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AUGUST 18, 1928
Chicago Leads in
Music String Production
Unfailing Supply of Superior Raw Material
Primary Factor in Developing This Branch
of the Music Industries
CHICAGO, III., August 13.—The importance of
Chicago as a manufacturing center of music
strings, as well as musical instruments is out-
lined in a recent issue of Chicago Commerce
in pointing out that musical instruments, music
publishers, and musical clubs and orchestras go
hand in hand to make this city a musical center.
"Out in Chicago's world famous stockyards
they speak of the lowing of cattle and the baa-
ing of sheep as being the 'song of the yards.' "
Chicago Commerce states. "But the yards are
productive of more far-reaching music, for they
have become the headquarters for the manufac-
ture of music strings such as are essential to
the violin, viola, 'cello, double bass, guitar, and
the more humble but not less popular ukulele.
"Music strings are made of the intestines of
sheep. After their removal from the carcass
they are thoroughly cleaned, scraped, split,
chemically treated, bleached, spun, seasoned or
dried, polished, gauged, coiled and packed for
shipment.
"The music string industry originated in
Italy, according to common report, and for
many years Italy and Germany dominated the
manufacture of strings for musical instruments.
In 1912 Armour & Co. began to experiment
with livestock intestinal material, which was
being exported to Italy and Germany in its
raw state and imported as a finished product
from these countries.
"Certain tests among the products of the
first gut-string manufacturers in America in-
dicated that the finest materials were being
produced in the United States, and that the
strings were of better qua,lity if they were made
from sheep intestines while they were in the
best condition. This infant industry grew nor-
mally until, in 1914, the war hastened its growth
in remarkable fashion, and American manufac-
turers were soon supplying the world demand.
Without the unfailing supply of this by-product
from meat-packing plants of Chicago, the violin
industry, as well as the manufacture of 'cellos,
guitars, banjos, ukuleles, etc., would have been
compelled to cease operations during the great
war.
"The music string industry in the United
States became so important during this time,
due to the expanding operations of the meat
packers and the increased slaughter of Ameri-
can sheep that the manufacture of violins in
the United States actually increased 100 per
cent. The manufacture of other musical instru-
ments, including all of the stringed variety,
also increased, but the violin led them all. New
factories for the manufacture of stringed in-
struments were established and the output of
all musical instrument factories increased.
BACON
BANJOS
Played by Leading
Musicians and Orchestras
Sold by Representative
Music Merchants
19
The Music Trade Review
"Among its many other claims for greatness,
Chicago enjoys the distinction of being the
largest music string manufacturing center in
the world, and Armour & Co. in its gut-string
department in the stockyards, has made, and
is maintaining this reputation. The advantage
which the Chicago-made product enjoys ovei
its foreign competitor is that the sheep intes-
tines do not have a chance to deteriorate by
being shipped abroad before being treated and
processed preparatory to their manufacture
into musical strings. Here in the Chicago stock-
yards, highly skilled workers, and the last word
in mechanical perfection, produce a product
that has been declared by musicians to be far
superior to that which our foreign competitors
can make."
Delano Heads No. Calif.
Band Instrument Dealers
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., August 9.—The Northern
California Retail Band Instrument Dealers'
Association held its annual meeting a few days
ago and E. J. Delano of Sherman, Clay & Co.,
was elected president in place of F. A. Norton
who recently became a wholesaler. Daniel
Miller, president of the Conn San Francisco
Co., was re-elected secretary of the Association
which works unostentatiously but effectively
for the good of the trade.
OLIVER DITSON CQ
BOSTON. AlASS
Leedy Issues New
Catalog of Entire Line
Ninety-six Pages Required to Describe and
Illustrate Wide Variety of Leedy Products
for Drummers' Use
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., August 13.—The 'new cata-
log R recently issued by the Leedy Manufac-
turing Co. illustrates and describes in an at-
tractive manner its complete line of instru-
ments.
The introduction feature is the line of snare
drums styled after the brilliant colors of rare
gems. The complete line is well handled in
this new catalog, which consists of drums,
drum heads (with painted scenes and silhou-
ettes), trap console sets, torn toms, tympani,
Vibraphone, Harpaphone, xylophones, chimes
and many other instruments required by the
drummer.
A richly illustrated cover binds ninety-six
pages of descriptive matter on its instruments.
The first fourteen pages are used to illustrate
in beautiful colors, well done, their line of
"Full Dress" snare drums and silhouette drum
heads.
Prominent band and orchestra leaders who
endorse Leedy products are an important fea-
ture. Two pages are devoted to this. The cen-
ter spread shows the pictures and names of
the executive staff. Leedy Drum Topics, a six-
teen-page magazine, is also outlined in the
folder.
Manufacturers
Importers and Jobbers of
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
Attractive
Modern
Specialties
Service
ESTAlAlSHED 1834
DURRO
The Union Music Co., Toledo, recently
equipped the drum and bugle corps of Post 113
American Legion, Port Clinton, O., with Lud-
wig drums and bugles. This is a new 30-piece
outfit.
The Electric-Phonograph and Variety Store,
Columbus, O., located on Main street, recently
purchased the Columbia phonograph and record
stock of R. Ruddock, who has retired.
Howard Young, proprietor of the Home
Music Store, Columbus, O., has purchased the
Harmony Music Shoppe on Mt. Vernon avenue,
formerly owned by R. A. Ginby. He is also
the proud father of a fine baby boy.
VIOLINS
BOWS
STRINGS
AND
STEWART
BANJOS
MANDOLINS
GUITARS
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
S-7-9 Union Square
NEW YORK
You have tried the rest
—Now use the BEST
Joseph Rogers' Son
"XXX" and "STANDARD" Brand
Drum and Banjo Heads
Made from Genuine
Ludwigs for Legion Band
LJ
Calfskin
The Frederick Rogers Co.
17 Jackson Are.
Middletown, N. Y.
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J.
for musical instruments
Gold-plated Steel and
Wound Strings
Gibson Musical String Co.
SEND FOR TRADE PRICE LIST OF
for
Violin, Viola,
'Cello and Bass
BACON BANJO CO., Inc.
GROTON, CONN.
MULLER & KAPLAN
154 East 85th St., N. Y.