Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

Spring Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > February 2015 > 2015.02.06 > 03Prev  Next


Ampico Player Piano is Moving to the Desert
By Bill Chapman

Hi Dean,  Yup, I learned all about living in a region with 12% relative
humidity.  When I moved my upright Marshall & Wendell to the desert it
played for a while and then I never even heard a dying gasp.

The main problem with my Ampico piano was the two large screws
that clamp the stack together.  When I got into the ailing machine
I found I could tighten the nuts holding the stack almost a full turn.
Tightening these brought the player back to almost useable, but the
expression units are made of soft wood, and there are a number of
small channels and a valve that needed rebuilding.  I don't know if
the rubberized cloth was affected by the dry air.

My Weber Duo-Art piano didn't suffer from the climate change very
much.  I did need to change the spring tensions.  Duo-Art used much
harder wood, probably maple.  Maybe that accounts for the difference
in the pianos.

You may find that screws throughout the action need tightening.
No doubt the valves will change dimensions, but I did not need to
alter the valve clearances.  They are made of soft wood, but are
usually coated with heavy shellac.  Whether the valve body shrinks
or expands, I don't know.

Bill Chapman
La Quinta, California


(Message sent Fri 6 Feb 2015, 17:05:58 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Ampico, Desert, is, Moving, Piano, Player

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page