•Reading that Wayne Stahnke's CD-ROM of 450 Ampico rolls is now available prompts me to ask a stupid question -- will they play as MIDI files, or can they be modified to play as MIDI files, or will they become available as MIDI files? Mike Ryan [ I'm afraid the answer is "No" to all: the data files ...

•In response to the inquiry from Richard Stibbons, it impossible to determine with 100% accuracy whether an Ampico roll is coded in A format or B format without looking at the roll coding. But there are other things to look for that will be about 90% accurate in identifying the roll format. Last yea...

•With the controversy over a full "B" and half "B", I'm curious which my Knabe grand has. Is there anyway a non-tech -- me -- can check his piano to see. A possible clue: It has a control lever underneath on the right side at the curve, that varies the volume. Thanks, Jim Moore [ My old-style (cheap...

•Hi Robbie, We used to own a Weber Ampico that was a complete "B". It was a really well made piano with a beautiful plate. Bill & Dee Kavouras [ My serial number is from 1932, but the penciled date on the [ keyboard is 1936. So. Calif. piano tech Terry Bannister recalled [ servicing a late Weber lik...

•Although Ampico model B units were found only in grand pianos, a friend of mine, who is a piano tuner, discovered a model B upright! It is the only one I have ever heard of. Perhaps it was an experimental model, or one built by an employee of the Ampico Corporation? Has anyone else ever heard of a ...

•I am not an Ampico expert but did call Dick Howe and Jeffrey Morgan this morning. Both were not answering the phone this morning. I hope to have copies of the Morgan-Howe article faxed to me by one of them. The Ampico went through several changes over the years. I have copies of many of the patents...

•Hi All, Bruce Clark asked about a solenoid system that would play Ampico rolls from disc. Robbie Rhodes comments: >[ "The first modern solenoid player system to reach significant >[ production was the Marantz Pianocorder; that was almost 20 years >[ ago, and the technology has slowly but surely imp...

•[ Damon Atchison wrote: ] > Although there are several automatic piano recordings on the market, > I'm looking specifically for a direct recording from an original Ampico > or Duo-Art which has been restored completely. Most CD's I see > available are converted rolls played from a Yamaha disk-opera...

•The Ampico was a type of player action. This mechanism differs from most player systems in that is can play specially encoded player piano rolls that control how loud the piano plays the different notes. There were several different companies that made player actions that could do this and Ampico w...

•Some advice would be appreciated. My 1935 George Steck Ampico A/B is equipped with an abbreviated A expression system (no re-regulators), a B stack, and B drawer (no subdue) with an A tracker bar. While origin- ally equipped with only a single crescendo, I've added the second one to complete the A ...

•I have two Wheelock grands of similar vintage with the A/B system and you should be aware that the B drawer does not shut off immediately like the A and other systems. It has a constriction in the pneumatic under the start switch and it closes the pneumatic very slowly so that if you wait 10 second...

•In 1930 the Ampico model B tempo levers did get quite warm. This fact was printed in the instruction sheet with the new Ampico. The reason the tempo lever gets warm is because there is a resistance coil located in the box containing the control. This coil burns some of the electricity in exchange f...

•Terry Smythe's concern about the tempo lever becoming warm is shared by many. Robbie's comment about no venting is only part of the story. The fact that the tempo lever becomes warm is a very good sign. It indicates that the resistor in the governor mechanism has not burned out -- yet. In normal op...

•Craig Brougher wrote to me: > By the way, the Ampico B lever overheating can also be caused by an > open resistor across the points. That forces the points and the motor > to also overheat, working too hard and fast without damping. The > resistor doesn't get nearly as hot as the points will if lef...

•Hi Robbie, One final observation about governor resistors; I always know it's burned out when, after just a few rolls, the lever is getting really warm -- or maybe hot. As we discussed, I think the reason for this is that the tungsten contacts to power the motor do double duty as an arc welder, too...

•Robbie, Your request for more information about the resistor in the motor governor mechanism had to be put on hold for the weekend as I traveled to Chicago for a wonderful AMICA meeting hosted by the Krughoff's. As many MMDer's know, this collection is indeed one of the finest in the world. The inf...

•>> By the way, the Ampico B lever overheating can also be caused by >> an open resistor across the points. I don't know if this has been covered (I've been out of town), but sticky brushes can cause point arcing and erosion. Make sure that the brushes slide easily in their holders. A. B. Bonds ...

•I'd like to clarify further what Robbie Rhodes just explained yesterday about the governor resistor and the series power resistor, versus the expected temperature on the tempo lever of an Ampico B. Robbie is absolutely correct. However, I thought that possibly some people might get the wrong idea, ...

•Ellen and I are heading out to Charlotte to attend the MBSI Convention, at which I plan to give a workshop presentation regarding the specifics of the Ampico A and B, and to show physical evidence in detail never before presented, to my knowledge, exactly why the model B Ampico is not required to h...

•I want to recommend two newly-available products: Wayne Stahnke's Ampico CD ROM and Richard Brandle's "WindPlay" program. Used together, they provide a huge quantity of wonderful music at a very reasonable price. Wayne's CD ROM contains .bar and .ann files for 460 Ampico A and B rolls. It comes wit...