Please
note: The resources listed herein are provided as a
convenience and courtesy, with the intent of providing a more expansive
and enjoyable Internet experience for anyone interested in automatic
mechanical music services. The author and/or anyone associated with
the production of this site shall assume no responsibility or liability
of any kind regarding the actions, content, or products related to or
offered by any individual, entity, or site mentioned or listed below.
It is the sole responsibility of the reader/visitor to determine the
suitability of any person, advice, service, or product that may be a
consequence of contacting and/or dealing with anyone or anything mentioned
or inferred within this site. This is particularly the case before hiring
a technician to work on a piano or another valuable instrument. It is
wise to ask a technician for references, and to take the time to see
and hear examples of their previous repairs before having work done
on your own music box, piano, or organ. It might be especially worthwhile
to see examples of their work done five or ten years previously, so
as to verify its durability of their work.
Resource items
are grouped by category for convenience, and then within those individual
categories they are arranged alphabetically by last or company name.
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Books and Recordings
Books, Recordings, Music Rolls and Music Box Disks
Bopp's Carousel Music -- Ron Bopp
55801 E 365 Jay, OK 74346. (918) 786-4988
Author of "The American Carousel Organ", a photographic
encyclopedia of American band organs made from 1895 to 1939. Available for $59.00,
plus $5 for priority mail. Also has a selection of CD's and tapes relating
to Carousel band-organ music.
Anyone who enjoys carousel music will love the incredible
musical repertoire offered by this web site. Cassette tapes and CD recordings
of historic band organs are plentiful, as is a bit of Tangley Calliope, Wurlitzer
Caliola, orchestrion, and photoplayer music, too.
The musical legacy of the late Paul Eakins lives on through
this web site, a place where you can purchase original recordings of Paul's
famous collection of historic mechanical musical machines once located at the
Gay 90's Village, Sikeston, Missouri.
A source for "Red Hot Jazz"88-note piano rolls sold
under the labels of: "JazzMan," "JazzMan Archive" and "Phantom
Fingers." These piano rolls are "transcribed by John Farrell from
recordings made by some of the foremost jazz pianists, past and present."
Wilfried, who is located in Bonn, Germany, offers a large
selection of CD's featuring all kinds of street and dance organs, ranging
from small organ-grinder type instruments all the way up to large and impressive
classic Fair and Dance Organs. For someone with more modern tastes, one CD features
Wilfried's Happy Robot Orchestra, a large key-frame operated dance organ
with electronic organ, traditional pipework and trapwork, and advertised as
representing a 16-man orchestra.
A source of precision recut style "A," "G"
and "O" coin piano/orchestrion music rolls dating from the 'teens,
20's and 30's, and a fine audio CD featuring a nice variety of American coin
pianos and orchestrions. Also stocked is later music on rolls arranged by the
late John Farrell. These are new arrangements that include Jazz, Blues, Stride,
Boogie, and more.
A purveyor of quality recordings, some featuring automatic
music instruments. Check out the "Carousel & Circus Music" section,
with calliope and band organ CD's, as well as the "Organ" section,
which offers CD's of Tom Hazleton playing the beautiful San Sylmar 4-manual
Wurlitzer.
Recut music rolls for more than 16 different tracker scales,
including Hupfeld, Frati, Kuhl & Klatt, Popper, Seybold, Weber, Welte, and
others, as well music books for several fair organs.
This is an amazingly detailed site that delves into the history
of ragtime and popular music, inventions of the ragtime era, silent movie music,
player pianos and rolls, biographies of composers and artists, sheet music covers
and lyrics, audio clips, recordings for sale, and much more! Anyone interested
in the music of the golden age of automatic instruments should take some time
to study this site.
Over 1500 Duo-Art music roll translations into MIDI type 0
and type 1 format, suitable for use with pneumatic pianos fitted with PowerRoll
or similar MIDI conversion devices, and electronic and synthesized pianos, such
as the Kurzweil Micro Piano, Yamaha Disklavier and PianoDisc.
