Jim Moore asks if anyone out there can advise him as to the difficulty
of installing this accessory into an Ampico B.  Also how rare are they
and what is the value of an original as well as the value of a
duplicate?

As a former Ampico technician, and Ampichron owner I will tell you
this:  You are in for more trouble than you bargained for!  There are
so many drawer modifications required to install an Ampichron, as far
as I am concerned, it is not worth it!

If you insist on having one of these gimmicks, it would be far more
practical to build a small external box to contain an Ampichron, and
have it connected and situated near the piano but not installed in the
drawer.  It will function nicely, and very few alterations or
irreversible changes are required.

While the original Ampichrons were very well-built and worked
satisfactorily, they were very cumbersome, and perhaps over-built 
with their mercury tube switch, and resetting pneumatic.  The clock
motors were Telchron and worked very well.

As memory serves me, (it was over 40 years ago)...  In addition to the
unit, a separate valve must be connected to operate the reset
pneumatic, and a "T" has to be connected to O-T of the tracker bar, 
so that this valve can receive a signal from the roll to shut off at
proper intervals.

Modern technology has devised inexpensive mini- multiple-use timers
that are far more compact, and can be programmed to achieve the same
effect, as an original and often expensive Ampichron units.  These can
placed elsewhere within the piano without disturbing any intricate
layouts and rerouting tubes and valves, and sawing out the left drawer
panel, and fitting it all back in with a shoe horn.  Then, if you need
to get in to repair or adjust something, it is so crowded it is nearly
impossible get in there, and nothing is placed in familiar positions.

One feature of the Ampichron that I did not like, was that when in use
with the chime roll, the night-time intervals of the timer had to be
coordinated with the roll.  Rather than shutting off completely, the
motor is sent a signal to turn on every hour during the night, but to
keep the piano silent, a cue in the roll again shuts off the motor.  If
something malfunctioned during the night, the motors (drawer motor too)
could be left running all night, and you would not be aware of it.

How much simpler it would be to have a timer programmed to shut off
completely during the night time hours, and back on in the morning.
Only one Chime roll was made, and hearing it over and over soon gets
tiresome.  In addition, if one wants to play a roll, the chime roll has
to be removed, and calibrated to the correct hour when it is put back.
To me, it is not worth all that work just to say "I have an Ampichron"

The original Ampichron units had a corrosion problem.  The brass face
plate could be cleaned and lacquered, and still corrode in a year or
so.

I do not know the value of an original Ampichron, or a duplicate.  
I do know, that I would not want one, or the complications involved 
in having one!

Bruce Clark