Music Trade Review

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The (/Husk jf/iade
REVIEW
Established 1879
CARLETON CHACE, Editor
Wm.
J. Dougherty
Alexander Hart
Associate Editor
Technical Editor
Betty B. Borin
Circulation Manager
Published monthly at 510 RKO Building, Radio
City, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y.
Telephones: Cl rcle 7 - 5842 - 5843 - 5844
Vol. 105
MARCH, 1946
No. 3
Business —As We See It
i O-ONCE again the music industry is on its own. On
March 6th the OPA lifted price controls on all musi-
cal instruments, parts and accessories including pianos
and also on phonograph records and albums. In the same
release it was also stated that price ceilings were lifted on
cocktail shakers. That ought to
please the members of the trade
also. So. immediately thereafter
the National Piano Manufacturers
Association held a meeting in New
York to discuss ways and means of
getting back to manufacturing on
a production basis. The next prob-
lem is going to be that of supplies,
although the situatioin in many
cases has become easier than what
it was a few months ago. All the
piano plate manufacturers who
were serving the industry before the
war are again operating and there
Carleton Chace
are two new ones. In the action
L
field there were three manufacturers of actions and now
there are four. There are also four string makers the same
as before the war. The jobbers of supplies remain about
the same. Labor and raw materials will probably retard
a fast return to normal production. Those piano manu-
facturers who were fortunate enough to start shipping
several months ago may have some edge on those who
didn't, but the latter need not be discouraged because there
10
will be plenty of business to go around. Don't look for
pianos to be cheap. Prices will necesarily be high for
sometime to come until competition becomes rife and pro-
duction begins to climb so that a manufacturer can see his
way clear to lower his prices. The lumber situation seems
to be the most critical at present and as the country goes
into a housing program the situation is liable to grow
worse than better. So at best the progress back to a normal
production will be slow, which in the long run may be
healthier than otherwise.
With lumber still controlled it can be readily seen
that there will be difficulties ahead. It is hoped, however,
that some method of securing enough lumber for the indus-
try, which is a small item in comparison with many other
industries, may be found which will permit a fairly sized
producton before the next holiday season. At any rate
the meeting of the manufacturers which we attended on
March 8th was certainly in direct contrast to the one which
we attended in June 1942, when the WPB informed the
manufacturers that they would have to cease making pianos
by July 31st. And, well it might be. Then they were
facing a red light. Their versatility has pulled them
through and as the green light again shines the entire
industry has much to be congratulated for as well as be
thankful.
Looks Like Another 1938 Production
I
T LOOKS to us that the piano industry in 1946 will
produce about as many new pianos as it did in 1938
within 500 of 90,000 units. All but about 5',' of these
will be spinet pianos. This opinion is based on an investi-
gation we have made of the supply situation and not of
the ability of piano manufacturers to produce more. Thev
can if they can get the supplies. At present, however, there
is a bottleneck in lumber which is critical and lumber
prices are still being controlled, so much so. that we heard
of one outfit with 21 lumber mills, 19 of which have been
shut down. 2 only operating. In addition to this, although
the piano plate situation has eased up somewhat, the pig
iron situation hasn't. The result has been that plate man-
ufacturers, with the exception of those making aluminum
plates, are working from hand to mouth and in some
instances have to shut down some days waiting for mate-
rial. The Department of Commerce has reported that in
December lumber production declined to its lowest level in
ten years and that excess of demand over supply continues
to keep both mill and distributor stocks at an all-time
low. Softwood plywood also continues in short supply
because of log shortages and unfilled orders at the mills
far exceed production which is hampered not only by
shortage of materials but of labor.
Hold Prices in Check and Ration New Pianos
I
T CAN be readily seen, therefore, that the road back to
normal will be a long one and the best method for
dealers to pursue will be to ration their new pianos
and still rely on reconditioned pianos for a large portion
of their business. There is a potential demand in this
country right now for approximately 300.000 pianos so
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW. MARCH, 1946