Music Trade Review

Issue: 1951 Vol. 110 N. 4

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
CHAPTER 28-Piano Tuning in Review
No. 50
Action regulating today may be con-
sidered a checking up here and there,
when the piano is a few years old. Old
instruments plus moth-eaten felts, after
replacement, definitely require the serv-
ices of an action regulator. A contrib-
uting factor to the serviceman's knowl-
edge in this respect is a Service Manual
of Instructions, put out by Jesse French
& Sons division of H. & A. Selmer, Inc.,
Elkhart, Ind.
Now and then, there is a problem with
the regulating button rail, on account
of its warping. However, it does not
happen often. When one finds a con-
dition of this kind (especially in very
old uprights), take particular notice
that the regulating screw cannot be
turned upward without loosening it en-
tirely—This situation is noticeable when
the hammer travel is too premature;
that is, the hammer, instead of travel-
ing towards the string one-eighth and
then "let off" on escapement, it is just
the reverse. One may find this travel
seven-sixteenths, hardly sufficient to get
any kind of repetition.
No. 51
One
lating
higher
(a)
way to do this when the regu-
buttons cannot be turned any
is to:
remove the regulating button rail
entirely when the action is out
of the case.
(b) note how much the rail must
be raised—it may need only one-
sixteenth of an inch—one must
be the judge—and be careful not
to saw too much as one may
weaken the rail, but a slight
amount will do no harm. (This
is better than reducing the felt
on buttons).
(c) take it slow and easy when slid-
ing the rail past bridles, not to
catch the regulating buttons. Use
the same carefulness when re-
placing the rail.
The screw holes on the rail will de-
cide where to make saw cut. Remove
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1951
wood with a small knife. After the
rail is in place, should a few hammers
block, i. e., stay against the string, you
know what to do. Turn down regu-
lating button until hammer "lets off".
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
No. 52
Causes of Silent Keys
Hammer shank broken.
Jack spring out of its socket.
Jack spring broken.
Jack flange pin too tight.
Jack flange unglued from whippen.
Jack not seating under hammer
butt.
Whippen flange pin too tight.
When a key is broken in half.
some assorted flange pins, two or three
hammer shanks and the same amount of
various butts.
No. 1 is a broken shank. Put in
a new screw. Don't bore out the old
one, only the hammer head. It is good
policy to carry some extra treble ham-
mers, for one never knows when one
comes in handy.
No. 2—Never be without a jack
spring. These are not easy to make,
and when there is need for replacement
clean out the socket, and be careful the
spring is so adjusted as not to jump out.
Remarks
A silent note to the pianist or anyone
playing the piano spells aggravation.
It does not take many notes that do
not work right to put the keyboard out
of commission. Faulty repetition and
sticky keys should never happen, when
the owner has piano servicing by con-
tract.
No. 53
To Remedy Silent Keys
Items listed above should be thor-
oughly checked, and all regulating re-
quirements such as: hammer blow, lost
motion, correct "let off", touch for the
right depth, and pedals should be con-
sidered.
Speaking about service in general
(and this is only a suggestion) it is
not good practice to take money in
advance unless one can be sure that
appointments will be kept, and all the
promises will be lived up to.
My own personal advice is to have
an agreement advantageously to both
either written or otherwise, but do not
take any fee for advance service. You
may be sure if your work proves sat-
icfactory the customer is yours. Collect
each time you do some work.
Let us proceed with our remedy for
key trouble. Reverting back to No.
52, one must always be prepared to
carry material and the tools to repair
minor mishaps. A few jack springs.
proud little sheep...
proud of his musical
ancestors...the 700% wool
felt that's in the Standard
Piano Hammers.
The SH hammer that
guarantees
*uniformity in the finest
100% pure wool felts

