A trip to a bygone era

 

D. C. Ramey Piano Company’s ‘Banjo-Orchestra’

We visited the D. C. Ramey Piano Company in Marysville, Ohio last week. What a fun time. They are preserving a musical experience of a bygone era. David Ramey, the owner, took us on a tour of his shop and their museum. His father, Dave Sr., started the company in the 1950’s. David and his crew carry on and improve the fine tradition. Everything they restore is done to perfection. We saw player pianos, nickelodeons, automated bands, and orchestras. Each one looked like it came off a new showroom floor, worked to perfection, and sounded awesome. The xylophones’ keys were rosewood, and had a wonderful unique sound. The D. C. Ramey Piano Company even manufactures their own automated instruments. They have made about 30 of their famous ‘Banjo-Orchestras’; a reproduction of an automated ol’ time band where they started with little more than a frame of only two surviving originals.

Some of the automated instruments used a continuous paper roll stuffed into a compartment. Seemed impossible; but it worked.

David even has a couple automated instruments from the Link Piano and Organ Company.

Link Piano and Organ Company automated instrument on the left.

We learned a lot about pneumatics, and found out we were doing some things wrong. We’ll improve our techniques.

Here is a video and photos Barry took during our visit. 

A big ‘thank you’ to David Ramey and the crew of the D. C. Ramey Piano Company.