Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1932 2267

Page 12 Text:

September-October, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
12
THE TUNERS' NATIONAL CONVENTION
AT DETROIT
By Henry MacMullan
No false notes jarred, against Nature's chime to
mar the harmony and spoil the readjustment of the
piano and the piano business at the twenty-third an-
nual convention of the National Association of Piano
Tuners, Inc., held at the Hotel Statler, Detroit, in
August last. The delegates, members and visit-
ors attended from many states and countries—they
were present from Los Angeles, from Quebec, from
Ontario, New York. Cleveland, Ann Arbor, from
Wyandotte and Pontiac Mich., from Newark, Ohio,
from Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee, from De-
troit and Toledo, from Windsor, Out., from Ypsi-
lanti and Saginaw, from Lansing and St. Louis, and
from almost everywhere else on th-e North American
Continent. There were one hundred and thirty tuners
present.
No Depression Talk
They didn't talk of depression from want of tuning
to do or of oppression from sumptuary laws, but
every man who spoke looks upon the making, selling
and regulating of the piano as a sound business
proposition.
Instructive in Technicalities
No convention that this writer has ever attended
provided better technical discussions, for these ex-
perts command inimitable technical skill and their
sessions engaged in an exchange of facts, of theo-
ries and of practical and tried-out ideas. Their facts
were fascinatingly presented, and each participant in
the round table discussions seemed to bring to his
task the humility of the tradesmen, the joy of the
sportsman and the conscience of the artist. Not one
was false to his credo.
Conquerors of Difficulties
As a class oi piano workers, they are men who
have found that many things that appear easy are
fuH" of •difficulties".' And one of their diplomatic tasks
is to prevent the dissatisfaction whic'i arises from
the ignorance or carelessness of piano owners or
users in mishandling the piano.
Got Excited Over Exacting Things
The speakers got excited over the most exacting
things, showing how- much importance they attach to
work requiring extreme accuracy. For extreme ac-
curacy held t'.ie focal interest in several departments
of the discussions, as in the questions and answers
following a paper by Charles W. Dowling of Newark,
Ohio, on "The Advantages of the Tapered Tuning
Pin." Mr. Dowling recommended the tapering pin
used in the Yose piano, hundreds of which make he
had tuned. He said the tapering hole, distributed the
strain along all parts of the hole equally. Auto man-
ufacturers had turned to the use of this sort of bore
for their tapered roller bearings. They called them
"tuning pin tapered roller bearings."
Universal Pitch for Band Instruments
Accuracy again was the keynote in the speech of
J. F. Boyer, secretary of C. G. Conn, Ltd.. Elkhart,
Ind., whose subject was "Put the World in Tune."
"We have a few things in common," he said to the
tuners in explanation of a manufacturer appearing
on the program of the technicians. And he went on
to prove that they had many things in common.
He gave great credit to tone researches made by
William Braid White, of Chicago, and others and
spoke in favor of the universal pitch for band in-
struments.
A Royal Welcome
Mayor Frank Murphy of Detroit gave the opening
greeting on the first day of the convention, while
Dr. Hall, formerly of the School Board, now of the
City Council, and John W. Bethune of Wyandotte,
chairman of the Detroit Division, gave the address
of welcome. Mr. Bethune said: "We want you to
partake of that hospitality for which Detroit is noted.
Detroit is proud today in having as its guests mem-
bers of this great organization from almost every
state in the Llnion and from Quebec and other places
outside of the L T nited States."
Limitations of Radio and Phonograph
President A. V. Miniiie of Pontiac, Mich., spoke
broadly of the work in which the members of the
association are engaged. He said: "Neither the
radio nor the phonograph supplies the human need
for real music, so the piano will never cease to occupy
a deservedly important place in our artistic and es-
thetic affairs. The idea that radio, phonograph and
other devices have relegated the piano to the 'what-
not,' junk-pile, so to speak, is erroneous. To be sure,
the time is past when one is purchased as a piece of
decorative furniture. Now they are bought to be
played."
