Welcome to Ragtime Southwest, premier supplier of Player Pianos, Nickelodeons, Band Organs, Jamaican Steel Drum, Calliopes, Carousel Organ, and many more automated instruments!
From Trash to Treasure!
I can turn your piano into a true work of art! 		 

 

Automated Music - The original design was to be electronic with solenoids and 8 track or cassette player instead of pneumatics and a paper roll driving the Player Piano! Research soon concluded that the paper roll was definitely more authentic and since the recording industry was ever changing the 8 track or cassette might soon become obsolete when Ken Caulkins, in 1971, founded Ragtime. He made the decision to go with authenticity. Paper rolls have been around for a century now and many of the original rolls can still be used.  It looks as though the decision was a good one (Try to find a place that sells 8 track tapes)

Besides being authentic, paper rolls are interesting. When is the last time anyone you know spent even 1 minute watching a cassette tape go around? People watch the rolls and show their children how the holes in the paper generate a note on the piano. They soon learn that each hole represents a different action. Besides being more interesting they also last longer. Paper rolls have been known to still play after 100 years. Even the best magnetic tape can’t say that. Manufacturers shouldn’t confuse player piano technicians with electronics. They are already familiar with pneumatics and can easily service the authentic mechanisms. All of our band organs use vacuum and pressure to operate the pipes and other instruments anyway, so pneumatics is naturally the best choice.

You could probably count nearly 8,500 Ragtime piano conversions, not including Ragtime band organs if you knew where to look. The problem is that many are in private collections. Ragtime has just recently begun doing international shows and expositions. You may start noticing our products in public places. Try Euro-Disney, Hollywood (Guinness) Wax Museums, and Ripley’s Believe it Or not Museums, numerous Casinos in Branson, Las Vegas, and Cripple Creek. You can find our instruments in Guam, Japan, Singapore, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, England, Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Switzerland, and Germany. Watch for our Products at Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Marine World and numerous antique shops throughout the world. Extended warrantees are available; however, in private use service may never be needed since the machines are built for constant commercial applications. 

Player Pianos are our most popular product; however, we also have many calliopes and Band Organs! Our Player Pianos start from $9,700 dollars for a grade one rustic, and our Calliopes start at $12,850! You will get goose bumps listening to the music of our calliope.

Stay tuned to the Ragtime Southwest web page for information on our products! E-mail us if you can't wait to see or hear our magnificent instruments!

Justification: How does one justify spending $10,000 for a nickelodeon? Easy. The instruments, stained glass, beautiful stylish Victorian cabinet and unmatched sound of a full fledged Orchestral player piano. Also, the constant playing "O" roll eliminates the need to physically stand over the piano to change the roll every 3 minutes. Many people visualize listening to the player at a party while entertaining guests only to find that their backs are to the crowd when they are pumping the player. This can be disheartening. There are many advantages to a Ragtime Nickelodeon, such as quick changing rolls, coin operation, lighted stained glass, and an Antique investment!