What sparked the interest?
Hi All, I am interested in how each individual on this forum came to be involved with player piano's. In my case, 10 years or so ago, a neighbour had a Gulbransen that was pulled to bits and didn't know what to do with it, it was offered to me and became a project to get it back to working order. Then while learning as much as possible about the operation of the player and the piano action, the passion morphed into ensuring that as much as possible be as original as possible (80 odd years after production ceased). Since completing that first player, I have added an autopiano and a half duo art. There is something different and appealing about each style/brand of player. So as funds and space allow, I may just find another interesting piano to play with :D Please share your experiences, they can be every bit as interesting as the players themselves. Paul

my story.... when I was about 3 or 4 years old I went to an amusement park with my parents, I don't remember anything about it except for the restaurant, which had a player piano. I don't remember what sort, only that it was electrified, it could have been an american style orchestrion (like a wurlitzer or something) or just a regular player piano. I do rememer sitting in from of it and the others finishing their meal, I by that time hadn't eaten anything and my food was cold (as my mum recalls). I didn't bother I guess, the player piano was much more interesting than some food, which I got daily for that matter. About 5 years ago I found something on the internet about player piano's and I started to search more about them. eventually I went to pick up my Waddington Bremar piano which was free to pick up in the UK. I got it playing again (which was in fact very easy, just recover the pneumatics and it played like new.) the story after that is known and I'm now restoring my Vorsetzer and my Duo-Art.....

When i was about 10 years old, my parents and i visited a distance cousin of my dad.He was an elderly man who we haven't seen for many years.Just before we left his place he took us down to his rumpus room to show us his newly restored pianola.At this stage i had no idea what it was or what it did.As soon as he peddled and it came to life i was hooked! Ever since that faithful day i always wanted a pianola and after asking mum and dad over a 100 times year after year could we buy one , i finally gave up and knew that once i was older i would have to get my own. I didn't finnish up getting my 1st (piece of unworkable rubbish) till i was 32 ,but since then got my Weber DA and Player Grand.I just know i will get a 3rd and maybe a 4th instrument in due course..... I just love sharing them with visitors and letting them try them out.Nine times out of ten they don't even know what they are till i show them , and then that same magical look of expression appears on there face just like mine did all those years ago. Dan............

Alas. my own introduction to the pianola is a lot less romantic - about 6 or 7 years ago a colleague at work (an inveterate collector and vintage car fan) told me had a pianola - I didn't really know what they were and had never seen one, but went to look at it as soon as I could. It was one of the later English Stecks - a nice little instrument, and I was enthralled. I remember he had a pile of old rolls collected from auctions stacked on a narrow shelf, so that as I searched for the few classical pieces, there would inevitably be a shower of dusty old rolls and bits of boxes onto the floor. He had two other instruments - neither working properly, and I immediately bought one - a Triumph Autopiano - for £250. It had been mostly restored, so it only needed minor work on my part, with help from our local piano technician, to get it working. It was quite a good airtight instrument - with theming and auto tracking and did me fine for a couple of years. My first PPG social event was a major turning point - I had tried to do a bit of interpretation, but it was not until I saw Julian at the pianola that I fully realised the potential of this instrument, He played a metronomic roll ( Schubert/Liszt ' Du bist die Ruh) - I was truly amazed. Admittedly it was a wonderfully toned little Bluthner upright, but even so, it was so unmechanical it really sounded like a real pianist - far more than the Ampico and Duo Art players alongside (well, I thought so :) ). I am suitably jealous of you all with your various instruments - with 4 kids in a small house I am stuck with just the one relatively modest upright - at least for the time being :) Cheers Neil

don't be jealous :P My Phonola is spread over 4 different locations in the house as I don't have any room to put it together, the front and side panels are currently employed as my bed's headboard.....

Thankyou Niels - makes me feel a bit better :) To be honest I could fit in another upright (if I had permission) - what I really lack is some kind of workshop - I have no garage, and my tatty old shed wouldn't do a piano any good - maybe some day. I hope you don't get carried away some time and damage those panels :D Neil

In my case I was to be taught the piano, and a piano was purchased from friends of my grandparents' next-door neighbour. Turned out to be a Gotha Steck Pianola! Untouched original, and immaculate, but dead because the tubes had all dropped off. That was when I was seven. At 14 I retubed it, and all worked. All 1920s pop tunes at the time, which went well with the 78s I was collecting by then (lucky to have a family that approve of such clutter-making activities). After University I joined the PPG and realised just how good its music could be, branching out from those 1920s pop tunes to all sorts of fascinating classical stuff that's lying round to pick up for pennies. Bought myself a Duo-Art grand from auction and it's all gone wrong from there... Julian