Mr. Wineburgh offers a variety of out-of-print books on music
boxes and other mechanical music machines, along with Music Box recordings,
disks, and 88-note and Ampico music rolls.
A U.S. based organization with a major interest in reproducing
pianos, as well as all other pneumatically operated automatic mechanical musical
instruments.
Devoted to enjoying, preserving, and sharing knowledge of all
outdoor mechanical musical instruments, including band, fair, and street organs,
calliopes, and hand-cranked organs of all sizes.
GSM (Society for Self-Playing Musical Instruments), the German
society for all types of self-playing musical instruments. A "Shop"
page menu option displays a page containing numerous reprinted mechanical music
related catalogues.
"The KDV is a Dutch society for the preservation of fair
organs, street-organs, dance hall organs, orchestrions, and other automatic musical
instruments; their history and development, and their present situation."
The Mechanical Music Digest is a popular, moderated discussion
forum in a newsletter format, and is distributed to subscribers via e-mail.
It is a good way to get to know collectors around the world.
An international organization primarily focusing on musical
movements and music boxes, but that additionally includes all other aspects
on mechanical musical instruments.
As stated in the web site, "The purpose of the National
Carousel Association is to promote conservation, appreciation, knowledge, and
enjoyment of the art of the classic wooden carousel and especially the preservation
of complete wooden carousels."
A group in Great Britain "founded in 1985 to breathe
new life into player pianos around the world, and to lure them back into the
mainstream of music by means of recordings, exhibitions, publications, and archive
and study facilities."
Founded in Great Britain in 1959, this group brings together
all those interested in...the artists who recorded rolls, techniques of playing
the pedal player piano, restoration, materials, and other related areas.
Founded in 1981, the Reed Organ Society is an international,
non-profit organization devoted to the appreciation, study, collection, restoration,
and preservation of reed organs.
"Player pianos, reed organs, chimes, band organs, music
boxes and other mechanical music topics...for your enjoyment." Occasionally
also offers recut rolls for sale.
This site hosts information on optical music roll scanning
technologies, as well as providing a searchable database on AMPICO, Duo-Art
and Welte Mignon (U.S. made Welte) music rolls.
Mike Meddings' comprehensive history of J. Lawrence Cook
(one of America's greatest piano roll arrangers), Jelly Roll Morton, Frank
Melrose and their music. Includes audio clips, rare photographs, interviews,
correspondence, and newspaper articles.
Philippe Rouille's site includes links to other organizations
and museums, mechanical music events and other information in French, German,
and English.
"A mechanical music site dedicated to information and
music related to Mr. Van Waes' radio program "Psyche van het Folk,"
which is on Radio Centraal in Antwerp, Belgium."
The Violano Rollography and the Violano Rollscanning Project
includes data for more than 3100 Mills Violano music rolls. The database reports
are made available for a nominal fee on CD-R in Microsoft Access, Excel, and
Word formats.
This site is a must see for anyone interested in learning
how Wurlitzer music rolls were made, and for the details regarding Wurlitzer
165 and 180 band organ music roll production. Detailed photographs of Wurlitzer
roll making equipment and research observations are included, along with a tune/composer
listing for most Wurlitzer 165 music rolls.
Restoration Services
Rebuilders and Technicians
AMI Enterprises (John R. Grant)
14 E. 21st Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-952-8168
Fax: 410-685-1848
40+ years experience in restoration and maintenance
primarily for reproducing pianos (Ampico, Duo-Art, Welte, etc.), but also
have extensive experience with parlor reed organs, nickelodeons, and similar
pneumatically operated musical instruments. Member of AMICA, MBSI, and
Associate Member of the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG).
Another Time Restorations -- John Pohlpeter
18347 South Redland Road Oregon City, Oregon 97045-8823
(503) 631-8033
Restoration and repair of automatic musical instruments --
Player Pianos, Reed Organs, and Orchestrions.
Biasella, Jerry
Chicago Heights IL
(708) 756-3307
Restoration of coin pianos, orchestrions, reproducing
pianos, and band organs, since 1972.
