•John, The stack "compensator" springs are called equalizer springs. They came in all different lengths, since they attached to different places in different model pianos. They are not needed, musically, and the length differences is un- important to any given spring as long as the distance between ...

•I would like to offer this for John McClelland's consideration. On Ampico grands, the location of the equalizer and space available determines the length of the spring. Often the treble side is much shorter. The purpose of the equalizer is to smooth out surges at minimum intensity playing. The equa...

•I am hoping that maybe some of the Ampico B specialists who read this list might be willing to answer a couple of questions I have. After the roll winds onto the take up spool far enough to cause the pallet valve to turn on the vacuum to the stack, and before the roll starts playing, I will often g...

•Dick, I've found that oscillations happen when the bleed to the sleeve spill pneumatic is missing or too large. Look at your schematic. Anything that will cause the sleeve pneumatic to overshoot will also cause oscillation. The bleed dampens the pump pulses, and prevents the sleeve from overshootin...

•Checking through my collection of Ampico reproducing piano rolls I noted that I had quite a few with the label heading (only on the box) "The Favourite Fifty collection of Ampico recordings". I do not recall any mention of these in Elaine Obenchain's catalogue, or in any other publication. Likewise...

•Last Friday night I heard a fantastic concert in Cologne's "Phil- harmonie" concert hall. The highlight of the evening was the "Ballet Mecanique" by George Antheil, performed by conductor Peter Rundell and his Ensemble Modern, with two Ampico pianos as the "featured soloists". The MIDIfied pianos w...

•Dear MMDers, A week or two ago someone asked about the Ampico Favorite Fifty. While I am far from the right person to answer this, I have not seen a posting about it so I will offer my meager knowledge about it. Ampico had several roll groupings called the "Favorite Fifteen", the "Favorite Twenty F...

•In MMD 990504 Alan Whytock asked about the Ampico 'Favorite Fifty' rolls series. In the Ampico bulletin of December 1928 there is a special page with Christmas gift suggestions for Ampico owners. Among it I read : " The gold seal library : A special collection of fifty-four recordings, melodious, d...

•I would like to start by saying thank you to David Saul, Dean Randall and Craig Brougher for their scholarly answers to my questions about Art Echo and Ampico similarities and differences. It just goes to show that usually when something seems simple on the surface when you get down to the heart of...

•In 990517 MMDigest Bob Conant spoke about a number of rolls he has, labeled "Selected Recordings Service". He is entirely right believing they were sent regularly to subscribers. We can read some more details in an advertisement published in a 1928 Ampico Bulletin: Selected Recordings Service : A s...

•Robbie, I have all five "Christmas Greetings as originals, and in good condition. If you are coming to Sacramento soon, we could work out a loan. The West Coast Ragtime Festival will be held in Sacramento CA, Nov. 12, 13, 14. Those interested can check out the Web Site: http://ragtimemusic.com/WCRS...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- Recently I was able to locate, borrow, and transcribe all seven of the special rolls that the Ampico company issued for Christmas, 1923-1927. Most of these have the year of issue printed conspicuously on the roll label and box, but the early ones...

•Many months ago I remarked in MMD that I had made MIDI files of the 1st and the 3rd Ampico roll with the piano transcription of the piano concert in G Minor of Camille Saint-Saens, played by Victor Wittgen- stein. Unfortunately the roll with the second movement was missing. In May this year came an...

•In response to the talk about the Ampico B roll motor: I vastly reduced the arcing of the points in my Ampico B by placing a capacitor across them. It made my MIDI recordings made with an installed MIDI strip much cleaner as well as the added benefit of making the points last longer too. Jim Moore ...

•Greetings all, I received several good suggestions from subscribers regarding the points problem. I will also investigate the technical section for more specifics. Yes, Robbie, I believe Otto Kremp worked for Cardwell Electric. I have not located my notes of those conversations so must remain vague...

•Has anyone on this list had experience repairing or replacing toggle switches in Ampico grands? I am not speaking about a slider switch (which PPCo handles), although the bat handle is activated by a slider on the control panel. The piano in question is a late A (B Pump) Marshall & Wendell. The swi...

•I have repaired a couple of these toggle switches. I found some fiber board similar to the original fiber, and carefully formed it to the original size, by using a Dremel sander. It takes hours of patience, and maddening trials, but it can be done. Bruce Clark

•Replacing the power switch in this (late model) Marshall & Wendell Ampico A is easy. Remove the old toggle and replace with a small wall switch of the cheapest type, because they will be small. It requires recutting the wooden yoke block for a longer switch body. Trim off the metal mounting plate e...

•Hi, all. I occasionally read with interest film sightings of player pianos, and it sometimes gives me a chuckle. I've got one for you all. Last night I was watching a tape of the 1939 movie "Rose Of Washington Square", with Alice Faye, Tyrone Power and Al Jolson, in which Power's character is plugg...

•Where do I get replacements for the several styles of Ampico valve block bottom seats originally made of Bakelite? I had a couple that were broken. Thanks, D. L. Bullock Piano World St. Louis