Beginners Learn in Factories
Speaking of the qualifications of the piano tuner
and why tyros take up the profession at all, Mr. Min-
ifie said: "The reliable adept at tuning begins his
schooling in a piano factory, in the majority of cases.
He shows an aptitude for a certain line of activity,
and his keen ear-sense makes itself manifest in the
stringing of the instrument. He cultivates his gift—
and that is what it is—until he is able to qualify as
a tuner. In addition to being able to set the correct
pitch with the aid of a tested tuning fork, a man
must know the mechanism of the instrument and be
able to make virtually all essential repairs. Many
homes employ a tuner by the year, and every three
months, or oftener if the occasion arises, visits are
paid and the instrument is tuned and put in con-
dition."
A Profession Not Overcrowded
Speaking of the tuning profession in general, Mr.
Minifie said piano tuners are born, not made. And
that is one of the reasons why the tuning profession
is not overcrowded. It takes a rare character to
make a successful trained nurse or piano tuner.
Neither profession will ever be crowded.
Moth-Eaten Hamimer-Heads
On the trite subject of moths in pianos, Mr. Min-
ifie said in part: "The presence of moths in a piano
does not argue poor or inefficient housekeeping. But
they get into the felt on the hammers, gorge them-
selves and destroy the usefulness of the instrument."
How Radio Helps
Many of the delegates to the convention reported
that pianos are being restored to favor, put into the
best condition and music lessons started or resumed.
In some instances reports were made that radio had
acted as an incentive to such resumption.
MATHUSHEK
And the
SPINET
GRAND
To keep up production and success in manufac-
turing and marketing a high grade piano and along
with this to add an entirely new product and get it
well established is an accomplishment to attract more
than ordinary attention.
This is what the Mathushek Piano Manufacturing
Company has accomplished with the Spinet Grand,
and this within considerably less than two years'
time; since, to be exact, the days of the Music Trade
Convention at Chicago in June 1931. which was the
time of the first public showing of this beautiful and
exceedingly musical little piano:
It is a particularly important event in the business
of a music house career, that when in bringing out a
piano of this character, one original in construction,
that it should not be too far-fetched, not so ultra-
radical in its musical construction or in appearance
as not to meet with favor by the critics; the profes-
sion and artists, the best class of musical people, and
the music trade, for these folks will not accept nor will
they tolerate eccentricities and in no case inventions
and self-styled "improvements" in the piano that do
not show positive proof of vital improvement. The
Mathushek has long been regarded as a piano of
remarkable musical qualities and of superior con-
struction and build in every way and now, with the
Spinet grand which has been on the market long
enough to have been well tried out this conservative
manufacturing concern has a product to be proud
of in giving to the musical world an instrument of
marked individuality and distinctive musical quality,
for development in perfecting the instrument has con-
tinued from month to month, resulting in the product
as we see it today.
The Spinet has been on exhibition in many places
aside from important music stores and is now spe-
cially displayed at the National Alliance of Art and
Industry, located at the Art Center, 65 East 58th
street, New York, N. Y.
In addition to producing the Spinet Grand in early
American design, quite a number of instruments oi
other periods, such as Late Jacobian, Spanish, Dun-
can Phyfe, and others have been supplied. All in
all, the Spinet Grand is an instrument of distinctive
beauty and design in any and all of the models made.
Although compact in size the tone produced is of an
unexpected volume, rich in quality and depth of tone,
features made possible by distinctive Mathushek con-
struction.
Presto-Times has watched tlie progress of the
Spinet Grand with special interest and our observa-
tions show that dealers who become interested and
exploit them in the many ways that they are
capable of being exploited are meeting with success,
not only in sales of the Spinet itself but in its attrac-
tive features on the floor of the salesrooms and in
window displays. In fact, it has come to the atten-
tion of Presto-Times that dealers handling exclusively
other makes of pianos have secured Spinet Grands
to attract attention as window displays, for the Spinet
is so unique and, withal, so attractive in design and
general appearance that it immediately commands the
attention of passers-by and few piano prospects w r ill
pass a Spinet Grand displayed in a window. One
dealer who does not aim to make sales of the Spinet
Grand said that he considered his Spinet window
display a very valuable advertising asset. As he put
it, "I consider it worth more than my hundred dollar
a month advertising contract with our local paper."
