•Hi MMD Readers: Here is an interesting little discovery I made today. The first talking short subject film of "Our Gang" in 1929 entitled "Small Talk" featured an Ampico grand reproducing piano. The Ampico played a rather humble roll entitled "There's A Rainbow Round My Shoulder." Here is a sound c...

•In regards to Eric Shoemaker's request for an Ampico A Drawer I would like to offer my services in replicating a drawer, if an original can not be found. All I would need would be measurements and photo of original drawer. My expertise is in replicating, refinishing and restoration any and all miss...

•-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD -- I have been browsing around the MMD archives and came across the thread about the Saint-Saens piano concerto in G minor [991117 MMD]. I downloaded the MIDI files, and it is indeed spectacular. I also saw the postings about the background on Victo...

•Have any of you noticed that the pump vacuum of an Ampico "A" changes as the tempo is increased? I have been adjusting my Ampico to 30" while tempo is set at 65. However, when the tempo is set at 90, the top setting of 30" is lowered due to consumption of vacuum by the air motor. I would like to he...

•I need of information and a parts source for an Anderson & Wright console piano with an electronic/vacuum player mechanism in it with the brand name "AMPICO Electronic" stenciled on it. Does anyone have any information on this instrument? Dave Hall Kansas City [ Who, today, controls the Aeolian-Ame...

•-- forwarded message, please reply to sender and MMD -- Hi, I just have a question. I was wondering if you could help me. It concerns a grand player piano. I have a Ampico Model B grand player piano and I am having a problem with it. The trouble is with the motor putting out too much pressure on re...

•I may have mentioned in past postings about the effort I have put into building roll readers in order to end up with MIDI files. I have built two units, the first of which is being operated by my good friend, Frank Himpsl, who is a musical guru and a great modern ragtime composer as well. This unit...

•Paul Manganaro wrote in 000826 MMDigest: > I know there are a lot of factors in hearing MIDI files ... I would > also like to know if electronic players translate this information > relatively too loud or too soft as I do not know how the velocity > numbers translate into volume on electronic playe...

•I want to thank all of you who took the time to write to me about my Ampico Midi files which are recorded with expression. I heard from people all over the world. There certainly is a lot of knowledge among the MMD members. I learned that the velocities I recorded are in too high a range for them t...

•I'm rebuilding a 1931 Knabe Ampico B, and have come across a concern regarding the governor resistor (the resistor in the drawer, by the roll-drive motor, not the large resistor under the piano). The 1929 manual says that the resistance should be 360 ohms. I'm getting a reading of 200 ohms on my oh...

•A few days ago, a local piano company brought over a Haines Bros. upright piano with an Ampico installed. They wanted the mechanism removed so a new solenoid kit could be installed. The Ampico mechanism was a very late "A" model with the lost motion rail for soft pedal. I have not seen too many of ...

•Ken Vinen asked about those individuals presently producing Ampico rolls. A complete list of presently known roll manufacturers is found on the MMD website at: http://mmd.foxtail.com/Links/ -- "Comprehensive Source List" - or at - http://mmd.foxtail.com/cgi-bin/links.pl Search for the word "Ampico"...

•Anyone who is seeking high quality Ampico replica rolls should consider rolls made by Precision Music Rolls. Not only are the rolls of excellent quality, but particular attention is paid to every aspect of the roll production including the boxes and labels. I highly recommend them! Bruce Clark ...

•Hi foxtail readers: Recently I bought about 50 Ampico rolls, from 1920-1930. The difference I can see is about the box label, there are two different kinds. One label is a black line around the square, and the inscription is "Ampico Recording". The other label has a little difference: a red line ar...

•On 10.04.2001, Horacio Asborno wrote: > Recently I bought about 50 Ampico rolls, from 1920-1930. The > difference I can see is about the box label, there are two different > kinds. One label is a black line around the square, and the > inscription is "Ampico Recording". The other label has a little...

•Greetings: When tuning our Marshall & Wendell Ampico upright I removed the two springs which are attached to the bass and treble concussion pneumatics. I noticed that the springs are different lengths. The bass concussion pneumatic spring was is approximately 1 inch longer than the treble spring. W...

•Hello Tom and Everyone, I measured mine. They are 2" long when removed from the Piano. In the Piano with the vacuum off they are 13.5" long. Hope this helps, Phil Underwood

•The Ampico "Concussion Regulator Springs" are actually called "equalizers," but their purpose was actually hypothetical, in that they were placed at each end of the stack for one purpose-- to act as a tiny little reservoir at low intensity in case of regulator valve overshoot. They didn't "equalize...

•I am working on two Ampico B drawers and have a problem on both of them that has me befuddled. When the transmission goes into rewind, it begins winding and the shifter then slips a tiny amount out of rewind. This stops the roll action and begins a tick, tick, tick as the tips of the pins hit witho...

•D.L. Bullock was asking: > When the transmission goes into rewind, it begins winding and the > shifter then slips a tiny amount out of rewind. This stops the roll > action and begins a tick, tick, tick as the tips of the pins hit > without locking in enough to pull the roll. I have strengthened the...