Hi, There is always some confusion regarding the Cable piano company.
The original Cable company piano bore the name "The Cable Company",
sometimes selling under the name Euphonia.
I have rebuilt two of these pianos. One was a conventional-looking
player upright, but it was shorter than most uprights. The other one
was 54 inches tall and the spoolbox was near the top of the piano, much
like an early model Kimball.
Cable always used their own player action, two tiers with pneumatics
facing forward and pulling down rocking levers to engage the piano
action. Both pianos were of very nice quality.
The "other" cable pianos (Cable-Nelson, Fayette S Cable, & Hobart M
Cable) used Simplex, Standard & Pratt-Reed and other actions. These
pianos have no relation to the Cable Company of Chicago.
To add to the confusion, Cable-Nelson also built a "no-name" 54-inch
player upright that is very common today. I have found these units
under countless names, such as Lakeside, Lexington, Harper Piano Co.,
and a "something-Miller" of Nashville TN, if I recall. These units are
tall, they have a bunch of string-soundboard area, and have a powerful
commanding tone if in good shape. Not a bad "stencil" piano at all!
The Cable Company of Chicago also made reed organs as well. They were
a pretty big company at one time.
Andy Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls
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