Does every pianola need to be renovated? Yes, because pianolas were only built up to around 1940 and even in the best condition, after more than eight decades the materials are no longer airtight and supple due to ageing, so that (almost) no originally preserved pianola can give pleasure at a high level. In most cases, unrenovated pianolas no longer make a sound - and if they do, then not sufficiently.
True to the approach that anyone can do anything if they can learn it and have the passion, it is possible to renovate a pianola. However, who has the time to invest several weeks to learn all the learning curves themselves and possibly not achieve a good result at the first attempt? If tinkering and fiddling is the driver, a simple pianola can be a good starting object and adventure. Here too, we recommend taking a few lessons from a professional.
We strongly advise against attempting to restore more complex systems such as reproduction pianos yourself. Which prospective classic car enthusiast would choose the most complex and rarest model as their first restoration object, for which there is hardly any information or experts available?
If you want to use the pianola and not renovate it, you need a repaired instrument. Even with a well-maintained instrument, the ageing of the materials (leather, rubber cloth, rubber tubing, etc.) and air ducts (bellows, connecting pipes, etc.) is so advanced that reliable operation is no longer possible.
