Short Mountain Music Works, 109 N. Cannon St., Woodbury, TN 37190, Playerpianos, orchestrions, and fairground organs rebuilt 317-563-5814
Updated 7/28/09
Brian "GOAT" Thornton
Proprietor
click on my name for a brief profile

Rebuilding Services & Specialties

  • Restoration of Pneumatic Player Piano Actions, Organs, Organettes and Orchestrions
  • Upright Piano restoration,(players only)Restringing, hammer action etc...
  • Restoration of Barrel Pianos & Organs
  • Conversion of instruments, like Accordions, drums, and other percussion to pneumatic operation
  • Reed (Pump) Organ restoration
  • Duplication and Fabrication of Stacks, pumps and other components
  • Luthiery
  • Woodworking, Cabinetry and case design

    • More Information: Estimate Policy - Terms

    Past Projects of Interest

    Happy Clients

    I restored a 1927 Kimbal studio upright player just in time for Christmas 2008, for in elderly couple in Northern Tennessee. Unfortunately they had only one torn up roll for it. Some time later another old client of mine was moving and needed to reduce his roll collection. He called me up and I conected him with the Dillmans. Eventually they recived a gift of a couple hundred rolls. The following summer, I recived this letter of appreciation.

    Featured Projects


    I perchased this Celestina as a basket case on Ebay as a personal side project. The case was broken in a couple of places and some parts were missing. I made new boards for what comprised the bellows and reserve. This 20 note organ plays very loud and clear.
    Hear this organ play The Raquet Gallop MP3 format

    This is a very unusual harmonium organ unit from a large Swiss Music box movement. Previous organ units I have restored only have one pair of bellows, this has two. As with most of these units it was necessary to make a new pump reed chamber from scratch. Many of these large cylinder music boxes are masterpieces of metalworking art. Mechanisms are crafted to extreme tolerances. The organ units in these instruments, however, are not so well made. Even though these units tend to be very small, measuring not more than 8" wide, 14" long, and 6" deep, restoring them is quite labor intensive. To begin with the lumber used in the construction of the bellows unit and baseboards is generally of very poor quality, containing knots and other defects. Over the passing years, as the wood dries out, these defects, begin to open up. Glue joints become brittle and break. Screws and other fasteners rust (sometimes almost completely), rotting the holes in which they are placed. At worst, I have seen a few of these reduced to kindling. When duplicating a bellows or reed chamber, I use properly seasoned lumber stock that is free of knots and defects so that the quality of the organ is at least, closer to the movement.



    Other Automated Music Links

    Music Box Society International
    Mechanical Music Press
    Automated Music Digest
    Amica
    E-mail - smmw@mindspring.com

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