Wordless Wednesday - Pianola Restoration

The pianola at the start of restoration in February....

I started playing the piano as a young child, and over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of instruments and now own a white baby grand, an antique parlour organ, a small portable harmonium, a stage piano, and an electronic keyboard. Until a couple of years ago I also had a modern upright piano, but I gave that to my stepdaughter for my oldest step-granddaughter to learn on.

We also have an old pianola (aka player piano), which is currently undergoing restoration by Tom Poole and his team at the Cambridge Pianola Company. Restoration is a lengthy (and costly!) process, but when work is finished later this year the pianola will be tuned to concert pitch and the rolls will sound amazing. More importantly, B will once again be able to perform his New Year's party piece - playing Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" even though cannot play a note!

The piano roll mechanism ...

... and the hammer action

Some of the 100s of Piano Rolls stored at the Cambridge Pianola Company