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 [ Ref: 050918 MMDigest, "Recordo Player in 1915 Strohber Upright"

I think I can answer some of Dave Anderson's questions in his posting
of 9/18.  A 1930 catalog of the Tuners Supply Company of Boston offers
an Electora Reproducer Outfit ("with new tracker bar for QRS rolls")
for $85, with which the customer could convert the foot-impelled
player into a Recordo.  An accompanying drawing would indicate that
the Recordo expression unit was the 5-level "B" type.

I include most of the original catalog description below, noting that
the word "pumper" was not yet being applied to player pianos.

  "Since the coming of Radio, which requires no effort at all for
  operation, there has been a decided change in the attitude of the
  public toward the foot-pedal player piano.  The radio cannot satisfy
  the demand for music, after the novelty has worn off, any more than
  the phonograph did, but it is useless to expect that the player-piano
  can continue except as a motor-driven instrument.  Many actions of
  the older player-pianos have developed so many small leaks that it is
  almost impossible to operate them with the feet but with the increased
  capacity and power of the Electora Motor, they work perfectly.

  "Every competent player mechanic should be using all his spare time
  changing over foot-pedal players into reproducers as there is an
  ever-increasing demand for them which can be satisfied only in this
  way.  The Electora Motor will bring the piano up to modern
  requirements and any who wish to profit by the return of the people
  to the piano, must be in a position to deliver an automatic
  instrument at a reasonable price."

Richard Friedman, RPT