Having been involved servicing player pianos and reed organs for
40-plus years now, I have often wondered what the Simplex pneumatic
manufacturing machine and reed organ cell board manufacturing
machines must have looked like.  Both of these machines must have
been fascinating to see working in real life.  Does anyone know of
any existing pictures or even films of either of these machines
being used?

I have another question that has always intrigued me.  I'm sure many
who service player pianos are familiar with the fact that action
stacks, motors and bellows made by Standard Pneumatic Action Company
are often stamped with a letter of the alphabet.  The stack is usually
stamped on the treble end of the pouch board, the air motor is stamped
under the nipple and the pump bellows are usually stamped on the front
of the treble exhauster.

In original, untouched pianos that I have seen, these letters all
match on the three components.  Did the Standard Pneumatic Action 
Company use these letters to designate some kind of a code as to
what year they were manufactured?  Or, what number they were in the
total output of production?  If anyone knows the answer, I would be
very interested to learn!

Lance Reed