This new Spinet Grand, the instruments now com-
ing from the factory, have several outstanding fea-
tures. One of these is the modern Wessel, Nickel
& Gross grand repetition action, as also the use of
the regular damper action and damper head as used
in the grand piano of today.
The trade is particularly directed to the special
Mathushek display advertisement which appears on
the back cover of this issue of Presto-Times. Deal-
ers cannot make a mistake in getting acquainted with
the Spinet Grand proposition; in fact, it will be a
profitable thing for them to do.
The registration certificate from the government
registering the name "Spinet Grand" has been re-
ceived by the manufacturers giving, of course, sole
rights to the name and entire protection against in-
fringements.
Speaking of the advantages offered by the Spinet
grand, its "drawing attraction," so to speak, Mr. Ben
Strub, general western representative of the Mathu-
shek Company, cites an incident in New York where,
in a small room on Broadway, two Spinets were
placed on exhibition in the window, resulting in
scores of daily inquiries and, naturally, many piano
sales prospects.
The Piano's Predecessor
John Challis gave a demonstration lecture on old
piano forms. Mr. Challis' .talk on the construction
of t'ie harpsichord was extremely interesting to the
technical audience.
Fifteen Million—Gosh!!!
Incidentally, mention was made at the convention
that there are 15,000,000 pianos throughout the coun-
try which need to be tuned today.
Stein's Lively Business
Charles Frederick Stein, piano manufacturer of Chi-
cago, was met at the convention by Presto-Times'
representative. He said: "Times are decidedly better.
I have not a grand of the six-foot variety on my fac-
tory floors. I sold three six-foot grands the last
week in July, two more later and last week I parted
with the last one to a most urgent customer. Yes, I
look for much better trade in pianos." Mr. Stein
was booked for a speech on Wednesday but was
unable to meet that engagement on account of illness
of Mrs. Stein, which required his attention and ab-
sence from the Wednesday meeting. He did give
an interesting talk at the Tuesday evening banquet,
however, which was listened to with much interest
and. by the way, he was honored by his piano, the
instrument used for the banquet program. This piano
was the seven-foot Charles Frederick Stein concert
grand.
Pianos Exhibited
There were two notable exhibits of pianos at the
convention: the Mathushek Piano Manufacturing
Company, New York, and Charles Frederick Stein of
Chicago. The Mathushek exhibit was centered par-
ticularly on their now famous little grand, the Spinet
grand, an instrument that has well-nigh swept the
country in popularity since it was brought out two
or three years ago. Mr. Ben M. Strub, general West-
ern representative of the Mathushek interests, did the
Mathushek honors at the convention.
The other exhibit was two grand pianos by Charles
Frederick Stein of Chicago; one a seven-foot con-
cert grand which, by the way, was the piano used
for the Tuesday night banquet; the other the five
foot two inch parlor grand, a piano which Mr. Stein
says he is "wonderfully proud of for it has more
than met my expectations in salability and quality."
New Officers and Committees
The following are the officers for the ensuing year:
Nels C. Boe, President; Richard Kamperman, Vice-
President; Arthur P. Schneider, Treasurer; Miss Gub-
bins, Executive Secretary.
The Executive Committee consists of: Nels C. Boe,
chairman; Richard Kamperman and Erwin H. Bacon.
The P. L. Parker Music Company, at Salina, Kans.,
(Continued on page 13)
has resumed business at that place.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

Page 13 Text:

September-October, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
Piano Company and Mr. Wilson was its president
until his death when he was succeeded by Mr. Arm-
strong who later became chairman of the board, which
position he held up to the time of his passing, Mr.
Wulsin's son, Lucien, being elected president in 1926.
