Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE REVIEW'S TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted and Edited by Wm. B. White.
[Contributions are invited for this department from members of the industry bearing strictly on the practical side
of the craft
Communications must be signed with the name and address of the sender
The editor ac-
cepts no responsibility for the opinions of correspondents.]
We present herewith a letter from Geo. L. Mait-
land, of Geo. L. Maitland & Son, Philadelphia,
tuners and repairers of pianofortes. It has ref-
erence to our recent remarks concerning the
Pressley hammer, which latter were brought out
in reply to the inquiry of a correspondent as to
a quick method for re-hammering old instru-
ments. Mr. Maitland's communication will be
read with the attention that it deserves.
"Editor Technical Department: Dear Sir—In
regard to Mr. Smith's inquiry for an easy way of
re-hammering an upright, why not use the ham-
mer-shank-extractor to get the shanks out of the
butts? This extractor is made by the Tuners
Supply Co., of Boston. If the shanks are maple,
there ought to be no difficulty in drawing them
from the butts. First heat the butts at the place
where the shanks are put in, and then they will
come out easily. But why use the old butts at
all? It seems to me that it would be much better
to put in new butts, and if the flanges are the
wooden kind, put in new flanges also. Any up-
right that has been enough used to require new
hammers has the cloth so worn at the centers
that new hammers alone will not make a good
job. In fact, new hammers will make the whole
thing worse than before, as the peculiar click
caused by worn centers will be much more audi-
ble with new than with old hammers. Hence, I
would advise always to remove the butts anyway,
and the flanges, too, if the latter are wooden.
"While I have never used the arrangement that
fits over the old shanks (the Pressley hammer
—Editor), I cannot see how such a device is to be
kept tight, as the small amount of wood in a
hammer shank must constantly shrink under
pressure. Especially is this so when the shank is
of soft cedar, and it seems to me that even maple
would give way under constant pressure, at
least to a sufficient degree to make this method
undesirable. Of course, the proof of the pudding
is in the eating, and I would be very glad to see
a piano that has been repaired in this way and
used, say two or three years, and if I should be.
mistaken in my opinion, would be only too glad
to acknowledge the fault. GEO. L. MAITLAND."
It will be observed that Mr. Maitland is not
sparing in his criticisms. He sees little good in
the Pressley hammer, but it must be recollected
that he admits never having tried it. The editor
of this department, on the other hand, speaks from
experience, and is quite ready to reaffirm his
former opinions as to the efficiency of the meth-
od. It does not seem that the objections made by
Mr. Maitland hold good, either specifically or in
the aggregate. It is, of course, necessary that
the sleeve of the Pressley hammer be fitted very
snugly over the shank, and it may be necessary
to draw a piece of bridle tape over the top of the
shank and then press the sleeve down on to it.
But we can see no reason why the screw should
not hold the sleeve tight if the shank be properly
fitted. Moreover, there is no question that the
gain in elasticity from the use of a metal sleeve
Is worth much to an old instrument.
Nor can we agree with Mr. Maitland that it is
better to remove the old butts in all cases, for
this method always involves just as much work
as is found necessary when the old shanks are
retained, and then bored out. The only gain is in
the substitution of new butts with unworn cen-
ter holes. This is not always essential, as we
have often found instruments where it was by no
means necessary to put in new butts, while on
the other hand the hammers were in such a state
that their removal was imperative. It seems to
us that it would be far better for Mr. Maitland
to give the Pressley hammer a fair trial, and then
he can tell us more completely what he thinks of
it. However, there can be plenty of room for
difference of opinion on the subject, and we shall
be very glad to hear from any other readers who
may have ideas along these lines.
We might mention that we have had one of
the hammer shank extractors made by the con-
cern mentioned in the letter of Mr. Maitland, and
we are able to say that the tool is very useful
and efficient. We have often had reason to be
glad that our kit contained this useful device.
"Equalizing the Strain."
The following from E. E. Murtaugh, of Mar-
quette, Mich., is also worthy of reproduction:
"Editor Technical Department: Dear Sir—I
have taken great interest in the articles pertain-
ing to piano construction and tuning that appear
from time to time in your columns. The letter
from Mr. Germann, relative to strain, etc., was
of considerable interest to me. As a tuner, I have
found a large number of pianos to act as you de-
scribed. When I find a piano excessively so (i. e.,
liable to fall off in the treble if the bass be tuned
last—Editor) I usually resort to the device of
equalizing the strain before setting the tempera-
ment. Otherwise the instrument will not remain
in tune. I often find it advantageous to strain
above pitch if practicable, and then let back. I
have often obtained good results by tightening
the bolts and lag-screws in the plate and wrest-
plank. Each instrument, however, seems to need
special remedies adjusted to its individual re-
quirements. Thanking you in advance for any
space you may give this, and hoping that the
good work will go on, I am respectfully, and at
your service,
"E. E. MURTAUGH."
strain of the hardest concert. Perhaps the great-
est contemporary fault lies in the direction-of
loading on too much metal, without enough
regard to a judicious selection of the
places where the strengthening may be
applied with the best effect. It has al-
ways seemed to us that designers ought
to pay the very greatest attention to the distribu-
tion of the mass of metal contained in the plate.
