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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
H. C. BAY CO. ENLARGES FACTORY
DECISION PROTECTS MASTER ROLLS
Now Making Complete Instruments at Bluffton,
Ind.—Action Manufacturing Department Has
Been Reorganized and Greatly Expanded
Federal Trade Commission Ruling Establishes
Important Precedent in Music Roll Circles
CHICAGO, I I I . , January 22.—H. C. Bay, president
of the H. C. Bay Co., manufacturer of Solo-
Concerto players, in an interview with The Re-
view, recently announced that this concern has
perfected and enlarged its action manufacturing
department at Bluffton, Ind., and is now pro-
ducing complete players in its own factory.
This concern manufactures player-pianos exclu-
sively and the latest step was taken after con-
siderable deliberation during a period of time
which was spent in getting an efficient action
organization together. The H. C. Bay Co.
started the manufacture of its own actions
'about a half a year ago and was fortunate in
securing an action plant with a reputation be-
hind it. All of the machinery, patterns, etc.,
used in the manufacture of H. C. Bay actions
were purchased from the John Church Co. and
were formerly established in the Everett Piano
Co., of Boston. Since purchasing and installing
this equipment, the H. C. Bay Co. has added a
number of automatic machines which gives it
an up-to-date, modern action plant.
When purchasing the plant, this concern was
fortunate in securing the services of W. H.
Dowd, who was superintendent in the action
plant in the Everett factory and who was there
for a period of twenty-four years. Mr. Dowd
originally started, or originally installed, this
plant in the Everett factory. He has spent his
entire life in the action manufacturing business
and was, previous to his connection with the
Everett Co., connected with the Seavern Action
Co. for fourteen years. In starting the H. C.
Bay Co. in the action manufacturing business,
Mr. Dowd was fortunate in securing the services
of five foremen formerly connected with the
Everett Piano Co., these foremen having held
positions with said company from ten to twenty-
three years, all of which meant, Mr. Bay pointed
out, that his concern has not found it necessary
to go through experimental stages of action
manufacturing. All that was necessary was to
install the proper machinery and go ahead with
experienced help to man the departments, for
which reasons he believes H. C. Bay actions to
be particularly efficient.
"It is a well-known fact," said Mr. Bay, "that
a player-piano requires a better piano action
than a straight piano, inasmuch as the instru-
ment is put to much harder use, and it is just as
necessary to have a piano action that can be
guaranteed and relied upon as it is to have a
player action that will always give satisfaction
and stand the wear and tear of actual use. In
our factory nearly all of the parts and supplies
that can be made in a piano factory are to-day
being manufactured by us. The last thing ac-
complished and perfected was the manufacture
of tracker bars. A short time ago there was
' also installed a string winding department,
enabling the company to make all its own
bass strings."
Mr. Bay stated that this concern will have an
exhibit in New York, not only of player-pianos,
but also of piano actions and all parts, as well
as a player action and an exhibit of hardware
manufactured in the H. C. Bay Co. plant.
"SILENT MOTORA" AT MUSIC SHOW
Piano Motors Corp. of New Jersey Will Hold
First Public Exhibit During Music Week
The Piano Motors Corp. of Camden, N. J.,
will make the first public exhibit of the "Silent
Motora" to the trade at the National Music
Show. This new power plant, which weighs
about 14 pounds and the installation of which
in any player is an easy matter, is a develop-
ment in the trade that will doubtlessly attract
much attention at the show. G. W. Garman, sales
manager of the company, and several of his asso-
ciates from headquarters in Camden will be> on
hand to demonstrate its niany fine points,
A decision of unusual importance to music
roll manufacturers was that handed down by
the Federal Trade Commission recently in its
proceedings against a music roll concern for
the alleged use of rolls made by competing com-
panies as their own master rolls. The Commis-
sion found that "the production of master music
rolls . . . requires great mechanical skill and
ingenuity, involves the expenditure of much
money and labor, and forms the greater part
of the cost of perforated paper music rolls.
. . . The practice of thus appropriating the re-
sults of competitors' ingenuity, labor and ex-
pense., and avoiding the cost of producing mas-
ter rolls, is unquestionably an unfair method of
competition."
The Commission's attitude is distinctly clear
and offers little room for argument. Although
the practice complained of has only cropped up
JANUARY 31,
at rare intervals in the music roll trade, it is
well that such a precedent has been established
for the guidance of manufacturers when their
labor is thus put to unfair use by competitors.
This making of masters from the products of
competitors ut one time made itself evident in
the talking machine record trade, where is was
termed "dubbing." In that case the matter was
taken to the courts, where the "dubbers" lost
out decisively.
If a music roll manufacturer cannot have the
exclusive benefit of his investment of ingenuity
and money, in securing noted pianists and ar-
rangers to make his product just a little differ-
ent and a little better than his competitors, then
the inducement for showing progressiveness,
and this means trade development, has been
lost.
Theodore Hardee of San Francisco, formerly
connected with the Eilers Music Co., and widely
known in the trade, has been made director of
the war loan organization for the Twelfth Fed-
eral Reserve District.
Just paraphrasing what we said last
month so as to bring it up to date
A t the Beginning of
our Eleventh Year
of extremely successful manufacture of our
own player mechanism, in our own pianos,
and with more than 25 years of equally suc-
cessful piano making behind us, we are able
to announce to all our friends that during
the next twelve months the wonderful
M. Schulz Company
Player-Piano
will be produced to standards even higher,
even more reliable, and even more efficient.
Plans already in operation assure that this
shall not be an empty promise.
Merchants who desire to feature a player-piano unusual in its
reliability, salability, high repute and exclusive construction,
are invited to correspond with
M. SCHULZ COMPANY
Founded 1869
General Office*
Schulz Building
711 Milwaukee Ave.
CHICAGO
1920
Southern Wholesale Branch
1530CandlerBldg.
ATLANTA, GA.