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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
12
OUR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
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out as nearly right as the unaided ear can judge.
But if the tuning forks used for the testing
are not in perfect correspondence the test is
valueless. Most tuning forks in general use are
slightly incorrect. Again, many pianos are just
sufficiently inaccurate in scale and workmanship
to make really close tuning simply impossible. I
have experienced some pianos which are per-
fectly amazing in these respects, pianos in which,
when the thirds were tuned properly, the fourths
and fifths were hopeless, and when fourths and
fifths were right the thirds shrieked to high heaven.
Pianos of this sort, of course, are impossible.
But with good pianos, when the other conditions
are right, it can and should be done. Let the
brother, however, be of good cheer. It is very
likely in most cases that his tuning forks are as
much to blame as he ever was.
FOR MR. WAUGH
I am informed that Clifford Waugh, of Albany,
N. Y., is a fine clarinetist and a fine tuner. Surely
his opinions on the subject of the proper method
of tuning pianos for use with wind instruments
would be of prime importance. If Mr. Waugh
sees these lines will he take the hint, please? Or
will some one in Albany who does read this page
pass this on to him?
ON CLEANING OLD HAMMERS
"Dear Brother White: In a recent article I
notice a question by Brother Stein regarding the
sandpapering of old hammers, and your reply to
him. Your idea is excellent, but, if you will allow
me, I will give you a method which any tuner
will find to his advantage to use.
"First, brush the hammers with a very stiff
brush, such as a nail-scrub. Then take a
piece of white crayon chalk, such as is used in
schools and chalk the hammers thoroughly.
Then, and not before, use your sandpaper file
and you will find that your hammers come out
almost like new.
"After this brush the sides, and when you have
done all these things put a little oil on the wooden
hammer-heads, which will make the hammers
look all the whiter, as the oil cleans and darkens
the wood. Of course, if the action is in the shop
it is much better to use shellac than oil. I hope
Brother Stein will try this method and find it
useful. Very truly yours, J. C. Boise, Eureka,
Cal."
Another Suggestion
"In whitening soiled hammers we blow the
dust off from soiled hammers with compressed
air at a pressure of 100 pounds to the inch or
higher. Then we file the hammers and they
look like new. It saves a lot of time over the
method spoken of by Brother Diehl."
BARNES MUSIC SHOP IN TROUBLE
Under the caption of "Left in the Stilly Night,"
the Times Republican of Bedford, la., dated July
13, printed the following interesting financial item
regarding a local music house:
"The Barnes Music Shop, located in the old
post office building, is closed up and large legal-
looking papers, headed 'Attachments,' are pasted
thereon by the sheriff. The cause of the diffi-
culty appears to be a real shortage of finance, for
the erstwhile proprietor picked up his scanty be-
longings and in the stilly hours of the night loaded
them in a car and left, so far as is known at pres-
ent, for parts unknown."
1922
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT IMPORTS AND EXPORTS DECREASE
Figures for Month of May Show That Business in Musical Instruments With Foreign Countries
Was Not as Great as for Same Month Last Year—Last Eleven Months Also Show Loss
WASHINGTON, D. C, July 17.—The summary of
exports and imports of the commerce of the
United States for the month of May, 1922, the
latest period for which it has been compiled,
has just been issued as follows:
The dutiable imports of musical instruments
and parts, including strings, during May, 1922,
amounted to $229,514, as compared with $239,163,
which were imported during the same month of
1921. The eleven months' total ending May,
1922, showed importations valued at $1,989,263,
against $3,007,301 worth of musical instruments
imported during the same period of 1921. This
gives a decrease in imports for the eleven
months of $1,018,038.
The total domestic exports of musical instru-
ments for May, 1922, amounted to $716,293,
as compared with $634,156 for the same period
of the previous year. The eleven months' ex-
portations of musical instruments amounted to
$6,760,262 in 1922, as against $14,581,264 in 1921.
This shows a decrease for the eleven months of
$7,821,002.
Of the aggregate exportations in May there
were 88 organs, valued at $7,203, as compared
with 60 organs, valued at $7,588, in 1921. The
eleven months' total showed that we exported
1,048 organs, valued at $109,055, in April, 1922,
and 2,161 organs, valued at $273,056, for the same
period of 1921.
In May, 1922, we exported 718 pianos, valued
at $266,178, as compared with 598 pianos, valued
at $210,569, for the same period of the previous
year. The eleven months' total shows 7,808
pianos, valued at $2,347,870, as compared with
17,738 pianos, valued at $6,495,540, for the same
period of 1921.
The exports of player-pianos show that 486 of
these instruments, valued at $160,935, were ex-
ported during May, 1922, as compared with 288,
valued at $112,223, exported in 1921. The
eleven months' total shows that 3,649 player-
THE
pianos, valued at $1,288,266, were exported dur-
ing 1922, as compared with 6,658, valued at $2,-
869,283, for the same period of 1921.
The exports of perforated music rolls for the
month of May, 1922, amounted in value to
$18,939, as compared with $7,588 in 1921. The
eleven months' total amounted in value to $191,-
747, as compared with $273,056 in exports for the
same period in 1921.
Player-piano actions and parts thereof shipped
abroad during May, 1922, were valued at $26,843.
The exports of piano actions proper and parts
thereof were valued at $3,966.
Band instruments to the value of $14,847 were
shipped abroad during May, 1922, while string
instruments for the same period amounted in
value to $8,496.
The value of all other musical instruments
and parts thereof exported during May, 1922,
amounted to $117,710, as compared with $176,-
924. The total exports for the eleven months
under this heading foot up to $1,118,599, as
against $1,715,111 in 1921.
The countries to which exports of musical in-
struments were made, and the values thereof,
are as follows: Spain, $19,051; United Kingdom,
$3,720; Canada, $25,467; Mexico, $39,880; Cuba,
$4,447; Argentina, $12,291; Brazil, $1,529; other
South American countries, $22,062; Japan, $4,-
326; Philippine Islands, $1,574; Australia, $106,-
509; other countries, $25,322. •
WILL OPEN MUSIC ESTABLISHMENT
TRINIDAD, COL., July 17.—The music department
of the Urkhard S. & I. Co., of this city, has
been purchased by Mr. and Mrs. F. K. Andrews.
A complete line of musical instruments and sta-
tionery will be handled in the department.
Mistakes
progress.
are
milestones
on
the
road
CELEBRATED
F&G
(FELTEN & GUILLEAUME)
IMPORTED
MUSIC WIRE
HOT WEATHER PHILOSOPHY
The weather being decidedly sultry I herewith
stop, not, however, before reminding readers
that lots of nice letters like those discussed this
week help the poor editor very much, when the
mercury is trying to climb out of the top of the
tube. Address, if you please, all matters to
William Braid White, care Music Trade Review,
373 Fourth avenue, New York.
JULY 22,
IN BLACK, RED and GREEN
LABEL BRANDS
IS UNEXCELLED
The " F & G " Blue Label Brand is again being
used by Rudolph C. Koch in the manufacture
off the Reinwarth Covered Bass Strings
For TUNERS and REPAIRERS we have the
convenient one quarter pound clamps
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
PIANO AND PLAYER HARDWARE, FELTS AND TOOLS
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.
of