It is often possible to make a material reduction
in the total mass by cutting down unneces-
sary weight in one place and adding just the re-
quired amount in another. The ideal instrument
is one where the ability to stand in tune is even-
ly distributed throughout the entire compass, so
that no part of the piano has any advantage in
this respect. We think that we do not err, how-
ever, in saying that this ideal is, like all true
ideals, most difficult of reduction to the cold
formulae of practice. The mechanical details are
full of pitfalls. No matter how carefully the de-
sign is made, there are manifold chances of a slip
between the cup of attainment and the lip of de-
sire. For example, the work of plate casting is so
full of uncertainty that the probability of error
is now present. Again, it sometimes hap-
pens that the designer errs in calculat-
ing for the double shrinkage, and then the plate
maker, by following out the measurements and
patterns furnished to him, perpetuates the orig-
inal mistake. When the usual factor of aber-
ration is applied to the problem, and when it is
remembered that the smallest primary devia-
tions are always largely magnified in the final
product, there can be no difficulty in under-
standing that the task of the designer is by no
means light. Eternal vigilance is the price of
pianoforte perfection, as it is of liberty.
We trust that the scale draughtsmen (may
their tribe increase and their individual
and collective shadows never grow less) will
not be disposed to regard the foregoing or
any other similar remarks of our as ad-
verse criticism. On the contrary, we feel
that no one can have greater admiration
than ourselves for the skill and knowl-
edge displayed by the leaders in the art.
The above letter is rather vague as to its speci- We yield to no one in respect for the
fic statements, although the general purport is skill of the complete scale draughtsman, and this
clear. We are not quite certain, however, as to sentiment is deeply founded on the rock of such
just what our correspondent means in this in- knowledge that a close study of the subject, from
stance by the phrase, "equalizing the strain be- all standpoints, has furnished. We may there-
fore setting the temperament." We can only sup- fore feel justified in asking that the remarks set
pose that he means to recommend that the tuner down here be judged impartially, and not as
should roughly pull up the flatter parts of the mere ex parte pleadings in support of a pet
scale to the pitch of the others. As the bass idea. The ideal scale draughtsman is a perfect
usually stands up to pitch more tenacious- blending of musician, mechanic and mathemati-
ly, Mr. Murtaugh is evidently suggest- cian. The compound is not often found in the
ing that it is better to pull up the correct proportions, and when it is found we can-
treble to the general pitch of the bass, not be too careful how we handle it, lest it be at-
whenever the latter is found to be much higher. tacked by the acid of megalomania, and the re-
Undoubtedly this is good advice, and we quite sulting precipitate be found to have little of
agree that it is far better to take the slightly original excellence or utility.
longer time that this preliminary operation re-
After some particularly subtle flash of his wit,
quires, even if it is necessary to make an extra
charge for the work. Under any circumstances, the late Artemus Ward was accustomed to. re-
to let down the pitch of the bass strings is always mark, parenthetically: "N. B. This is sarcasm."
unsatisfactory, and always uncertain. It is We leave it to our readers to say whether such a
equally true, as alleged, that individual instru- label is needed for any of the foregoing.
ments need individually adjusted remedies. Al-
Communications for the department should be
together, Mr. Murtaugh's short note is a most
sensible contribution to the present discussion. addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
The Music Trade Review.
It ought not to be news to our readers to
remind them that the whole science and skill of
WILEY B. ALLEN CO. IN UTAH.
piano makers has for years been directed toward
(Special to The Review.)
the solution of the problems involved in the main-
Salt Lake City, Utah, April 29, 1905.
tenance of pianos in good tune under the stress
The Wiley B. Allen Co., of Portland, Ore., have
of use. The late A. J. Hipkins remarked in one
of his writings that he was well able to remem- filed a copy of their articles and acceptance of the
ber the time when it was necessary at a concert to Constitution of Utah. This is a $100,000 music
revise the tuning of even the best grands in the in- company, with one store in Portland and another
tervals of performance. It is difficult to realize the in San Francisco. Wiley B. Allen, Thomas B.
enormous strides that have been made since these Allen, Rudolph Wangeman and J. E. Whitney are
early days. Hipkins was speaking of the middle the directors.
of the last century, when Chopin was playing in
James H. Gorham, who has been in the piano
concert, and the genius of Liszt had just begun
to overshadow the achievements of his contempo- business for eleven years in New Bedford, Mass.,
raries. Yet, to-day, we should think little of the has retired for the purpose of devoting himself
ability of a concert tuner whose treatment of an to the wholesale interests of the W. W. Kimball
instrument should be unequal to more than the Co. in New England.