•Randolph Herr wrote, in regard to the effect of the sustain pedal on volume: "It seems to me that he is saying the volume is the same (the height of the curve) but it is perceived louder because of the longer sustain. I do not think that the area under the curves is of paramount importance since th...

•Craig Brougher wrote: > Stop and think about it a minute, Randolph. Whether I have the loud > pedal on or off makes no difference at all when I play a note, does it? > Because when I play a note, the key itself raises the damper, too. > So however I strike the note -- with or without the pedal -- I...

•My friend Randolph Herr brings up a good point about sustaining pedal compensators on Ampico "A" mechanisms. I usually send emails out privately to those who ask specific questions on MMD to avoid controversy but I feel like chiming in on this. I can't keep quiet when it comes to Ampico "A"s. One r...

•Both Harald Mueller and Paul Manganaro have taken an interest in this subject, which I'm grateful to see. Harald even mentions an effect which I broached the first time on this newsletter several years ago. That being the sympathetic activation of other strings, particularly the bass, when any othe...

•I have just finished doing what someone else should have done when they "restored" an Ampico, probably about 15 years ago: restore the valves -- both sets! The exposed leather was dust, and the pouches were so rotten they were torn. The pneumatics are covered with bright yellow rubber coated cloth...

•Some years back, I found myself in this very same place, only I was in a customer's very fancy living room, and tipping the piano over was not an option. Solution: I purchased a box of drinking straws, the big size ones used for milk shakes. I removed the piano action, which is a very simple thing ...

•This is in response to Berley Firmin's question. Here is the system I developed thirty years ago. First I have three questions. Why did you remove the stack if you did not recover the pneumatics? The valves can all be removed without removing the stack. Second, are you sure this unusual yellow clot...

•I too had much trouble installing my first "early A" stack. I somehow finagled it in there. I later purchased the complete set of AMICA technicalities 1981-1988 and learned how best to install the stack. The "Technicalities" are available through AMICA, the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors A...

•Alas, I had a senior moment when describing my stack installation procedure. Where I used the term "thumbscrew" I had intended to say "wing nut". For those of you that experienced mental anguish trying to visualize my scheme, I am truly sorry. The wing nuts work quite well, and can be given a quick...

•Hi, Thanks to all who responded to my inquiry about installing an Ampico A stack with the loose pushrods back into a piano. What a great group. I guess if I would have the piano here with me, I would have figured a solution, but this was easier! I combine the tips and use threaded rods to slowly ra...

•Greetings All, Just a miscellaneous note. I was semi-snoozing on the couch last Sunday afternoon, practicing my couch potato, when an old black and white movie came on the Classic channel. It was "If You Knew Suzie", starring Eddie Cantor and Joan Davis. The interesting thing about it was that [Amp...

•I met Mr. Fairchild once about 1970 at an AMICA meeting at the Phil and Alma Hill home in Santa Monica, Calif. Fairchild had been musical director for many films and had lived in the Los Angeles area working in movies for many years. He played a few pieces, perhaps Satie or Poulenc, and was so mode...

•A few years ago I was privileged to attend a Nashville Symphony concert honoring Morton Gould. I went prepared with my copy of Bolero, and when I was able to meet with him, he was flabbergasted that anyone remembered that he had done it! He was quite gracious and autographed the roll for me. (If yo...

•I have found a flow restrictor in the 1933 Ampico B expression regulator needle valve unit fitting. It is only on the bass unit. Should this be there or is it a "fix" installed to "solve a problem"? I don't find a reference to it in any of my literature. Bob Stewart Kenosha, WI [ Excerpts from the ...

•On several occasions I have had requests to work on an Ampico Spinet piano. They are one of the most difficult units to service because everything is compressed into a very small space. Were these pianos an afterthought to use up old parts toward the end of the Ampico era? They contain many old sty...

•In reading the MMD Archives and talking to rebuilders, young and old, I note that there are differing and strong ideas when it comes to the handling of the ball bleeds on the Ampico B. Some advocate replacement, some are for cleaning and reuse. Others have used replacements and wish they had the ol...

•I have a copy of a 1925 Ampico Roll Catalog signed by Wilbur Chenoweth. There is only one roll listed for him. Does anyone have more information? Bob Stewart Kenosha, WI

•In response to Bob Stewart (021114 MMDigest), first let me say that Chenoweth is one of my favorite Ampico artists. He was apparently a friend of Charles Stoddard, which could be a reason for his inclusion in the Ampico line-up. But regardless of this, his performances and compositions speak for th...

•[ Bob Stewart asked for information, in 021114 MMDigest ] From the Chenoweth family genealogy web site (www.chenowethsite.com): Wilbur Rossiter Chenoweth b: June 05, 1899 in Johnson Co., NE d: March 23, 1980 in Los Angeles Co., CA The University of Nebraska-Lincoln maintains a special collection of...

•I think there is a need for quality replacement Ampico roll boxes, especially the top-hat false bottom type. At one time someone out there made replicas, and they were better than the originals, but they had one drawback: they were slightly larger than the original boxes and therefore would not fit...