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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
69
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PIANO^ TUNER TO THE TRADE
One of the Strong Links in the Industry, Declares A. E. Smith, President of the American Guild
of Piano Tuners, in Address Before Ohio Piano Men
The real importance of the piano tuner to the us in the future and that they inform us wisely
trade at large, the manner in which the Ameri- as to their future plans. We, to-day, see com-
can Guild of Piano Tuners tends to improve the mercialism creeping in and the old masters'
work and standing of the tuner and what the ideas going out—but the customer is not told of
aims and objects of the Guild really are, was that, but pays the bill for the original article.
set forth admirably by A. E. Smith, president of But the tuner, he knows all. Why is this juggled
the Guild, at the convention of the Ohio Piano as a secret when it is only to deceive the custo-
Merchants' Association in Cleveland. He said: mer and left to the tuner to adjust? If not
"If you will allow me to go back to the days adjusted satisfactorily, there is trouble.
We cannot serve two masters and do our
of our old masters who first thought of a kind
of a piano, then developed that thought by the work well. The customers should come first,
use of wood, iron and felt to produce a tone. for as I have stated above, they pay all bills and
By diligent study and much patience they should receive fair treatment.
"Now the manufacturer, dealer and salesmen
secured enough notes to compose a few octaves,
and then the tuner had to be considered, the go out of business or receive their money for
ear had to be trained and as through evolution the instruments and services and then the tuner's
the piano became more perfect, the tuner also work and responsibilities begin when he takes
became more perfect through his trained ear. charge of pianos as he is sought after by the
"To detect effects and defects caused by de- customer to reinstate that tonal picture concep-
fective materials and improper workmanship, tion of thought retouched and brought back to
we owe all to-day to the old masters' tonal pic- life in an effort to again restore confidence.
"Fellow piano men, is not the tuner making
tures, which were their thoughts developed by
good your guarantees every day? Are you co-
wood, steel and felt.
"These thoughts have reached the ears of the operating with him in his work and the work
whole word. It is the duty of the tuner to main- of 'Guildism,' which has been developed for the
tain the quality of tone by retouching the old past eight years throughout the United States
tonal pictures once produced by our old masters by the best class of tuners?
"Financially we amount to nothing, but to
in all branches; bringing them back in the
instrument and restoring confidence to the cus- those who know us and our work, we stand for
rating unlimited as to our assets. All we ask
tomer in that which they bought years ago.
"This, my friends, is the tuner's duty, and the is co-operation—be fair—let us walk hand in
task is not an easy one without your co-opera- hand and bring back the piano to its own, where
tion. It is an easy matter for you to tell the it belongs—the only comfort of a home and not
tuner to call on Mrs. A. or Mrs. B. and fix a the mechanical things such as talking machines
piano. Remember, we must carry at all times and automobiles, which we have allowed to pass
in our minds the idea of the manufacturer, his us at our expense, because we have not been
conception of tone, a« placed in his instrument. keen to observe the public must have something
The customer bought that tonal idea—our duty insuring more pleasure and enjoyment.
"We tuners hear this constantly from cus-
is to bring the customer and manufacturer to-
tomers: 'I wanted a piano but the lack of re-
gether.
"In other words, as we say, we must put the spect of piano men towards one another, which
quality in the piano by method of tuning, was displayed, discouraged me from buying a
voicing and regulating, so that the tuner neces- musical instrument.'
"Gentlemen, these things must be eliminated.
sarily must play in turn the part of the per-
former, manufacturer, dealer and customer. It It is up to the piano men to reform these condi-
is our duty to stand by the customers because tions and to get in closer harmony with one an-
they pay us our salary, also yours, as well as other and with their customers. The American
Guild of Piano Tuners is trying every way pos-
pay your dividends.
"How many piano men to-day realize what sible to restore that confidence—that confidence
'The American Guild of Piano Tuners' is trying which should exist between every piano man and
to do by studying all the problems in order to his customers.
" 'Efficiency' is our motto—use it—it is yours
stand abreast and never to shrink from that
only for the asking, and the Guild, backed by
which is the duty and obligation to all?
