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Single or Double Valve Action?

The easiest way to tell if you have a Single Valve or Double Valve Standard Player Action is to look at the space directly below the Spoolbox. The Spoolbox is mounted on a Deck Board which is about 5/8" thick. Between the Deck Board and the Stack, there is a 3" space. In that space there will be a piece of wood. If that piece of wood appears to be held in place by 7-8 small screws, you have a Single Valve action. A double valve action will have two rows of screws that are spacing about 1-1/4" from each other that run the length of the upper section. Below is a picture of a Single Valve Standard Action.

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I'll try to get some pictures to make this easier....

One or Two Reservoirs?

The first Lower Section pictured below has TWO Reservoirs. The one below that has only One.

More information about the Single and Double Valve Actions

Subject: Serial Numbers for Standard Player Action (by Diane DeTar)

I have several stack dates for action stacks made by Standard Pneumatic Action Co. I'll just give you a few to help date the Auto-Art player piano. These are verified dates from inside the stack as well as the case number.

108758: 1912 (double valve stack)
288641: 1913 (double valve stack)
316061: 1917 (double valve stack)
300435: 1924 (single valve stack)

As you can see, there is a discrepancy with the chronological order as the 1924 number is smaller than the 1917. I started keeping track of the single- verses double-valve stacks and they indeed have a different numbering system, so I do believe that the single stack was made later and they started with another numbering system for that stack. The single stack numbers that I have are from 299698-403080.

One other interesting fact is that the factory always stamped the bottom of the bellows with a completion date. If the bellows have not been rebuilt it would still be there and you can see it with a mirror and flashlight. It is right on the cloth where it is glued to the wood.

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This page was last revised February 8, 2006 by John A. Tuttle, who Assumes No Liability
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