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12
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TRADE TECHNICIANS DISCUSS CHARACTERISTICS OF WOOD—(Continued from page 11)
lihood of our utilizing in the years to come
many of these valuable wood6, particularly for
requirements where woods of uniform density
and structure are essential.
Wood From South America
"Hard maple, for instance, is a wood that
grows in very limited areas in the United States,
and our available supply of this timber is rap-
idly diminishing. I firmly believe that many
of these unknown hardwoods of the tropics
will in time to come be found to be fully as
useful for a great many purposes as even the
mahogany and Spanish cedar of the tropics,
which have long filled many practical needs
and requirements. Just what one or more of
these woods may possibly take the place of
the hard maple I am now unable to say, but
when the time comes that you are compelled
to seek a substitute for maple, I think you
will find it in the tropics of Mexico and in
various localities in Central America.
"For various of your other requirements for
white ash, oak, elm, etc., it is not likely that
for a matter of *.wenty or thirty yCars other
woods will be required to replace them. How-
ever, the great forests of Venezuela and Brazil
offer splendid inducements for investigation of
the great primeval and untouched forests of
those countries, so that I feel warranted in
saying you have little or no occasion to be con-
cerned about a source of supply in the event
that our own American woods finally disappear.
"There is much diversity of opinion as to the
limitations of wood and its general utility,
but wood experts and those more widely con-
cerned in the manufacture and manipulation
of wood and lumber are inclined to view more
complacently the conditions that confront us,
namely, the rapid depletion of our forest re-
sources, and the prospective opportunities for
replacing the known woods of commerce from
other sources of supply. As I have already
stated, the unknown woods of the tropics of
South American countries have not found their
way to market, except in very limited quan-
tities, by reason of the fact that there has
been little occasion for the pioneering work
that is necessary to introduce them.
"The grandeur of the stately white pine, which
has been so successfully used in piano construc-
tion in years past is not excelled anywhere in
the great forest areas of the world, either in
its primitive beauty or its superb action in
every use to which it has been adapted for
commercial purposes. The only specimens of
the order of Coniferae that approach it as a
utility when a soft wood of uniformly even
growth and softer texture are required are the
sugar pine of California (pinus lambertiana)
and a species of pine which I personally in-
vestigated in 1911 in the state of Michivacan
in Mexico. It is my opinion that some of the
requirements that previously have demanded
the good old cork white pine of Maine, Penn-
sylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Idaho may
be filled satisfactorily, but I am doubtful about
either of these woods ever fulfilling some of
the extremely particular needs that white pine
has served. Among the latter I choose to in-
clude the requirements for piano key stock.
Awarded first prire in many world compe-
titions during the past sixty years, the
Scbomacker Piano is now daily receiving first
prizes of preference won by its superb tone,
wonderful breadth of expression and structural
beauty.
SCHOMACKER PIANO CO.
23d and Chestnut Stc,
Philadelphia, Pa.
"In the selection of a musical instrument of be just as good as the longer timber. It is
first importance is the tone and quality, to difficult to get any tree to grow in a section
which wood has been a modest, if indeed not where it is not at home. The government has
an extensive contributor. Secondary only, and tried to grow willow to replace basswood.
very closely associated with this first essen- There is quite a bit of willow sold as bass-
tial we find wood in some shape or form adding wood. We are succeeding very well in grow-
beauty and charm, and a conspicuous factor ing willow in the dry areas. Certain parts of
in supplying an exterior finish of exquisite luxu- the willow are doing very nicely as substi-
riousness to an instrument that is a delight to tutes for basswood. It does not seem to pos-
sess some of the objectionable characteristics
the eye as well as to the ear.
"You have succeeded so splendidly in your of basswood."
Mr. Lufkin: "Isn't willow rather brittle?"
skillful efforts to blend harmony and pathos
with the fundamental needs for beauty of design
Dr. Laufer: "Only certain varieties. Yellow
that your work has been an inspiration and shall willow is rather tough."
ever occupy its rightful place, not only in the
Mr. Johanson: "What is magnolia?"
world's commerce, but as a factor of potential
Dr. Laufer: "Midway between a hardwood
influence in our social life."
and a soft wood. It is similar to the eucalyptus
Following the address woods were discussed species."
exhaustively. Most of those present partici-
H. H. Arnold: "Wouldn't the eucalyptus, be-
pated. Mr. Barth opened the discussion.
ing a very fine, close-grained wood and very
L. L. Barth: "In the construction of the back rigid under certain treatment, take the place of
of a piano, Mr. Johanson speaks of spruce. If maple?"
that requires hardwood, spruce is hardly classed
Dr. Laufer: "If you could dry and prepare
in with hardwood. Mr. Dewey spoke of maple. it properly it undoubtedly would. We have
The time is coming when you must obtain a not found a real method to do that. California
substitute for maple. Rock elm would be next, produces eucalyptus of twenty-four inches to
beech next, etc. You could hardly classify thirty inches diameter. I believe that in the
spruce with maple. Spruce gives lightness and proper climate thirty inches can be grown in
rigidity."
fifty years."
