When Harold Powell was producing Ampico rolls using the original
masters and perforator, he also was making 88-note rolls. Some of
those rolls were of current music titles, and thus were new to the
piano roll market. It was my understanding that Harold used
a Steinway Duo-Art (British) pedal electric piano to record those
rolls. If anyone has information about the piano, a true 7' Steinway,
I would love to know the details.
This type of piano was only produced for the British market. A true
Steinway model B scale, (7 foot), was made in Hamburg, and then sent
to England for the Aeolian player system. Most seemed to be the
PEDA system with full Duo-Art and also the pedal Themodist systems
installed.
Somehow, Harold Powell acquired one of these pianos and had it during
the time he produced rolls. He modified the roll drive to incorporate
a Bodine electric motor. The other modifications he made are not
known. Can anyone shed more light on this subject?
I am researching that piano now, I had seen it when Harold owned it
in the 1970s. Did it have a contact mechanism on the keys to record
for hand-played rolls?
Bob Taylor
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