[ Ref. 040719 MMDigest, Ampico "A" Note Cut-out Block ]

I had a cutout (cut-off?) block installed on my Rogers Ampico A model
(1926) boudoir grand when I first bought it.  The reason was because
it couldn't play non-Ampico rolls.  Now I can play both types of rolls,
other 88-note and Ampico: a collection of 700 or so, half the collection
of each type of roll, and still growing.

Although I now have my Grunert Hupfeld pedal player, it's still nice
to have the facility of playing other 88-note rolls electrically on the
Ampico, especially after a hard day's work when the feet are too tired
to pedal!  Also, the range of music is now vast with both types of roll
and allows one to play many of the unusual pieces of music found on other
88-note rolls, and not dependent on the rolls found in the Ampico catalog
by Elaine Obenchain, if one only has an Ampico piano.

I agree, I find it very difficult to put any musical interpretation
with the finger buttons into other 88-note rolls on my Ampico, but they
still sound nice.  I did have a belly cloth made to go underneath the
grand to keep the Ampico mechanism free from house dust.  This was
about four years ago, and have had no problems with this cutout block.

Anyway, my 12-year-old daughter and I still manage to dance to both
types of rolls and enjoy ourselves.  There must have been a reason for
the "Ampico On/Off" switch in the drawer, which mine has as well.  Why
would you want to turn it off if there was no cutout block placed in
it when it left the factory?

Christine Robinson