This is more a question of vintage versus modern, since mechanical pianolas are no longer made in series production today. Anyone looking for the old original – the magic of technology that is in some cases over a hundred years old, the sounds, the smell and the quirks of the old machines – will want to choose a used instrument.
Anyone who wants the latest – digital, low-maintenance and more climate-resistant technology and the option of unlimited future digital possibilities – should choose a modern system. Welte, Hupfeld and others, too, would have offered innovative electronic-mechanical or digital systems with today’s possibilities – just as Steinway does today with Spirio, Yamaha with Disklavier, PianoDisc or other systems by other manufacturers. In fact, some of our customers use both systems. The best of both worlds.
The most important decision criterion should be the intended use and also the repertoire – the music you would like to hear. It is now possible to play almost any music in good quality on all music roll systems. However – here, too, there will be “only one original”. The new digital systems now offer a larger and constantly growing selection of music, and the repertoire from the 1900s to the 1940s is also becoming accessible, for example through our digitization activities. The basic disadvantage of a new purchase is – as almost everywhere – the immediate loss of value of ~30–40%.
In principle, we would always recommend buying from a trustworthy source, from a dealer, or from a good private seller accompanied by an expert. All the more reason to take a look at the tips on these pages. If you bear them in mind, you can buy a usable instrument for relatively little money.
In terms of sustainability and ecological value, buying a used pianola is also preferable.