> I had a call from a fellow today looking for some info on a 1906
> Steinway Grand Player.  Does anyone know what kind of player would have
> been in this piano?  Would it have been Red Welte?  Green Welte?
> Themodist?  He said that it had an electric motor in it.  Seems too
> early for a Duo-Art.

Dee,

Some considerations, not necessarily related to one another:

1.  Is the "1906" year verifiable through a serial number?   That
date might have been picked up from a patent notice somewhere,
with the piano actually much newer.   I've had many people tell
me over the phone their piano is a of a certain age, but find out
later they were only reading a patent notice.

2.  Is it really a "grand" piano or is it a piano in "Upright Grand"
form?   Some so-called grand pianos are not a grand piano at all.
Over the years I've chased down a few such claims and found only
after actually seeing the piano that it is really just a big old
upright.

3.  If it really is 1906, then I believe it is not likely a
reproducer, at best it may be a 65/88 foot pumper.

4.  Is the "electric motor" a real electric motor driving a pump
through a belt?   Once again, I've chased down such leads and found
that the "electric motor" is really only a contemporary electrically
powered turbine pump from PPC that somebody has installed to "keep
it working".   Kinda disappointing.......   :(

I have a 1912  6'  Mason & Risch foot pumped grand, all original.
For awhile, I had removed the huge ugly drop box and installed a
neat conventional lyre to match.    I was seriously considering
converting it to an Ampico, but I've been persuaded to finish the
restoration back to original.    For a short time, what I have might
easily have been similarly described like what you are hearing about.

From my experience, most of the pianos I've seen over the past 30
years have 65 note mechanisms prior to 1912 and 88 note thereafter,
with a few 65/88 in that 1912 transitional year.   My instincts say
that the "1906" piano is more likely much newer, and may well be
worth some time and effort checking it out.

Let us all know how you make out.    See you and Bill in St. Louis
in couple weeks?

Regards,

Terry

Terry Smythe                       (204) 832-3982 (voice/fax)
55 Rowand Avenue                   smythe@mts.net
Winnipeg, MB, Canada  R3J 2N6      smythe@freenet.mb.ca
Home Page:   http://www.mts.net/~smythe