Mr Dewey: "The natural place to go for
E. B. Bartlett: "It would be interesting if
you could make suggestions for substitutions- substitute woods is the South. Mesquite is an
even if it is not necessary. If there is some- extremely hard wood and would, perhaps, with
thing else of similar classification, we would proper preparation, act well to replace maple
in certain places."
be glad to hear it."
Mr. Barth: "Could yellow pine be used for
Mr. Barth: "If white pine is more valuable
and gives you the lumber you want, the amount piano backs?"
The Peculiarities of Yellow Pine
required is not such as to make a great difference
Dr. Laufer: "A piano undergoes great changes
in price."
E. B. Bartlett: "Spruce is mostly used in of temperature and yellow pine, due to its habit
of growth, developes great internal stress, and
sounding board construction."
H. S. Dewey: "The area over which bass- because of this, shell-like fractures occur which
wood grows is very limited. In a 100,000-acre may cause the frame to splinter and ruin the
stand you may find no basswood. If you start tonal effect."
Dr. Dewey: "How would fir do?"
with basswood, then you will find you can't
Dr. Laufer: "Quarter sawed fir would be a
get enough of it because you have to be so
Cypress is another wood
particular. The cost is increasing all the time great deal better.
and you are going to get right up to the other which by quarter sawing might prove useful."
Mr. Bartlett: "Fir seems to have the neces-
cost."
sary stiffness, but it chips off easily. It will
Pine and Its Uses
Mr. Bartlett: "I think I am right in saying check."
Mr. Johanson: "Would you consider fir stiffer
that more sugar pine is sold in this market
for keys than cork pine. Several years ago be- and stronger than spruce?"
Mr. Barth: "Yes. It has greater tensile
fore we abandoned the use of cork pine we
arranged with a company to cut all their good strength."
Mr. Johanson: "Have any of you any sugges-
logs for the season. I think their season's cut
was about fifty or sixty million feet. Out of tions for building backs? I believe some manu-
that season's cut they laid out about one quar- facturers are using birch."
Mr. Dewey: "We know of nothing better."
ter of a million feet. One of our men looked
C. C. Chickering: "We have used spruce alto-
it over before it was shipped and he could not
pick more than about 90,000 feet. That was the gether."
Mr. Johanson: "What do you say about spruce
last serious effort we made to get this lumber."
Mr. Dewey: "In pine you have a wood that for posts?
C. C. Chickering: "It is the best there is for
is really in a class by itself. I think, however,
our greatest concern is about maple. We are tone producing. We use the Eastern spruce. I
getting right up against a real shortage of don't think the back question is serious. All
we need is something that will hold together—
maple."
Mr. Johanson: "The wood to take the place something that is true."
Mr. Dewey: "I should think birch would an-
of maple would most likely be beech. Birch
may not be as adaptable as maple. Even in rock swer for backs. Furthermore, it is a beautiful
maple you will find planks that have not the re- wood. In interior finishing it stands just as
sistance or hardness required in building ac- well as mahogany."
Mr. Johanson: "Going from backs into wrest
tions."
Dr. Laufer: "In wrest planks, I believe that planks, I don't believe any of the manufacturers
the solution will be found by using maple and ar«? using anything else than rock maple for pin
or wrest planks."
birch lamination."
Mr. Johanson: "It would be a very hard
thing to laminate different parts of an action."
Dr. Laufer: "In the action itself, as the pieces
are comparatively small, it would not require
trees of such large diameter as are being used
today."
Mr. Bartlett: "Would the wood from the
small trees be as dense and hard as in the
older ones?"
A Leader tvifh Talking Points that
The Effect of Climate
Convince
Dr. Laufer: "There is no reason why it
OTTO WISSNER, Inc.
wouldn't be if grown in a proper climate. If
55 and 57 Flatbuah Are.
BROOKLYN
it was grown in a climate that was cold and
moderately moist, the smaller timber would