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THE
JULY 19, 1924
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
11
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
Conducted By William Braid White
Technical Exhibits at Tuners' Meeting
Valuable
to Manufacturers and Tuners
*
let other technical men know his opinion, al-
though he is no knocker and can always be
depended on not to disparage an instrument
for which one of his clients has paid good
money. On the other hand, if his deliberate
Last Year's Displays at the St. Louis Convention of the National Association of Piano Tuners opinion is asked, he is equally sure to give it
Showed Beyond Question That Such Is the Case—Exhibits Should Be in Charge of
honestly, and if he has to say a hard thing will
Factory and Technical Men to Reap Full Advantages
say it, though as gently as possible.
That is why the good will of the tuners is
HE National Association of Piano Tuners tools and of accessories generally, for the first so valuable, and that, too, is why it pays to
announces that a considerable number of time became really varied, and last year at secure their good will. No better way of show-
exhibits of player actions, player and piano St. Louis one whole floor of the Hotel Claridge ing that this good will is appreciated can be
accessories, tools, etc., will be made during its was given over to what was, in fact, an up-to- discovered than the simple way of taking to the
fifteenth annual convention, which will be held date display of the last words in piano and espe- annual meetings of the tuners samples of the
at the Hotel Wisconsin, Milwaukee, during the cially in player-piano technology.
latest and best in piano and player-piano con-
three days beginning August 11. Last year at
"Intensely Eager"
struction. This leads to considering the ques-
St. Louis the value of the annual meeting was
The results of last year's work ought cer- tion of the actual physical organization of a
vastly increased for every visitor by the exist- tainly to have been sufficiently interesting to technical exhibit at the Tuners' Convention.
ence of these exhibits, which then for the first every exhibitor to persuade him to repeat the
Who Should Go
time took on a representative character. Con- experiment this year in even larger form. For
Taking the question of personnel first, it
sidering the really great importance of such if one thing was certain it is that the tuners, should be obvious that the men in charge ought
displays at an annual gathering of the only field service men and outside experts of the to be factory men, superintendents and technical
presently functioning technical body within the trade, are intensely eager to know anything and experts. It would, in my opinion, be a very
industry, it will be worth while, thus far in everything about the mechanisms they are called good thing if every important piano factory
advance of the meeting, to set down some obser- upon to handle. This is not because they are could have its superintendent and its chief tech-
vations upon the whole question, in order that at all better men than the merchants or the nical expert meet the tuners at least once a year,
those who are thinking of making such a con- piano travelers; but simply because it is a mat- for in that way these gentlemen would be able
tribution to the technical progress of the in- ter of direct and immediate importance to them to talk about the most important of all ques-
dustry may be assisted to obtain the best re- to know everything that is going on in the tions, which is the question of the behavior of
sults at the least expenditure of time and money. way of changed or novel constructions, and pianos and player-pianos in the home and in
The first house which took thought to make a also to furbish up as often as possible their other general conditions of usage, with the men
technical exhibit at a convention of the tuners already gained knowledge of tuning, grand and who know most about the facts because they
was, I believe, the Standard Pneumatic Action upright piano action regulating, player regu- alone directly meet them. If every factory
Co., which, at Chicago in 1919, specially invited lating, player repairing, and so on.
superintendent in this country could attend a
all who attended to their rooms in the North
To those manufacturers, then, who have any meeting of the tuners and hear what is said
American Building, where space was set apart interest in promoting a better understanding about this and that piano or player-piano by
for a display of Standard player actions mounted among the outside technicians of the pianos and these men whose job it is to keep all these many
on skeleton frames. Experts from the factory player-pianos which these technicians handle good, bad and indifferent instruments in work-
and traveling technical men employed by the every day, the remarks which follow are re- ing order year after year, it would be a very
company were on hand to explain things to the spectfully submitted.
good thing for both parties. The superintend-
tuners, to answer inquiries and to give informa-
ents would learn much that they do not know
What Tuners Think and Do
tion of all sorts about regulation, repairs, etc.
In the first place, there is no question, so far and the tuners would learn just as much. Both
This good work was repeated in 1921, when as I can see, regarding the direct commercial parties would be helped and the benefit would
again the tuners met during the same week as value of an exhibit at the Tuners' Convention. be not only reciprocal but vast.
the other trade associations, but at the Hotel It is not merely player-pianos which are in- The interest of the technical men is in tech-
LaSalle, instead of at the Drake, where the teresting to the tuners, but piano actions and nical things, and they are only indirectly inter-
others held forth. The fact that other exhibits methods of piano construction, new tools, and, ested in selling. They therefore prefer to meet
in plenty were to be seen at the Drake and that in fact, anything and everything which has the
(Continued on page 12)
many of these included technical specialties slightest technical interest. Each and every one
operated to prevent the formation of any large of these things is interesting to the tuner, who
separate exposition at the LaSalle Hotel for the will spend all his spare time listening, looking
special benefit of the tuners. In 1922, however, and taking instruction when he can get it. The
at Indianapolis, where the tuners met alone, in commercial value lies just in this, namely, that
the month of August, the display by manufac- the tuner is the most powerful ally, and, like-
turers of player-pianos and of player-actions, of wise, the most powerful enemy one can acquire.
"Perfected" "Crown"
Not that he deliberately wants to knock, for
he is not a knocker. It is rather that when a
Highest acoustic excellence dating back to the
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piece of construction appeals to him he will
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Took prize over
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whole world at Paris 1900.
For generations
tell other tuners about it, he will tell merchants
One of the lurest ways to Increase
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about it, he will tell his customers, and in that
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of pianos in the world.
irratchet Immediately. If your prospec-
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tive customer sees a defect in the finish
rour chanoa of making a sale If greatly
Services of our Acoustic Engineer always available
unconsciously, for the thing which has taken
diminished.
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"How to Repair Damage to Var-
his fancy. Everybody listens to what the tuner
nished Surfaceg" tells how you can In-
stantly repair any injury to the finish
says, for the tuner has no pianos, but only his
of musical Instruments or fine furniture.
American Steel & Wire
It will interact any dealer, tuner or
technical skill, to sell. He, therefore, being like
ACOUSTIC DEPARTMENT
repair man.
Company
208 S. LA SALLE ST.. CHICAGO
all technical men, conscientious and straight-
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If you are too busy to write a letter, pin
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is
pretty
certain
to
communicate
to
this ad to your card or letterhead and mall
It to us. We'll know what you want.
others his enthusiasm about any piece of work
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