A most unusual find!

[Robert Goodale]

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<<Long but worth it- read on>>

I have come across the most unusual piano.  The local dealer got it in =
on trade some time ago for a new Petrof, but I never got a chance to get =
a close look until a couple nights ago.  This piano has a player in it =
that wasn't working. Under the assumption that it was a Pianocorder, (as =
the dealer thought), I agreed to take a look-see with no promises.

The piano looks beautiful, an interesting burled walnut finish.  The =
front has intricate lattice work overlaying clear glass.  There are only =
six and a half octaves making the piano look like a Victorian birdcage, =
though it is not.  Over all a very nice specimen.  But then the =
surprise... smoke and mirrors my friends.

I'll start by saying that some technician somewhere put an enormous =
amount of work into this. I have to question if they made any money out =
of it concerning the labor that must have been involved.  The piano is =
studio sized and has "Collard & Collard" on the fall board and below =
that it the name of a dealer in London.  Pretty exotic sounding.  Cast =
into the plate, however, is "Marshal & Wendell", an American =
manufacturer.  Then the other surprise.  This piano is actually more of =
a large console or very small studio.  About four inches has been added =
to the height of the piano with a filler section.  The modification is =
very well done, it almost fooled me.  The sides are continuous with no =
patch made to extend the height, thus the entire sides of the piano were =
also replaced.  Likewise the entire exterior of the piano was =
re-veneered, a very good job of it too.  The lattice work covering the =
front is all custom made; clearly someone spent a lot of time making it =
and did a fine job.  It is all assembled with vintage hardware, however, =
to give it an antique look.  At first, second, even third glance you =
would swear that this is all original, but it most certainly is not.  I =
have never seen such an intense effort to completely convert a piano.

The saga continues...

Now onto the player.  The entire system is homemade!!  At first glance =
the control box, (which is very neatly installed in a roll out drawer), =
looks like an old Pianocorder.  It even fooled me.  Slide it out, =
however, and surprise... says Yamaha it!  It is nothing more then a =
simple midi sequencer.  Closer examination reveals that the unit is =
connected to old Pianocorder logic boards.  The main power supply for =
the whole thing is from Radio Shack.  But it doesn't stop there... The =
system is operated by vacuum pneumatics!  Below is a very strange =
pneumatic player stack made from aluminum and PVC.  A small and VERY =
noisy suction motor is tucked into a corner.  A platform to support all =
of this is built with the same neat looking craftsmanship as the rest of =
the modifications.  Small electro-pneumatic valves activate the =
pneumatics from the midi sequencer instead of a music roll.  This was an =
amazing and gallant effort by someone to invent there own player system. =
 Unfortunately it was largely in vain.  This strange system has no =
expression capability, and there are numerous sticking electro-pneumatic =
valves.  With the noise of the pump, the whole thing is pretty futile.  =
Only half the notes seem to be playing, and it sounded pretty bad.  The =
dealer would like to have it removed.

So there you have it.  I can't imagine how much work someone must have =
put into this, there is no possible way the cost could have been worth =
it, but wow what an effort.  I would like to try and post a few pictures =
of this when I get the chance.  Has anyone else seen one like this or =
have any idea who, (a name), may have done this?

Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV




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