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THE: MUSIC TRADE
Conducted and Edited by Win. B. White.
Those among my readers who have by this
time recovered from the Christmas turkey may
find some interest in the following letter sent
me by an anonymous correspondent. Although
I do not generally care to publish communica-
tions unless the name and address of the writer
are given as a guarantee of good faith, though
not necessarily for publication, yet the present
letter is of so general a nature that I feel no
harm can be done by an infraction of the rule.
Editor Technical Department.
Dear Sir:—I have enjoyed your article on
"Piano Tuning as Science and Art" very much,
and have gained a great deal of information
from it. I find it less difficult to set a good
temperament where you are familiar with both
tae practical and scientific part of it. I also
wish to say I enjoy all your writings and look
forward to them each week with pleasure. One
part of the piano I am interested in especially
is the "touch," and how seldom I read anything
about it. With the exception of tone, what is
more important than "touch"? As a favor I
would like to ask you to write an article on the
retting and resetting of the touch of upright
pianos—in fact, all connected with it, and as
thorough as the article on "tuning." I am sure
a number of outside tuners like myself will be
or ought to be very much interested in it.
"(1) Upright piano 20 years old—moths have
eaten, all the punchings and strips of felt
under keys to be renewed. Please tell the prac-
tical way to go about it.
"(2) High grade piano leaves factory properly
regulated in regard to touch, etc.; on account
of dampness and swelling, we find hammers danc-
ing on strings; in fact, no after-touch whatever.
What is the best way to fix in this case?
"(3) Same piano, but with enough touch in
bass and treble, but not enough in the middle.
If we raise the center rail we upset the level of
the keys, and when we relevel the ktys, after
raising center rail, we have more touch in the
bass and treble than we want. What is the best
remedy in this case?
"(4) On a large Stein way or Kranich & Bach,
with the double action, I am told that by mov-
ing the rail which holds the lower part of the
action, in or out, one will obtain more or less
touch.—Yours respectfully, Outside Tuner."
This interesting letter will be considered in
full and answered next week.
A correspondent from Marquette, Mich., sends
me the following, which, though it is not ex-
actly conceived in the Christmas spirit, never-
theless contains much meat for mental digestion.
Therefore, I print it here this week:
"Editor Technical Department:
"Dear Sir:—AS a subscriber I have enjoyed
reading your piano articles and am keeping
same. May I suggest a series of articles on a
RUDOLF
PIANOS
are conscientiously made, good
instruments; in other words, the
sweetest things out.
few of the leading player pianos? You say the
piano houses complain of a scarcity of good all
round piano tuners and repairers, which may be
no doubt true, but so much is demanded of tun-
ers nowadays, especially those who live in small
towns. Tuners are expected to be able to tune
and repair pianos and organs, sometimes polish
and touch up the cases with varnish to remove
scratches and bruises, repair case work that is
chipped or broken. In addition the wearied
tuner who perhaps may not be a natural me-
cnanic, is supposed to be able to repair and
adjust all the different new makes of automatic
organs, piano players and player pianos, perhaps
without having had any experience with them.
And for skilled work the music houses pay the
salary of from sixty to eighty dollars monthly.
Surely we tuners have a right to criticize some
of these all important houses in their dealings
with the dear public. For instance, when they
send out salesmen with a load of poor, cheap
pianos, advertising and selling same for high
grade instruments, running special fake, fire,
earthquake, and any other kind of sales. No
wonder some people send to the mail order
houses for pianos. And it may we'l be asked,
what do a good many managers and salesmen
really know about pianos, their construction and
tone qualities?
"I have found it a great help in raising the
pitch of a piano to turn all the tuning pins
slightly without striking the keys, then strike
all the keys several good blows, after which the
action can be regulated and cleaned and then
tune the piano. A tuner should endeavor to
find out from a customer if there is any special
trouble such as noises, sticky keys, etc., and
casually ask if they like a soft or loud tone, so
that he then gets an idea of how to proceed to
put the piano in good shape to satisfy his cus-
tomer. It is one of the secrets of success to have
satisfied customers.
