Yup, Gulbransen player pianos are detested & vilified within the restoration hobby. Low grade pianos to begin with. They made their own player stacks and components of cheaper knotty wood and that's why they painted everything pale green. The stacks are built to never be taken apart. Unlike any other stack where boards are gasketed and screwed, the Gulbransen pneumatic reservoirs & feeders, and decks and windway boards must be sawn apart on a table saw and then that missing wood has to be replaced somehow to maintain the valve clearances. They cost about twice what a regular stack does to restore...for a piano that will never sound good anyway. Truly a dedicated one-man labour of love that will never be returned, they are charity cases and usually consigned to the fire.
But I would never pass up an Antique, Thrift or Junk store just because the prices are outrageous. It's like touring a car lot with no intention to buy - kills some pleasant time just kicking the tires and congratulating yourself on what you already drive or have at home in your collection...which you found cheap or free and fixed up yourself. And it's also good research for future finds.
I look but I also examine closely and if I detect that I can bring it back to life without Crevicetool-type intervention I'll consider the price. If it's too high and the guy won't deal then the only polite thing to do is withdraw gracefully...because maybe just maybe when you return 6 months or a year later and it's still there he'll throw it at you just to get rid of it. It has been known to happen, ya know and its happened to me. Never burn a bridge ya might wanna use later...
Dave
