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SEPTEMBER 1, 1928
The Music Trade Review
New Instructions on Care of Piano
Are Needed by Owners of the Instrument
Big Demand for The Review Article "Why Does a Piano Go Out of Tune," Shows
Actual Need—A Plea for the Industry's Co-operation
By WILLIAM BRAID WHITE,
"D EADERS know that many thousands of
copies have been distributed through
various sources of an article written in the
Winter of 1926-27 with the title "Why Does a
Piano Go Out of Tune?" A remarkable amount
of interest has been expressed by tuners, piano
merchants and piano manufacturers in this
short statement, which seems to have .hit off
the facts in a fashion satisfactory beyond ex-
pectation. Naturally I am much pleased at hav-
ing been able to help the good cause in this
way. The thought now comes that perhaps the
idea could be expanded to still greater advan-
tage. Thus, there have been several attempts
to bring forward a really good and satisfying
statement as to the general care of the piano
by its owner. I have read, I think, every
Technical Editor of The Review
one which has appeared during the last twenty
years. Not one of them is free from serious
faults. Most of them have been and are very in-
correct as to fact, and very vague as to recom-
mendation. The temptation is great to try my
own hand at the game.
In order, however, to do anything like this
it will first be necessary to know exactly what
is wanted. If I could get a mass of information
from my readers on this point something might
be done. What one needs to know, perhaps
more than anything else, is the answer to
each of the following questions:
1. What do your customers want to know
about a piano?
2. Why do so many people think that a piano
does not need frequent tuning?
Bankers-Commercial Go.
H. L. Nolder Finds
Offices in Los Angeles
Coast Conditions Improved
Reports Dealers of the Pacific Northwest in
More Optimistic Frame of Mind Than Has
Been the Case in Past Three Years
PORTLAND, ORE., August 24.—Harry L. Nolder,
of Los Angeles, Pacific Coast representative of
the Starr Piano Co., spent several days in Port-
land recently with Charles Soule, Pacific Coast
representative of the company, with whom he
made an extended trip over the northwest terri-
tory. In an interview, Mr. Nolder stated that
he was greatly encouraged at the business out-
look in the Pacific Northwest for during their
three weeks' trip they had run against more
optimism than he had seen in the past three
years. With crop conditions of the territory at
high grade there is no reason why the music
dealers will not have a prosperous season if
they will go out and get the business that is
awaiting them. Mr. Nolder reports that the
new Starr small grand, style 40, has been en-
thusiastically received by the dealers as well
as the new four-foot upright, which appeals to
the buyer. Also there is an increased demand
for the Starr silent keyboard, which the dealers
say will give great aid to the teacher for class
purposes, especially in the public schools. Mr.
Nolder predicts that it will not be long before
music will be part of the curriculum of every
school in the country, and that the silent key-
board will help to bring this about. '
Portland Radio Show
Discontinued This Year
August 24.—The Oregon Radio
Trades Association, at a dinner meeting on
August 20 at the Congress Hotel, after con-
siderable discussion 6f the pros and cons, de-
cided to call off the annual radio show this
year. The principal argument advanced against
the show was the premature showing and dem-
onstrating of the new 1928-29 models by a
number of the dealers, thus leaving little new
material for the exposition. James Condon,
Jr., president of the Association, expressed re-
gret that conditions were such as not to justify
the holding of the exposition. This was also
the sentiment of nearly all the dealers and dis-
tributors, who expressed great confidence in
business conditions and predicted that the com-
ing season would be the most prosperous in
their career.
PORTLAND, ORE.,
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review.
In order to take care of its growing business
on the Pacific Coast and in the Far West, the
Bankers-Commercial Security Co., Inc., New
York, has opened offices in the Commercial
Exchange Building, 416 West 8th street, Los
Angeles, Cal., in charge of Thomas J. Mercer
and a trained staff. Mr. Mercer has been acting
as Pacific Coast representative of the company
since February, 1926, and is well known to the
trade, having been before that sales manager
for the Gulbransen Co.
Closes Out Store
PORTLAND, ORE., August 24.—The Bush & Lane
Piano Co., which has for months been closing
out its stock of pianos, phonographs, radios and
small goods at 348 Morrison street, has finally
closed its doors at that location and established
an office in the American Exchange Building in
Room 335, where E. D. Perry, of Seattle, has
11
3. What do most people mean when they
talk about having a piano "tuned?"
4. How many musicians do you know who
have any practical idea of what the equal tem-
perament is and how it is applied?
5. Would a simple, popularly written but ac-
curate and authoritative statement of how a
piano is built, how it acts, what are its mechan-
ical adjustments and what the tuner does when
he tuned it, be of any use to (a) the public and
(b) the tuners?
6. What is the maximum length permissible
(number of words)?
If I can get enough of a show of interest
and a large enough number of replies, I might
feel very much like taking up the challenge and
trying to produce a pamphlet on the subject
in line with the earlier one which has been so
successful.
The idea would be to write the thing out in
The Review in this department and thus put
it at the disposal of any one who could make
good use of it. Due credit to paper and author
would have to be made always, of course.
I have no doubt that L. M. Poarch, 4241
Guilford avenue, Indianapolis, Ind., could give
much information.
been placed in charge to care for collections,
etc. S. M. McCoy came to Portland from the
Bush & Lane factory to assist in its close.
Remley Radio Co. Chartered
The Remley Radio Co., Sheboygan, Wis., has-
been incorporated with capital stock of $5,000
to deal in radio and other musical instruments.
The incorporators are Louis A. Heck, Alenson
Remley, and Elsie Berholst.
Bush & Lane Distributor
PORTLAND, ORE., August 24.—The Interstate
Sales Co. has been named as the distributor of
the Bush & Lane radio, which was presented to
Portland buyers last week. W. L. Beyer, man-
ager of the Interstate Co., announces that B. H.
Barber is the principal dealer of the new radio.
Francis X. Regan, formerly manager of the
Homer L. Kitt Co., Washington, D. C, has been
appointed manager of the Arthur Jordan Piano
Co., that city, to succeed Frank Kimmel.
To Any Responsible and Alert
Piano Dealer!
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