""uniformity in texture
and firmness maintained
by skilled craftsmen
and the newest of
machinery
. . . that produces even-
ness in true tone from
pianissimo to fortissimo.
The supreme test of a
superior piano
Send for booklet on the
interesting story of SH
Piano Hammers.
STANDARD
PIANO HAMMER CO.
Serving America's leading
piano manufacturers and
tuner technicians
3220 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago 51
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
!••••••••
•••••••••I
OBITUARIES
George M. Bundy Passes
Away Suddenly in 66th Year
George M. Bundy, Chairman of the
Board and former President of H. & A.
Selmer, Inc., Elkhart, Ind., and Jesse
French & Son, New Castle, Ind., passed
away suddenly on April 5th from a heart
attack while eat-
ing his dinner in
a restaurant in
Elkhart. Mr. Bun-
dy was in his
66th year.
Born in Corn-
ing, N. Y., he was
a professional
m u s i c i a n for
GEO.
BUNDY
many years, later
becoming associated with Alexandre
Selmer. It was in 1910 when Mr. Bundy
was 23 years of age that Mr. Selmer re-
turned to Paris to help his brother
Henri and Mr. Bundy was left in charge
of the Selmer American business, which
has been operated under his guidance
ever since.
In 1939 he and his associates pur-
chased the Jesse French & Son piano
business in New Castle, Ind.
Mr. Bundy was always interested in
the welfare of the industry at large. He
spent a great deal of time promoting the
cause of music generally. He was one of
the organizers of the American Music
Conference, and at one time served as
vice-president.
Two years ago, although warned by
his doctors to ease up on his strenuous
activities, he continued until one day he
lost his sight due to the rupture of a tiny
blood vessel in the eye. From then on he
had to undergo a course of treatments
which finally guided him to specialists
in Europe, where eventually he recov-
ered his sight sufficiently so that he
could return to business activities.
He is survived by a widow, Mrs. Irene
Schanel Bundy and two sons, George
Malcolm and Frank Eugene Bundy.
Funeral services were held at the
Fairchild Memorial Chapel in Manhas-
set, Long Island, Mr. Bundy's home
town, on Monday, April 9th, and were
attended by a host of friends and
members from the industry. Interment
was at Nassau Knolls, Manhasset.
Robert Hopwood, Charles Herring, For-
est Woods, and L. C. Robinson.
Burial was in Elmwood.
HENRY HOFMANN
Henry Hoffman. 68 years old, who
for 35 years was retail salesman with
Hardman Peck & Co., New York, passed
away after a brief illness in the Hark-
ness Pavilion of the Presbyterian Hos-
pital on March 31st.
Before working with Hardman Peck
& Co. he was salesman for the Pease
Rand Co.
He is survived by a widow and son.
Funeral services were held on April 3rd
and interment was at Woodlawn Ceme-
tery.
JAMES C. LOVETT
Funeral services for James C. Lovett.
Powderly, Ala., were held at 2:30 P.M..
Monday, at the Southside Baptist
Church, the Rev. John H. Buchanan
officiating, on February 26th.
Mr. Lovett died suddenly on February
24th at his home.
Identified with the music profession
in Birmingham 30 years, Mr. Lovett had
been associated with the Woods Piano
and Furniture Co. as a piano salesman
the last 10 years.
He was a member of the choir and
the board of deacons of the Southside
Baptist Church 35 years. He also was a
member of the Woodmen of the World.
Mr. Lovett was born at St. Clair
Springs, Ala.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Ruby
Lovett; a son, James H. Lovett, of Fort
Worth, Texas, three stepdaughters, Mrs.
Elise McCary and Misses Emily and
Sara Hicks, all of Birmingham, and a
grandson.
Active pallbearers were James Fred
Lovett, Arthur L. Lovett, C. E. Lovett,
L. F. Cramer, Names Eight Du Mont
Government Dept. Managers
Eight appointments to the newly
formed Government Department of
Allen B. Du Mont Laboratories, Inc.,
were announced recently by Leonard
F. Cramer, Vice-President and Director.
Ernest A. Marx, general manager
of the receiver sales division, has been
named manager of the Government Con-
tract Department. H. B. Graham was
named head o fthe Government Nego-
tiations and Bid Department.
Mr. Cramer also named Z. Soucek
manager of the Du Mont Washington
office. B. V. K. French was appointed
manager of the Dayton office. Edgar
H. Felix and William C. Lupfer have
been named Government Contract Ad-
ministrators, using the Du Mont plant
in East Paterson, N. J., as headquarters.
T. G. Rogers was named to assist Mr.
Cramer in the administration of the
Government Contract Department.
JOIN
HENRY WICKHAM.
Founder
ESTABLISHED 1885
INCORPORATED 19 03
THE
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
of
PIANO TUNERS
Organized To Maintain The Highest Tech-
nical And Professional Standards In The
Practice Of Piano Service.
Originators of a Nation-Wide System of
Qualified Piano Service Identified by a
Membership Certificate of "REGISTERED
TUNER and REBUILDER of Pianos." This
certificate is issued each year for the pro-
tection of the Tuner and his Clientele.
Read the
TUNERS JOURNAL
CELEBRATED WICKHAM PLATES.
For particulars address the
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
PIANO TUNERS
430 OGLETHORPE ST., N.W.
WASHINGTON 11, D. C.
26
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1951

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