Mike Walter asked about an odd piano action in a 1930s Ampico.  Is it
a Hickman piano action, or a typical double repeating grand action,
just not the standard one found in an Ampico?  If this is the case,
and it's a particularly late instrument, my hunch is that either
Aeolian-American for a time subcontracted piano action construction,
or, more likely, that at some point earlier in the piano's history all
or part of the action was replaced.

When we restore an Ampico or other reproducing piano at Piano World,
almost invariably we replace the action with all new wippens, flanges,
shanks, hammers et al, because by this time they are worn to the point
that replacement is a must.  Renner can and does supply us with
excellent replacement components, which we install and regulate.

I suspect that at some point in this instrument's past, for whatever
reason, perhaps a catastrophe of some kind that damaged the original
action, a change was made and the action you see now was installed.

Bryan Cather - Piano World
Saint Louis, Missouri, where its trying real hard to be spring.
www.thepianoworld.com

 [ The Hickman grand piano action is described at
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Tech/HickmanAction/index.html
 [ -- Robbie