Mr. Armstrong was a man of force and character
and of a broad outlook on business affairs. He was
Mr. Otto Zimmerman, President of the Great a generous giver to the Art Museum and to the city's
charities. Outside of his business he found relaxation
Music Printing and Engraving House of
in his "camp" near Montgomery. There he was the
Cincinnati, Ohio, Passes Away at
owner of a tract of woodland where to please his
Christ Hospital, That City.
fancy he had built three or four cottages, which were
filled with books and bric-a-brac. He invited his friends
Mr. Otto Zimmerman, Cincinnati, Ohio, passed to the camp where he dispensed old-fashioned country
away at 12:30 o'clock Wednesday night, Sept. 7, at hospitality.
"In his death Cincinnati lost one of her leading cap-
the Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, following an operation.
The trade at large and more especially the trade tains of industry and a citizen who did much to add
to the wealth and prestige of his city," said James A.
and profession allied to music publishing learn with
sorrow of the passing of this most estimable gentle- Green, president of the Public Library Board.
"Mr. Armstrong was a great buyer and reader of
man, one who in his particular line of work and indus-
books—and it was his habit to accumulate a number
try was held in marked esteem.
Mr. Zimmerman was born Dec. 31, 1859, at Schaf- of books and then to present them to the Public
hausen, Switzerland, and came to this country at the Library. For years he did this. His gifts to the li-
age of seven with his parents. For fifty years the brary ran up into hundreds of volumes."
Zimmerman family had been residents of Newport
and Fort Thomas, Ky.
THE LATE FLORENZ ZIEG-
Mr. Zimmerman started printing music in 1876 for
FELD, JR.
the John Church Company, who were then extensive
music publishers in Cincinnati. After four years with
In his earlier days, when connected with the Chicago
the John Church Company he went to work for the Musical College which had been established by his
Geo. D. Newhall Co., remaining there until they dis- father, the late Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., originator of the
continued business ten years later. At about this Ziegfeld Follies, etc., associated considerably with
time he started in the music printing and engraving members of the music trade and even up to the time of
business and was the first music printer west of Phila- the death of his father, Florenz Ziegfeld, Sr., they
delphia. He started with a one-cylinder press in the both met for luncheon with music trade friends at
Murdock building on Longworth street, Cincinnati, the Auditorium Hotel restaurant at Congress street
where he was located for three or four years and then and Michigan boulevard. Always when "Flo" Zieg-
moved to 124 Government place and later to 430 feld was in Chicago he and his father and often music
Sycamore.
trade and music trade paper friends would lunch
About this time a son, Arthur, came to work at the together. It was largely the Chicago music trade
plant and when he became of age four years later he men that started Mr. Ziegfeld in his career, when
became a partner of the business and the firm was they backed him and helped him succeed with San-
then called Otto Zimmerman & Son. The business dow, the strong man, when he gave a complimentary
Sandow reception at the old Exposition Building in
continued expanding and in 1912 was incorporated.
In 1919 they were obliged to seek larger quarters Michigan avenue, during the World's Fair. This
and purchased the old Crawley homestead at 120 Fast attention and aid to yoang Ziegfeld was largely on
Third street where a beautiful plant has been erected, account of his father and his association in the music
one of the finest in this line of business in the world. and musical instrument affairs of the World's Colum-
The business has continued to grow steadily since bian Exposition, then in progress.
1876 until today the Otto Zimmerman & Son Com-
pany operates the largest music engraving and print-
THE LATE WALTER WEISER, PIANO
ing plant west of New York and lithographs more
MAKER AND DEALER
hotel stationery than any other lithographer in the
The trade was greatly surprised to learn of the
United States.
Mr. Zimmerman was the president of the company sudden death of Walter W. Weiser, proprietor of the
at the time of his death; Mr. Arthur Zimmerman, Weiser & Sons piano factory and retail store located
vice-president and general manager; David Davies, at 2100 South Kedzie avenue, Chicago. The business
has been going on there for a long time. In fact,
treasurer, and B. Pherson, secretary.
