain any of the listings.
Ads should probably be limited to miscellaneous parts only, and not
allow for complete or substantially complete instruments, whether
restored or not. I, for one, would have a LOT of stuff that could be
made available in such a resource.
John Grant
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