"Will you please give us your method of tun-
ing electric pianos that have no keyboard? Hop-
ing you will long continue writing your piano
articles, respectfully, G. R. Watts."
I am glad to have from a tuner so frank a
letter, especially one which is at the same time
sincere, as this obviously is. It is perfectly true
that a great many good tuners are expected to
do all kinds of extra work, but I must say that
a tuner knows what to expect when he takes a
position in a wareroom. If he were practicing
independently he would be simply forced to ac-
commodate himself to all kinds of work, and
probably would do so without thought of com-
plaint. The gravamen of my correspondent's
argument, however, lies in the charge of low
compensation for the salaried tuner. There is
certainly some truth in this, but the remedy lies
in the hands of tuners themselves. I have so
often pointed out the possibilities of improvement
along these lines and have so frequently shown
where the remedy may be applied that it seems
superfluous to pursue the subject further this
week. I will make a point of taking up the
other matters in this letter at the earliest op-
portunity.
Communications for the department should be
addressed to the Editor Technical Department,
The Music Trade Review.
11
SomcTradc'Straws
Here are some excerpts taken at random
from the many letters which we have re-
ceived from dealers, toners and salesmen
who enthusiastically endorse "Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building."
Here is what the Phillips & Crew Co.,
Savannah, Ga., one of the leading firms in the
South, say regarding "Theory and Practice of
Pianoforte Building":
"We beg to hand you herewith our check
for $2 to cover cost of one copy of "Theory
and Practice of Pianoforte Building," which
has been received with thanks. The book is all
that you claim it to be and should find a ready
place with all those connected with the trade.
With our very best wishes, we beg to remain,"
etc.
George Roie, of the great English house
of Broadwood & Sons, and one of the lead-
ing piano makers of Europe, writes:
"I have perused the book with much pleas-
ure, and 'Theory and Practice of Pianoforte
Building' should be in the hands of every prac-
tical and interested man in the trade."
H. A. Brueggemann, a dealer in Fort
Wayne, Ind., writes: "I have one of your
books, 'Theory and Practice of Pianoforte
Building,' and will say that it is just the kind
of a book I have been looking for for many
years. I have been tuning pianos for fourteen
>ears, and from studying the book, 'Theory ana
Practice of Pianoforte Building,' I have
learned something that I never knew before."
John G. Erck, for many years manager ot
the Mathushek & Son retail piano business,
and now manager of the piano department ol
a big store in Cleveland, writes: "You cer-
tainly deserve strong commendation, for your
latest effort. 'Theory and Practice of Piano-
forte Building' is a book written in such an
instructive and concise form that certainly no
piano player or piano professional enthusiast
should lack it in his or her library. It gives
to the salesman the highest knowledge of in-
struments and is invaluable."
Henry Keeler, of Graf ton, W. Va., says: "I
most heartily congratulate you for launching
such a worthy book. I consider it the best
work ever written upon the subject, and 1
hope that its ready sale will cause the reprint
of many editions."
George A. Witney, head of the Brockport
Piano Mfg. Co., himself being a scale draughts-
man of national repute, writes: "'Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building' is a valuable
book for those interested in piano construc-
tion."
Every man, whether manufacturer,
scale draughtsman, superintendent,
dealer, or salesman, should own
a copy of the first work of its kind
in the English language.
The price for single copies delivered to
any part of the United States, Canada
and Mexico is $z. All other countries,
on account of increased postage, $a.zo.
JOHN BRINSMEAD HALE AND HEARTY.
RUDOLF PIANO CO.
458 E. 144th Street,
NEW YORK.
John Brinsmead, the founder of the prominent
firm of John Brinsmead & Sons, the English
piano manufacturers, is hale and hearty at
ninety-five years of age. As was announced in
The Review, his son Edgar died recently at the
age of fifty-nine, while John Brinsmead has also
outlived several other of his children, all of
whom won distinction in their chosen fields.
Ii the book is not desired after examination, money
will be refunded.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
1 MADISON AVE., NEW YORK CITY