The ordinary "Green" Welte instruments play 88 notes, not 86. The
T-98 system was sold to restaurants, cafés and saloons under the name
"Welte-Pianon", normally but not always with a cheap "Tormin" piano.
The rolls for a Welte-Pianon are identical to Welte-green rolls, but
have other spools. Special Pianon rolls in the 9000- and 9500-series
combined two to four titles per roll from the ordinary Welte-Mignon
catalogue.
Sometimes one can find labels with a small sticker "Pianon" glued onto
the word "Welte-Mignon". All Welte-Pianon pianos play 80 notes only.
They have the ordinary Mignon stacks with 88 valves, but are equipped
with only 80 pneumatics.
Apart from the Pianon T-98 instruments, I have seen some Steinway
Welte-Mignon "Green" uprights and grands also playing only 80 notes.
Kind regards from Germany,
Hans-W. Schmitz
Stuttgart
[ Hans-W. Schmitz is co-author, with Gerhard Dangel, of the book,
[ Welte-Mignon piano rolls: complete library of the European
[ recordings 1904 - 1932 for the Welte-Mignon reproducing piano.
[ Welte-Mignon Klavierrollen: Gesamtkatalog der europäischen
[ Aufnahmen 1904 - 1932 für das Welte-Mignon Reproduktionspiano.
[ Stuttgart 2006. ISBN 3-00-017110-X
[ Available from Musikwerkstatt Monschau, Thomas Jansen, see
[ http://www.maesto.com/US/newbookaboutwelt.html
[ -- Robbie
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