Are our readers aware that the Ampico chimney still stands! Indeed, while the factory has been converted into small shops, the front of the place is still graced with the magnificent yellow brick chimney with vertical red brick letters spelling out AMPICO. It should be photographed, as I have a feel...

Soon I will be restoring a set of Ampico ball bleed unit valves. I would enjoy hearing from others who have performed this monumental task. It has been thirty years since I last tackled this tricky project, and it would be refreshing to hear from others with lots of experience. These questions in pa...

When I put a roll on my model A Ampico and turn the motor on, I have to hold the switch in position for a few moments even after the leader has well and truely pasted the tracker bar. Just before the music starts I can usually let go of it and it is fine. I think it is the pouch in the small cutout ...

The problem that Michael Waters may be experiencing with his Ampico motor switch may not be the switch at all. Assuming the Ampico is a grand, the problem is most likely in the take-up spool bearing, and the hole in the left side of the take-up spool. To test this, remove the hose from the nipple th...

A very common trouble area on a well-used Ampico "A" is the bearing on the left side of the take up spool. This was a cone-and-nozzle contraption in a ball bearing race. Also included in the installation was grease, as a sealer, and some highly technical paper washers used for additional packing. La...

There are many things that can influence the motor switch pneumatic. 1. If you have a grand, the paper must cover and seal the control port in the take-up spool. 2. The left hand spool chuck must have a good seal to the take-up spool. 3. All the control tubing must be air tight. 4. The repeat switch...

Ampico rebuilders and owners, We have discovered that there is a discrepancy in the Model A tubing chart. When the cutout block tubes are turned to the rear of the piano, as shown, 3T and 3B should be reversed. The reason: 3B is for the Sustain pedal and is always left in the circuit. It does not ha...

Thanks to all those responses regarding my Ampico problem. It turns out it was only in the adjustment of the finger that drops into the take-up spool. I'm sorry I forgot to mention that it was an upright, thanks to all those who wrote in thinking it was a grand. Michael Waters

I am still very curious about how many levels of expression certain reproducing pianos had, and when, where, and how that was applied. I once heard that a reproducer had 18 levels of expression! Another of my questions was how that expression was applied. Was it applied to the whole section of the s...

Damon Atchison asked about how many expression levels the Ampico has. The most direct answer is seven. However, the direct answer is also wrong. The (so-called) crescendos are able to raise the pump level from the nominal 20" (which is reroll level) to the top pump level (depending), say from 32" to...

Craig Brougher said: > Duo-Art has sixteen different levels of expression, while Ampico > has only seven. However, Duo-Art normally didn't use real-time "on > the fly" expression, either. So for the most part, Duo-Art was a > binary changing machine. That was ok, since the finest musicians can > onl...

Dan Wilson misquoted my comment about Duo-Art expression levels by pasting two sentences together which didn't make sense. If we "quote" each other, I feel it is required to not take things so completely out of context as to make the other sound foolish! I would also like to explain that had I wante...

•Ralph: I'm interested in Ampico jumbo B rolls. Please send an ASCII file as I'm not sure if I can handle the other. Thanks. Fritz Gellerman

•As requested way back in December, I finally got a good photo of the Ampico smokestack that's still standing on the grounds of the old factory in East Rochester, NY. Hey, maybe now we can make up T-shirts that say "I saw the AMPICO stack!!" Heh heh, eh, aw, never mind. Currently, the factory ground...

•As requested way back in December, I finally got a good photo of the Ampico smokestack that's still standing on the grounds of the old factory in East Rochester, NY. Hey, maybe now we can make up T-shirts that say "I saw the AMPICO stack!!" Heh heh, eh, aw, never mind. Currently, the factory ground...

•I can't let these comments go by without saying, "I'ts a wonder you can't here us laughing from here in Australia " :-) It's good to see that humour still prevails, even in text format. Good onya! Rick...... > I'm not as expert on these matters as are some of the other list-ers, so > could somebody...

•Rick Inzero's suggestion of a T-shirt depicting the old Ampico smokestack might actually be one way of generating funds for the continuing operation of MMD. After all, if high school bands and political parties can raise money selling T-shirts to their own people, why can't we? I don't have any exp...

•Dear Folks, I know some of you will think I have committed a horrible sin but I would like to describe the results of a modification to an Ampico A that lets it now play B rolls. First of all, let me say that the modification was developed by Tim Westman and he built the components to implement it...

•I just purchased a 1930 5'8" Knabe Ampico "B" in an Walnut case. It's in great unrestored playing condition. The original tubing is still there and it reproduces good. BUT, The bottom covers for the drawer are missing and the walnut front piece on the drawer is damaged on the left side. Also there ...

•This is a response to your June 2 MMD inquiry regarding the Ampico B. Randy, You will need much greater than average luck to find the missing parts you need for your Knabe Ampico "B". First, be aware that the front piece on the drawer is not readily interchangable from one Model B piano to another...