Chronology of Mechanical Features for the
Seeburg & Western Electric Piano Company

Time-Line for Seeburg and Western Electric
by Art Reblitz

Chronology of Mechanical Features

Pre-1910: Very few pre-1910 Seeburg instruments are known to exist. Three of the earliest known pianos have pneumatic stacks with adjustable bleeds, different pump hinges, and the "very early" coin mechanism with a notched vertical accumulator ratchet bar.

1910: By 1910 or 1911, most known Seeburg pianos have the "early" (or "fence post") coin accumulator mechanism, using a pair of opposing pneumatics that step themselves around a semicircular row of pins (or posts).

1914: By 1914, the standard "ratchet-wheel" type coin accumulator was used, usually in a cast iron housing. By the late teens or early twenties, the housing was made of sheet metal. More information is needed.

Circa 1920: By the late teens or early twenties, the early music roll rewind mechanism (with a mechanical latch) was replaced with the late style pneumatic lock & cancel system. More information is needed.

Early 1920's: Beginning in the early 1920's, paper stickers with two patent dates and a serial number were attached to the coin switch box. The patent dates refer to two Mills Novelty Company patents, which were licensed to the Seeburg Piano Company; the stickers probably being a way of keeping track of patent royalties owed by Seeburg to Mills. The first stickers were made in two pieces, with the serial number on a separate piece located above the patent numbers. Later stickers were made in one piece, with the serial number at the bottom. More information is needed.

1923: In 1923, the box pump was introduced in the models L and KT.

Late 1923: In late 1923, the oldest known KT Special (#157,529) using a modified KT cabinet was made. This early style of KT Special (using a KT cabinet) was made through early 1925.

1924: The oldest known Western Electric was made in 1924.

1925:  The oldest known Western Electric "Derby" (with the horse-race diorama) was made in 1925.

1925: The new style, larger cabinet for the KT Special was introduced.

1925: Prior to 1925, volume controls had two positions (soft-loud). In 1925, the first 3-way volume controls (soft-medium-loud) made their appearance, and by 1926 all pianos had this more elaborate feature.

1927: All known late-style model C's (the "Xylophonian") were made in 1927.

1927: All known Seeburg "Greyhounds" (with the greyhound racing diorama) were made in 1927. The last one known (# 166,227) has the very late one-tier pneumatic stack.