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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
FEATURING BANJO BRIDGE
REPAIRING VIOLINS
C. Bruno & Son., Inc., Sending Circular to Trade
Relative to Grover Non Tip Bridge
Many Valuable Instruments Have Been Ruined
by Careless or Incompetent Repairers Who
Do Not Thoroughly Understand Their Work
t C. Bruno & Son., Inc., New York, well-known
musical merchandise wholesalers, have just sent
out a circular to their dealers featuring two
banjo specialties known as the Grover Vibrator
and the Grover Non Tip Banjo Bridge. Both
of these specialties are meeting with consider-
able success and the company's dealers have
ordered them in large quantities.
As mentioned in this circular, the Grover
Non Tip Banjo Bridge has a number of dis-
tinctive points which are summed up as fol-
lows:
"The bridge cannot tip under any conditions.
There is no necessity for taking the bridge
'down when the banjo is put aside, or in its case.
It cannot get out of position or slip on the
head, when playing or tuning the banjo. It
weighs 1/SOth of an ounce. Its lightness and
great strength greatly increase the volume of
tone. With its use the action of any banjo
is made much easier. Much stress is laid upon
the fact that every bridge is correctly slotted,
and great care is taken with the fitting and each
detail necessary to make the bridge absolutely
perfect and without fault."
A violin of value should never be put into the
hands of the numerous "fiddle cranks" or tinkers
for repairs, and to avoid them requires consid-
erable sagacity, for the breed is very prolific and
exists in overwhelming numbers all through the
land. They all claim to have some particular
way of improving the tone of a violin, a secret
unknown to any one else, a new discovery that
when applied by them will improve any violin,
old or new. They claim to have some new system
of graduations, or other plans, that require the
thickness of the top or back, or both, should be
altered. A new bass bar of different shape and
set in a different place is usualry required by
them, wood must be removed and other altera-
tions made before these gentry are satisfied.
They claim that all violins have been constructed
from incorrect principles. All are wrong in out-
line, the swells are not properly projected, too
large, too small, too deep, too shallow, fit for
nothing except to show the ignorance of all
violin makers, ancient and modern, that have
preceded them. They alone have made scien-
tific investigations and correct conclusions. They
will discourse in the most profound and learned
manner upon theories of construction, laws of
HAWAIIAN GUITARS AND UKULELES acoustics,
rules, measurements, varnish and their
Bergstrom Music Co. Issues Booklet Descriptive superior perception and acuteness whereby they
have been enabled to accomplish most wonder-
of These Instruments
ful and desirable results, by methods " and
The Bergstrom Music Co., Ltd., of Honolulu, processes utterly "beyond the comprehension of
Hawaii, has recently issued a little folder de- any other workmen."
scriptive of Hawaiian music and Hawaiian musi-
There is no surer way of getting a good violin
cal instruments, which contains several illustra-
spoiled,
beyond all hope of restoration, than by
tions of their ukuleles and Hawaiian steel
placing it in their hands. To alter in any way
guitars. These instruments are all constructed the interior construction of a good violin, or
of Koa wood, and are made by hand by native even to open one, and glue together again in the
workers. The Bergstrom Music Co. is the old- usual bungling manner, will destroy the regular
est exclusive music house in the Hawaiian synchronal vibrations so indispensable to a good
Islands, and was a pioneer in popularizing tone. When a violin needs repairs it should only
the musical instruments peculiar to the islands. be entrusted to a maker of first class ability and
The folder also contains information concerning reputation, who will restore it to its original
the geography and history of Hawaii in addition condition. Many of the finest works of the
to a glossary of Hawaiian words commonly used. ancient violin makers are almost worthless for
The Bergstrom Co. also publishes a large num- tone, through having fallen into the hands of
ber of Hawaiian songs, many of which are con- these ignorant and incompetent repairers.
trolled exclusively by the concern.
It may be surmised that the reason why some
Consult the universal Want Directory of violin makers condemn the work of others is to
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted secure more business for themselves, but a still
free of charge for men who desire positions. more important reason exists. It injures the
reputation of a good maker to have violins about
the country branded with his name that have
been spoiled by botchers, cranks, tinkers, or
amateur violin makers. People will say, "there
is a violin by such a maker, the tone is good for
nothing, he must be very inefficient as a violin
DURRO
AND
STEWART
T H E OLDEST AND
LARGEST MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE HOUSE
INAMERICA
Exclusively Wholesale
351-53FOURTHAYEJEWYORKCITY
Victor Distributors
maker." Therefore it may be said a maker of
good violins is excusable for denouncing these
men, being obliged to do so for the protection
of his name, and not altogether for the purpose
of securing unworthy advantages over com-
petitors.
REDUCING COST^OF DRUM HEADS
Patent Granted on Method for Producing Drum
Heads at Small Cost
WASHINGTON, D. C, April 16.—Atherton D. Con-
verse, Winchenden, Mass., was last week granted
Patent No. 1,221,141 for a method of making
heads for drums and other musical instruments,
the object being the production of a toy drum
which may be manufactured at reduced cost
and which will have greater rigidity than the
drums now in general use.
The invention consists in providing each head
with a cup-shaped portion adapted to fit over
the barrel of a drum and securing to the cylin-
drical flange formed thereon an outwardly ex-
tending tuck hoop such as a cord, against which
the stay hoop fitted over said peripheral flange
is adapted to be positioned.
Musical Instrument
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113 University Place
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BOSTON, MASS.
Chicago
Manufacturers
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