54-note Keyboardless Seeburg Pianos

Seeburg’s 54-note piano back used in many Seeburg keyboardless styles L, C (Xylophonian), and Greyhound pianos.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

Seeburg’s 54-note piano back of the type used in many keyboardless styles L, C (Xylophonian), and Greyhound. This example is in Greyhound #166,043, made in 1928. A similar 54-note piano was used in the Western Electric style C (Mascot), Coinola Cupid and Tiny, and a few Nelson-Wiggen styles.

Seeburg’s 54-note piano used in many Seeburg keyboardless styles L, C (Xylophonian), and Greyhound pianos.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

Seeburg Greyhound #166,043 with the piano action installed. The 54-note compass is from B through E, but the lowest note on the piano is coupled to the B an octave above so they play together from one tracker bar hole. The lowest note on the A roll is tubed to low C (the second lowest note on the piano), and the five highest notes on the roll, F through A, are teed back to the piano notes an octave lower, for a total of 53 different playing notes (C-E).