Hi John:
The answer is 'half and half'
I had to get answers to these exact same questions when fixing the Wakeman MKV.
That was also re-painted with a brush (probably the same guy!)
Essentially if you can document actual recordings or tours it was used via video or pictures, then it qualifies as a museum piece and should not be tampered with other than to make it completely clean, functional and electrically safe to use.
In my case, Jerry Korb repaired the electronics using what was already there (for authenticity and because the sound was a bit different). Also the cabinet had to be sanded down and re-painted because there was a bad mould problem in the wood. I kept everything original.
With your machine - I would have re-painted it black, and kept the aluminium angles, or repaired those corners and just put the angles on to show how they were. I would keep the old control panel only if it functions properly and is usable.
I would certainly play it and not let it sit.
You did get it authenticated with autographs, and you did take pictures as you were repairing it so you've done most everything right.
The question is - is there some video or pictures of it that show it in it's original state
with the Strawbs - because it's those pics that might be on display in a museum and the machine must visually look the same to a large degree.
If I ever sell the Wakeman machine, it will come with it's original tapes, original lid (autographed by each Yes member) all e-mail correspondence from Yes / Wakeman, all the published pics I've collected, 2 letters of authenticity, plus the production birth certificate where it mentions the rebuild date, and several internet articles where Wakeman discusses the restoration.
That sounds like overkill, but the problem is insurance companies have varying degrees of legal proof needed to internationally authenticate something. You might have to find out what these are if your buyer wants to insure it, and what country they would be in. It's a headache so it's best to obtain all the proof you can. A letter from Streetly or Mellotronics and any repairs or parts they supplied would also be of help.
On Mon, Mar 14, 2011 at 10:37 PM, md1jkb
<j.k.beresford@shef.ac.uk> wrote:
Hi Guys,
A few years ago I acquired the Strawbs old M400. It was in a bit of a mess shall we say. The electro-mechanicals needed a really good clean up and complete re-adjustment but everything was there. The cabinet however needed a new floor, the bottom corners had come apart and so it was bolted together with huge aluminium angles, it had some quite big holes drilled in it, the front and back panels had gone (the back was covered with black material on stage) and it had been very badly painted black with a brush (like a sweeping brush!). Oh and the control panel was really badly scratched.
So....I renovated it back to pristine white again having done all the necessary repairs and I gave it a new control panel. I took photos of it at various stages and then got Dave Cousins and John Hawken to authenticate it.
Now I'm thinking of selling it and I'm wondering did I do the right thing? Should I have left the cabinet as it was? Should I have repainted in black but with a good finish? Sould I have left the old control panel on (although I think I've still got it somewhere)?
What do you guys think...would you prefer something that showed the life it had even though it was a mess or something that has the provenance but has been renovated back to it's former glory?
cheers
John