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The Jiusic jfmdt
REVIEW
Established 1879
CARLETON CHACE, Editor
M. A. Dooley
Alexander Hart
Associate Editor
Technical Editor
Who said there could be nothing new in Pianos?
Betty B. Bonn
Circulation Manager
W:
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
APRIL, 1946
No. 4
Business —As We See It
T
HE piano industry was released from price control
on March 6th last. On April 6th, just one month
from the release date, we took a trip around the
New York retail establishments to see what had happened.
We found that plenty had happened. Retail prices had
been increased anywhere from 10%
to 20% all along the line. The low-
est priced new spinet piano in the
New York area was at that time
$465 at retail, the highest priced
model $925. Before the war these
same pianos sold for $325 and $725
respectively. Then, we read that
the manufacturers had followed the
advice to one of our esteemed con-
temporaries, according to what he
said in this month's issue, so we
will have to admit that he must
have done' a good job for them;
is
' i n preparing the way for
giving the public the stage fright
which we warned against last month and perhaps giving
ihe OPA an opportunity to come back at the industry
again. The more we nosed around and heard various
comments about increases the more we commenced to think
that perhaps the OPA had method in its madness in re-
Corieton Chace
10
that
leasing the music industry first just to see what would
really happen. Of course we realize, as well as everyone
else, that supply prices have been continuously increasing
and that such increases have to be reflected in the price
of the piano to the ultimate consumer. We also realize
that just at present people have money to spend and they
can't get some of the things they want, such as automobiles,
refrigeraors, radio-phonographs, etc.. etc., but the problem
ahead for the piano industry, in our estimation, is what is
going to happen when people are able to buy these other
commodities and piano prices are so high. As one manu-
facturer stated to us, "I feel as if I am walking on a lake
that had just started to freeze over and I'm hoping that I
won't fall in." Whatever the advice of our esteemed con-
temporary was regarding pricing of instruments our advice
is to watch your step, keep prices down as much as possible
and don't "kill the goose that laid the golden egg."
E have been around this industry a long time.
We have heard such remarks as, "What can
there be new in the construction of a piano any-
way. Fundamentally, a piano is a piano and has to be
built the way it has for years." Well, science seems to be
changing that and perhaps we may say advisedly that if
it had not been for the war many of the developments which
are now taking place might not have been heard of. In
the last few months the industry has had more new ideas
in construction flashed on it than it has in the last quarter
century. For instance, there was the plastic plywood plate
by Weaver, the MirrApiano by Bromberg, then came the
Alumatone plate by Winter & Co., last month Permat Prod-
ucts, Inc., announced an all-plastic piano action with mag-
nesium rail. This month Pratt Read & Co. is announcing
several items which have been in process of development
since the beginning of the war including a light metal plate
and piano back combined which saves much weight and
lumber, a new method of manufacturing a piano by as-
sembling the inside completely, regulating the action and
tuning the piano before the case is put on, the latter being
held together with metal pins and dowels which eliminates
side glueing and provides for a variety of case styles to
be used on one inside of a piano; a plastic piano action with
a light metal hammer rail, the action to be produced in
various colors is desired; a non-splittable sounding board
made of plywood and a piano with a folding key bed.
According to these innovations perhaps it will not be long
before the piano industry will be a streamline basis. When
we go back and think what a dither the piano industry was
in, July. 1912. and then review what it has done since,
we come to the conclusion that its personnel must be pretty
hard headed with plenty of grey matter. History has
proved that when the piano industry gets up against a crisis
the brains of the industry commence to work overtime.
No greater proof of this can be found than that which has
happened during the past five years. To go through what
the industry had to face and come out in better financial
condition than it was ever before the war is an accomplish-
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, I946