Cappel, Ron
8165 Castenada Lane Atascadero, CA 93422 (805) 461-0246
Specializes in restoring all types of medium to large pneumatic
automatic musical instruments, i.e., orchestrions, et cetera. Available by appointment.
Restoration of band organs and orchestrions; instruments for
sale.
Eric, Christian (Chris) and Kathleen -- Music Box Repairs
Costa Mesa, California (949) 548-1542
The Eric's do accomplished work on all aspects of music
box restoration, but do be prepared for any major project to be put on a "wait
list." Moreover, do reserve their efforts for the finer aspects of music
box restoration, as they do not have the time nor inclination to repair the
more modern and inexpensive novelty items.
Goodman, Stephen K. -- Player Piano and Nickelodeon Restoration
Services
Fresno/Clovis, California (559) 346-0521
Complete restoration of orchestrions, coin-pianos, organs,
and reproducing pianos. Midi and music roll arranging and composition for all
automatic musical instruments. 30 years experience. Service calls and appraisals
also available.
Restoration of player and reproducing pianos, reed and pipe
organs, band, street and fairground organs, Mills Violanos, nickelodeons, orchestrions,
etc. Also manufacturers new orchestrions, street and fairground organs, etc.
Gonzales, Stephen (Steve) -- The Rhone Corporation -- Case and
Piano Restoration
4931 Durfee Pico Rivera, CA 90660-2488 (562) 695-0019
Complete piano action rebuilding and casework restoration
for any type of coin-in-the-slot piano or orchestrion. Capabilities including
major case repairs, repair and/or replacement of carvings, expert refinishing,
tuning, and other repairs.
Hack Mechanical Music Company -- Dick Hack
Restoration of orchestrions, nickelodeons, coin pianos and
band organs. New rolls for the Mills Violano-Virtuoso, Regina Sublima, North
Tonawanda Pianolin, Wurlitzer Automatic Harp and others.
Historical Instrument Restorations -- Durward R. Center
Baltimore, Maryland (410) 752-4771
Specializes in the restoration of barrel and paper roll operated
Welte Cottage, Concert, and Philharmonic Orchestrions.
Where all pianos are cherished, and the Melville Clark
Apollo is a Specialty
Johnson, Dana
17822 Carranza Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 842-0333
Specializes in the restoration of coin operated pianos and
band organs. Also an excellent source for finding and/or fabricating custom
reproduction parts for coin pianos, orchestrions, and band organs.
Established in 1969, music box restoration is a specialty
and includes fabricating music box gears, rebuilding governors and spring-barrels,
and replacing any and all missing parts.
Restoration, Tuning, and Repair of Pianos, Player Pianos, Reed
Organs, Nickelodeons, Reproducing Pianos, Carousel Organs, and Calliopes. Instruments
for Sale.
Restoration, servicing, and tuning of orchestrions, coin
pianos, reproducing pianos, and band organs since 1964. Custom music roll
arranging and MIDI files. No music rolls are kept in stock.
As the title implies, roller organ repairs and restorations
of both American and European manufacture are a specialty. Moreover, this easy
to navigate site also offers historical information plus an online store where
various roller organs can be purchased.
A professional who enjoys working with and restoring all types
of automatic musical instruments, as well as designing and manufacturing new
mechanical music devices, too.
Mr. Yorburg is an established and recognized woodcarver and
restorer, specializing in amusement related woodworking, including band organ
facades, carousel pieces, penny arcade games, other architectural ornamentation,
and signage and lettering.
Restorer of Band Organs, Pipe Organs, Orchestrions, and Reproducing
Pianos. Also works with Custom MIDI Systems and transcribes Music Rolls into
MIDI Files.
Sales and Supplies
Mechanical Music Dealers, Restoration Supplies and more
Specializing in the sale of antique and modern automatons
and music boxes made in Europe. Many dossiers, pictures, video films and sounds
about music boxes and automatons.
Annual antique shows for talking machines, music boxes, 78rpm
and cylinder records, and everything mechanically musical. Free classifieds,
newsletter archives, online show and many items for sale.
Le Ludion manufactures hand-cranked organs, street organs,
and a large library of music for new and old instruments on cardboard books,
music rolls, and MIDI microchips.
