Hi, In response to all the people who say that these were made
because a full pedal system would not work, I say drop round and see one
playing. My Steck Duo-Art is a full system (converted from a half one)
and it pedals really well. You do pedal a little bit more than on my
Amphion but nothing excessive. While pedalling, you do, of course,
need to keep the pressure pretty high, but once this high pressure
(suction!!) is obtained if the roll does not call for it the pedals
just become firm and you only need a light pedalling to keep it there.
Just like when a normal player roll has a blank section on it.
This expression box does not have the spill valve or it would be hard
to use!
My wife and I can pedal a dozen rolls easily, including rolls like
Romeo and Juliet, William Tell, Magic Flute, the common Rachmininoff
rolls, and we love Hungarian Rhapsodies, have most of them and they
get used all the time.
And no, we are not fitness fanatics, its not hard work at all! Our
five-year-old daughter can pedal the softer rolls and she can *just*
reach the pedals from sitting on the stool. Of course the whole system
was recently restored so its pretty airtight, this probably helps a bit.
Steck half Duo-Arts were very common in Australia too, my particular one
was made in the US.
Oh, by the way, I must admit I am on the lookout for a Duo-Art electric
pump, because it often is nicer to sit back in a comfortable chair and
just listen.....
Peter Coggins
Blue Mountains
Australia
[ Without a spill valve a bellows-style pump will quickly overload,
[ but a turbine pump will be quite happy. Install one in your cellar !
[ -- Robbie
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