"The Guild is now in its eighth year and is some of the best manufacturers and dealers in
working hard to bring about a hearty co-opera^ the country, is here to stay."
tion among manufacturer, dealer, tuner and cus-
tomer. These are our aims and we will carry 0 . F. ABENDSCHEIN OFF TO BERMUDA
them out to the best of our ability and solicit
Will Join Mrs. Abendschein and Daughter There
your hearty co-operation along these lines.
—Pleased With Success of Mastertouch
"We are not a union or labor organization, nor
do we dictate prices—'Efficiency' is our motto.
George F. Abendschein, of the Staib-Abend-
To obtain the highest standard in the art of
schein
Co., 134th street and Brook avenue, New
piano tuning, voicing, action and player regula-
tion, we have come to realize that the tuner York, left on Wednesday of this week for a
stands between the manufacturer, dealer and ten-day trip to Bermuda, where he will join Mrs.
customer. Our duty to both requires a great Abendschein and his daughter, who have been
deal of study, and more careful thought each staying on the island for some time. Before
year, as there is more expected of us by adding leaving Mr. Abendschein stated to a represen-
the player work with all its complications, as yet tative of The Review that he feels very well
satisfied with the progress that the Mastertouch
not thoroughly developed.
action is making. "At the present time," he
"All we ask is co-operation with our fellow
said, "over 50 per cent, of our output is Master-
piano men in this great work, that they assist
touch actions. Manufacturers who have used
them for the past six months are manifesting
much satisfaction with them, while many who
were skeptical at first have after testing them
adopted them for their pianos. We feel that we
CINCINNATI, O.
are now on the right track and that eventually
the Mastertouch will become the most popular
Importers and Manufacturers of Figured
action on the market.
Mahogany and Foreign Woods for high-
grade piano cases and cabinets.
The Ohio Veneer Co.
^^^^^^ m Nmw
York Office and Sample Room
Grand Central Palace Bldg.
Lexington Ave. and 46th St.
G. H. VAUGHAN. Eutern Representative
The stand of timber on the two great National
forests in Alaska is estimated by the Forest
Service as over seventy billion board feet,
while the annual growth will, it is said, produce
of pulp-wood alone enough for the manufacture
of three thousand tons of wood pulp a day.
HEED OUR
^ADVICE!
And when you're satisfied
that we've the best punch-
ings on the market, cut
clean and accurately from
the best of material in cellu-
loid, cloth, felt, fibre,
leather, paper, rubber or
whatever you want, give
us credit and send your
orders to
CEG0EPEL*C0
137
E A S T I3 T -* ST.
NEW
YORK
WICKHAM CO.'S NEWEST BULLETIN
Piano Plate Manufacturers in Latest "Sugges-
tion Exchange Bulletin" Offer Much Material
Well Worth Thinking About—Ask for Sug-
gestions Tending Toward Co-operation
There has just been issued the fourth num-
ber of the Wickham Suggestion Exchange Bul-
letin, published monthly by the Wickham Piano
Plate Co., of Springfield, O., and which, as
usual, includes a large amount of unusually in-
teresting text matter supplied by various de-
partment heads of the different piano plants.
The latest bulletin, in letter form, offers ma-
terial for thought under the heading of "There
Is Pleasure in Success," "Achievement Is Co-
operative," "All Achievement Embraces Art,"
"Progress Perfects Itself," and finally an appeal
to all those who receive the bulletin to submit
suggestions, that will tend toward co-operation
between the factors in the piano trade.
For the convenience of those who desire to
offer suggestions for publication in the bul-
letin a post card is enclosed. The bulletin is
most attractively gotten up, and draws atten-
tion to the Wickham piano plate only indi-
rectly, which should make it the more effective.
BUILDING LARGE NEW FACTORY
- Foxn IRI LAC, WIS., September 25.—The Organ
Mowing Engineering Co., which has felt the
need for larger quarters for several months,
due to the extension of its business to all sec-
tions of the United States, is building a new
factory, affording 25,000 square feet of floor
space.
CARVING QUALITIES OF WOOD
Oak is the most suitable wood for carving, on
account of its durability and toughness, with-
out being too hard. Chestnut, American wal-
nut, mahogany and teak are also desirable, while
for fine work Italian walnut, lime, sycamore,
apple, pear or plum are generally chosen.
Richardson Piano Case Co.
Manufacturers of
Upright— I V
Established
LEOMINSTER
::
1891
::
MASS.