The model identified as "Cab." in the 1918 Seeburg price list is either
the PGA, or a predecessor to what we know as the Style L.  It has three
doors -- a full-width upper door with one large stained glass window,
and two lower doors.  It has standard L mechanisms (including a shaft-
driven roll mechanism) and a flat lid.  It is not illustrated in Bowers'
"Encyclopedia," but it _is_ shown on p. 148 of "Treasures of Mechanical
Music."  It was probably made ca. 1918-1920.

Earlier, the Phono-Grand was Seeburg's first small 54-note cabinet
piano, introduced in 1917.  It played Seeburg XP expression rolls,
similar to Apollo X rolls, and included a phonograph under the Victrola-
shaped lid.  The pump had a countershaft and was driven by round leather
belts, to reduce motor noise.  Few Phono-Grands were sold.

Leftover Phono-Grand cabinets with Victrola-shaped lids were then
equipped with A-roll mechanisms and sold as the Style PGA or P-G-A (for
"Phono-Grand, A Roll").  These retained the Victrola-shaped top and
Phono-Grand-style pump countershaft with round leather belts, plus an
additional round leather belt to drive the roll mechanism.  PGA sales
must have been better than for the Phono-Grand.

The next version was the 3-door pre-L described above, probably
available by 1918 but not given a style letter yet.

What is generally known as the early style L had two full-length doors,
each having a stained-glass window in the upper part, and a flat lid.
This was not advertised until about 1921, and the serial numbers for the
earliest known L's are in the same range as other Seeburg pianos known
to have been made in that year.  In 1925, the cabinet was redesigned
with four doors, probably so that a location owner could have access to
the upper compartment to change rolls without having access to the cash
box in the lower compartment.

To summarize, the sequence of production is approximately:

    1917: Phono-Grand introduced
    1918: PGA introduced
    1918-1920 (ca.): 3-door pre-L
    1921-1924: 2-door L
    1924-1928: 4-door L

This information is based on observing details of over 1,000 extant
Seeburg pianos over the last forty years, with the help of many
collectors and restorers, especially Jerry Biasella, Dana Johnson, Don
Teach, Ron Propst, Rusty King and Paul Manganaro, and the late Terry
Borne and Mike Kitner, who together provided information on hundreds of
pianos that otherwise would not be in my records.

Many more production details will appear in my forthcoming book or
series of articles on Seeburg and the other Chicago coin piano
manufacturers.

Art Reblitz