Are you sure it's 1927? Unless I'm grossly mistaken only the earliest of Ampicos were installed in uprights. These were known as "Stoddard" Ampicos, (noted as "Stoddard Artigraphic" on the early rolls), named after the inventor Charles Stoddard along with his assistant Clarence Hickman, (see Re-Enacting the Artist by Larry Givens). I think somewhere around 1919-1920 they went to grands exclusively. I've worked with mechanical music for many years. There are mounds of details and history surrounding music machines I still don't know and I am always learning something new. In 1928 the Ampico "B" replaced the model "A" system so a Stoddard that late would probably be quite rare. If this is indeed 1927 I suspect it would have been a special order. Mechanical music is what ultimately got me into piano work, (tough to make a living in just mechanical music these days). I'm getting ready to start a restoration on a rather rare 1925 Wurlitzer 146-B band organ. That job will probably take over a year to complete part-time! As far as "dog stink" is concerned you may have to leave the piano open, (with front and bottom removed), for a year or so. Just letting it air out will help. If the stink is in the felts you will likely never get it out. Like it or not if this is the case you will probably have to replace all the felt. Par for the course I guess, pianos are a bitch! Gotta go, leaving for California for a week. Rob Goodale, RPT Las Vegas, NV I just got a 1927 Knabe Ampico reproducing upright piano from an estate. Much restoration was done to it ( not too badly ) and it was in pretty nice shape when I saw it, 10 years ago. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070731/f155ebc1/attachment.html
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