Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
VOL. LXX. No. 15
REVIEW
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York.
April 10, 1920
The Value of Standardization
T
H E three principal recommendations offered by the committee charged with the duty of aiding in the
rejuvenation of the Musical Supply Association are all pertinent and important and indicate that the
members of the committee have a thorough knowledge of existing trade conditions and are fully cogni-
zant of the questions that must be solved if those conditions are to be improved. The three recommenda-
tions— ( i ) that American-made supplies be used in American-made pianos—(2) that there be a standardization
of supply parts—(3) that proper credit conditions be maintained—are sufficiently important alone to warrant
the maintenance of a live association to carry them out, even if there were no other questions that might be set-
tled through the medium of some central body.
Ever since the war, when the situation developed to a point where a shortage of supplies was apparent,
there has been a steady demand for standardization in the piano trade, the demand coming largely from manu-
facturers who maintained, and properly, that costs could be cut and production increased by reducing the num-
ber of different styles to a minimum and concentrating on one, two or three models. But standardization is
brought about not by conversation, but by action, and to secure the proper results it is absolutely necessary that
the manufacturers and supply men work together with a common purpose.
It is true that the piano scale cannot be easily standardized, for that is what gives to the average piano its
greatest claim to individuality, and implies that there must be a difference in plates and other supplies of like
nature. But there are hundreds of other details that are practically the same in one piano as in the other; the
size of backs and keys, sizes of most of the hardware, the shape of the hammers, etc. There are any number
of piano makers who are very much perturbed if the hammer felt is a half ounce heavier or lighter than the
weight specified, yet it is declared that very little; if any, adjustment is required in a piano to make possible the
use of felts of the general standard weight. The question of standardization applies particularly to player-
pianos, and there is no doubt that the serious consideration of the subject by both manufacturers and supply
men should bring definite results. The piano manufacturer has as much or more to gain by a general stand-
ardization of parts as has the supply man. Standardization means increased output and lower production costs,
and it is the piano manufacturer who will benefit in a large measure by any saving thus effected.
So far as the use of American-made supplies in American-made pianos goes, the advisability of following
that course should not be questioned by anyone w r ho really has the welfare of the industry at heart. A few
years ago, perhaps, the problem would have been a serious one. To-day we have several tuning pin factories
with a constantly growing output, and the piano manufacturer knows very well what the development of that
business has meant. We likewise have a number of factories devoted to the production of piano felts exclu-
sively—some of them producing felt according to methods formerly employed in European plants, while Ameri-
can piano strings have long been recognized as being equal, if not superior, to any in the world.
The wisdom of maintaining credits on a sound basis is so evident that it requires no discussion. When
poor or careless credit conditions prevail there are bound to be losses and somebody must pay for those losses.
It is natural to assume, therefore, that a concern that pays it bills promptly is not only paying its just obliga-
tions, but is likewise contributing a substantial surplus amount to cover losses incurred through failure of com-
peting manufacturers to settle with the supply man. Sound credits mean few losses and therefore tend in a
large measure to keep prices on a fair level.
The recommendations made by the committee are pertinent to every branch of the supply trade, and do not
affect one or another division to the exclusion of the others. The recommendations are likewise pertinent to
piano manufacturers, for their interests lie in the same direction. The revival and stimulation of the Musical
Supply Association should be accorded unselfish support by all factors of the industry.