Some thirty years ago I was acquainted with several men who had worked
at American Piano Co. for many years.  As I recall they both stated
that all Ampico parts, including the grand drawers, were manufactured,
assembled and given bench testing at the Amphion factory at N. Clinton
St, Syracuse, New York.  This would have been from about 1919 to the
close of that factory in 1931.

Each piano that was to receive the Ampico was assigned to one workman
for complete installation of the action.  Grands were bottom up on
a special truck, sans the piano action.  Uprights were also on their
backs.  Most of the work at "The Pianos Works" (always called this in
the Rochester area) was piece work.  For each completed installation
they were paid under five dollars, less for uprights.  I don't recall
how many could be done in a day.

The grand piano was flipped over and the piano action installed.  In
addition to the factory test rolls, a number of regular Ampico rolls
were available.  One of the gentlemen recalled he always like to use
a large overture roll with loud and soft passages and a test of even
tempo near the end of the roll.  Each piano carried a work card with
pull-off numbered stubs for each operation completed, the date, time,
the worker's clock number and a space for his initials.

After all operations were combined at the East Rochester factory, the
limited number of special Ampico stacks, spinet Ampico parts, etc.,
were fabricated in a wing of the foundry building.  To use up the large
number of Ampico "A" components it was decided to install them in the
lesser grade pianos.  That is why so many small grands of the variety
like Haines Brothers and Marshall & Wendall can turn up with "A"
expression components and a "B" drawer.

At this late date we forget what a struggle it was for Aeolian-American
to survive in the early years of the depression of the 1930's.

Alan Mueller, Greece, New York (N.W. of "Rotster")