Established in 1969, a selection of music boxes, musical clocks,
coin-in-the-slot pianos, player grand pianos, carousel organs, and other interesting
items are offered for sale.
An easy to navigate web site featuring reference photographs
and audio samples, along with sections offering for sale a variety of books,
music rolls, player pianos, reproducing pianos, coin-in-the-slot pianos and
an occasional band organ.
Museum and sales outlet for new music rolls, music boxes,
singing birds, and animated whistlers. Also a manufacturer and restorer of orchestrions,
violin players and other related mechanical music machines.
Tim's site includes numerous listings of automatic pianos
and organs wanted and for sale, plus photos reproduced from original catalogues
and other literature.
Large web site covering just about everything related to player
pianos; technical articles, listing of technicians, as well as music rolls and
supplies for sale.
Specialists in 19th Century Music Boxes. The company was established
in 1966 in Camden Passage, one of the most important antique centers in Europe,
and has been trading at this location for more than thirty-years. Their web
site is elegantly simple, easy to navigate and its pages are filled with beautiful
music boxes for sale.
New music rolls for the Aeolian "Celestina" and
the Wilcox & White "Symphonia," arranged in the original style
to suit the scale and compass of the instrument. The new rolls, labels, spools,
and boxes are manufactured to be authentic to the original product.
This is a wonderful place for the entire family to enjoy several
automatic musical instruments, as well as all kinds of entertaining rides, exhibits,
shows, and a fabulous steam train ride.
This mechanical music oriented web site is for the whole family,
friends, and other mechanical music enthusiasts. Not only are there lots of pictures
to tantalize your interest, but many enjoyable audio clips are available for
immediate listening, too. Additionally, the site also hosts a useful list of
resource links.
This colorful downtown Franklin, Pennsylvania, attraction
offers guided tours of its many antiques and mechanical music machines.
Frank Rayle's Winery / Art Gallery / Museum
3112 Day Road Greenbank, WA 98253 (360) 678-3964
A combination winery/art gallery and museum (with a selection
of "nickelodeon" pianos) located in the beautiful Puget Sound area,
about fifty miles North of Seattle, Washington. Currently open weekends, otherwise
available by appointment only.
The Music House Museum's mission is to collect, restore,
preserve, and display automated music machines and related Americana, and to
educate and entertain guests of all ages.
Founded in 1963 by the late Frank Holland, the Musical Museum
of London has been a valuable historic attraction for a long time, and features
many beautiful examples of automatic musical instruments. The year 2002 was
the last season in the old St. George's church, when the museum was relocated
to a nearby new purpose built building. A map of how to get to the museum is
provided on its web site.
America's Shrine to Music, a museum containing over 10,000
musical instruments and major historical archives, on the campus of The University
of South Dakota. Automatic instruments in the collection include a Seeburg G
orchestrion, a Wurlitzer, Reproduco, and Empress Electric.
The Nethercutt Collection speaks for itself, and can be seen
for free. San Sylmar not only has a superb collection of automatic musical instrument,
but has an elegant display of meticulously restored antique automobiles as well.
Across the street, the Nethercutt Museum houses a lot more of J.B. Nethercutt's
fantastic collection of vintage automobiles.
Click here for information on how to arrange a visit. Children under 12
are not admitted.
Recreating the classic era of motion pictures, Old Town Music
Hall is the place to go for anyone who enjoys viewing memorable motion pictures,
with many silent movies accompanied by a magnificent Wurlitzer theater organ.
A schedule of attractions, along with show times, is available at the Old Town
Music Hall web site.
Established in 1908 by the Zaharako family, the confectionery
is famous for its decor and turn-of-the-last century elegance. The Welte Style
3 Cottage Orchestrion installed in 1908 continues to provide a musical treat
for visitors.
Other Interesting
Web Sites
Other Web Sites Indirectly Related to Mechanical Music
The official O'Neill Brothers website, where you
can get information about upcoming concerts and recordings, and buy their CDs,
tapes, and sheet music. Over 700,000 of their relaxing piano CD's sold!
