After forty years of listening to an Ampico, which is meticulously
adjusted to factory specifications, rebuilt and adjusted as regularly
as one cares for their cars, I have hope of hearing a solenoid piano
that is equal to a well adjusted pneumatic reproducing piano.  So far,
none that I have heard have presented a pleasant experience.

For a test, I recently asked someone with no experience or knowledge of
pianos what he thought of a recent solenoid piano he heard.  He said:
"Brash and tacky!"  (It was out-of-tune) "It was loud, louder, and very
loud.  It sounded like a robot trying to play a piano."  (This person
is used to hearing our Ampico, but has no idea of mechanism
differences.)

The solenoid piano in question is a baby grand, a make that is unknown
to me.  It was operated by a disk which resembles a computer disk.  My
only concern was to keep a pleasant look on my face and keep from
offending my host, and not let on that I was shocked at the sloppy
performance.  I asked if there was a soft pedal, and my host informed
me that no soft pedal was required in this piano.

The second solenoid piano I encountered was located in a restaurant.
It was a small upright in an ebonized case.  It was difficult to see.
I have no idea what make it was.  At first, I thought a child was
practicing on it!  The music was dreadful!  Either it was not working
properly or had the volume turned so low that notes were missing.  In
addition, I do not believe the piano had been tuned since it left the
factory.

I spoke to the restaurant owner who was very enthusiastic about his
marvelous music maker.  He thought it sounded splendid!  The worst
part was no one was paying any attention to it.  It could have been
a cylinder phonograph playing.

To prove a point, I conducted a survey: I asked several customers if
they enjoyed the piano music.  98% told me it was 'nice'.  Then, I
asked what selections they enjoyed most.  None of them were able to
identify any tune title!  (They were all familiar and well known tunes,
but the customers were not listening.)  Only four persons felt that the
music was not in keeping with the traditions of the fine restaurant.
Two were musicians, and two were music teachers.

This returns to my theory that the majority of people are musically
illiterate!. (Lack of exposure to good music.)  They haven't the
slightest idea if music is good or bad.  This includes those who sell
solenoid pianos.  Apparently they have not heard a well adjusted
reproducing piano, or lacking in a good musical background.  We that
enjoy our reproducing pianos are a small minority.

Bruce Clark

 [ Have you heard a solenoid piano at a piano store, Bruce?  Many
 [ larger dealers can demonstrate more than one type of reproducer,
 [ in a tuned and well-adjusted piano.  Give the old-time piano dealer
 [ a chance; he just might have a prized Ampico in the back room, too!
 [ -- Robbie