Re: Foster and Company Piano
By Bob Conant
In a message dated 95-12-19 00:20:57 EST, you write:
> Andy isn't on the
> Internet yet, but is looking for a specific brand of player piano,
> preferably unrestored. The piano is made by Foster & Company in Rochester,
> NY.
Tell Andy they do exist. I have one (not for sale at this time) that has a foot pumped Ampico player mechanism in it. This Ampico is a bit unusual in that there are no crescendo pneumatics in it. Instead it uses a set of different sized bleeds to gradually (at two different rates) change the intensity pneumatics. It also has a transposing tracker bar (usual in a reproducing piano), has a cutoff mechanism for the expression holes so that 88 note rolls can be played and has an unusual pneumatic on top of the spool box that forces the mechanism into the Ampico mode whenever the reroll is operated (I keep this disconnected). It also has a pressure gauge to help in pedaling evenly when it is in the reproducing mode. Some of this piano's
functions are conjecture as I purchased the piano in totally disassembled condition and the technician I bought it from passed away soon after I acquired it. Incidentally, the Mr. Foster of Foster Pianos was at one time the president of the American Piano Co. The keyboard in this piano was made in Binghamton, NY.
Interesting things we find when we look.
Bob Conant
|
(Message sent Tue 19 Dec 1995, 13:52:54 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
|
|
Mechanical
Music Digest™ Archives
