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AMPICO Model A Chickering Grand Player Piano + Ampico Rolls (New Action!) - $4,000 (Pleasant Hill)
condition:
excellent
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The piano as an instrument plays beautifully. The player mechanism needs to be restored. Once restored fully the piano is worth ~$60,000, hence selling it at the low price. Hammers have been completely replaced with brand new ones.
Serial #: 146213
AGE: Based on the serial number you provided, your piano was built in 1928, the “Golden Age” of piano building in America.
GENERAL INFORMATION: Your piano is a rare “AMPICO” model A reproducing player grand piano. Your piano is made of beautiful imported Honduras Mahogany wood and is of the traditional double-leg style. The piano appears to have had some previous refurbishing work done years ago. In the 1970’s – 1990’s period, there was a huge resurgence in the player piano (many attribute this massive popularity of the movie "The Sting") and there was a sudden demand for restored and new player pianos. The industry scrambled to meet the demand, and did so poorly. Most of the rubberized cloth and tubing produced from about 1970 - 1990 had an unusually high clay content, causing quick deterioration in just a few years. After about 10 years, these materials become sticky and are no longer pliable and air tight. There were a lot of problems with synthetic valve material used during this period as well. Any movement or jarring inside the instrument can cause these materials to break open and lose their ability to hold air properly. Unfortunately, there is no “quick fix” for this, and the piano must be properly restored in order to be usable and durable long term.
WHAT IS AN AMPICO? AMPICO is an acronym for The AMerican PIano COmpany. AMPCIO built only player mechanisms which were installed in piano brands owned by the American Piano Company. These brand names included prestigious names like Chickering, Marshall & Wendell, Fischer, Knabe, and others. The AMPICO system is a player mechanism that allows the piano to play with expression and dynamic like a real person – not a mechanical put out. AMPICO player grand pianos were among the most expensive, high grade pianos money could buy in the 1920’s.
If you look at the soundboard in your piano, you will see that the grain in the wood is very close together. When that tree was growing 200 years ago, America's forests were very dense and trees had to struggle to grow. As a result, the wood rings are very close together due to slower growth. This wood with tight rings is more resonate and has much better tone quality than new pianos. Unfortunately, most of this quality wood is gone forever. New pianos with green wood do not have the same sound because they are not as deep and resonate in tone quality. As these pianos are destroyed, this wonderful wood is lost forever. Luckily, people are beginning to realize the quality of these vintage instruments and they are investing in their restoration and preservation for future generations to enjoy.
Cash only. No scammers.
Here’s a clip of how the piano sounds: https://youtu.be/bcy4hK7s7rs?feature=shared
Tags: AMICA, Automatic musical instrument collectors assn.