Mr. Otto Zimmerman was very active in clubs and the firm was established in 1890, Mr. Weiser was one
was a member of the Cincinnati Club, Rotary, New- of the sons of the late John Weiser, who for many
port Commercial and Civic Club, Automobile Club, on years was one of the superintendents of the Kimball
the board of directors of the Campbell County piano factory, where also the deceased was a work-
Orphans' Home and devoted quite a bit of time to man. Mr. Weiser, whose health has been consider-
Y. M. C. A. work. He belonged to No. 13 Knights ably impaired during the past two or three years, was
Templar, Syrian Shrine and was an elder of the First taken to a hospital at Davenport, Iowa, where he
passed away on Labor Day and the remains were
Presbyterian church.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Alice Zimmer- brought to Chicago for burial. The business will be
man, his son Arthur, who was associated with him in carried on by Mrs. Weiser and her son, Carl Weiser,
business, Edwin and daughter Mrs. Willard Bryson, who is the secretary of Weiser & Sons, Inc. The
deceased was a brother of Frank Weiser, the well-
all o; Fort Thomas, Ky..
For the past twenty years or more Mr. and Mrs. known piano technician and expert whose residence
it at Elmhurst.-
Zimmerman have been wintering at St. Petersburg
Fla.. where a s'ster, Mrs. F.melie Bering, resided, and
their summers were mainly spent at their Fort EDWARD S. PAYSON PASSES AWAY
Thomas, Ky., home. Mr. Zimmerman was identified
Just now passes away a romantic and historic fig-
with many public enterprises and numerous civic and
charitable organizations aside from those above ure who for more than thirty years has been closely
connected with piano manufacturing and closely
named.
allied to the music trades and industries of this
country—Edward Saxton Payson. Mr. Pay son died
at his home in Lexington, Mass., twenty miles out of
Boston, within k u r days of reaching his ninety-first
birthday, which would have been the twenty-sixth
of September, as he was born in 1842.
His birthplace is the historic city of Groton, Mass.,
The late George W. Armstrong, who was chairman
of the board of the Baldwin Piano Company up to the eldest son of Rev. Lemuel and Clarissa Saxton
the time of his death at Cincinnati in June, had been Payson. He descended from revolutionary ancestors.
His first commercial work was as clerk in a bank
the recipient of many words of praise and profound
respect from associates in other lines of industry and at Salem, Mass., and, having been especially success-
activities with which lie had been for many years ful in his musical studies, got into grand opera and
connected, as well as by his former associates in the concerts and became quite famous as a basso. He
business which he was instrumental in founding and was with several concert organizations and for sev-
had been connected with since the time he came into eral years was a member of various operatic com-
the business when a young man. Mr. Armstrong's panies, after which he identified himself more directly
home for many years past was the Queen City Club with the music trade.
and he was the oldest resident member of that club
He was first associated with the Henry F. Miller &
at the time of his death.
Sons Piano Company and later, in 1885, joined the
Mr. Armstrong, like his partner, the late Lucien Emerson Piano Company. After the various changes
Wulsin, secured a position with D. H. Baldwin when in management of the Emerson Piano Company he
a young man 16 years of age, starting in the collec- became its president and continued in that office
tion department, and upon the death of Mr. Baldwin up to its last change of ownership.
All these years Mr. Payson took great interest in
these two gentlemen secured the business in 1884
and carried it on to the great proportions that it the affairs of various music trade organizations and
attained under their direction and management. The was president, in 1907 and 1908, of the National Piano
business was incorporated in 1901 as the Baldwin Manufacturers' Association. He was also a mem-
OBITUARY
OTTO ZIMMERMAN
THE LATE GEORGE W. ARM-
STRONG
ber of the National Piano Merchants' Association;
honorary member of the National Piano Travelers'
Association and honorary member of several state
masic trade organizations, and in all of these and all
of his connections in music trade matters, he was a
beloved and devoted personage. He took much in-
terest in local affairs at his home town, Lexington,
being a member of the Chamber of Commerce at
that place, and of the local Grange organization and
the Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Payson will be remembered as a devotee of
the universal language known as Esperanto, in fact
he helped organize that system of universad com-
munication.
Mr. Payson took much interest in many and varied
interests of the day and was always alert to help the
people and the organizations and associations that
interested him. He attended almost all of the annual
national piano manufacturers and merchants gather-
ings and at these his delightful personality and genial-
ity won the hearts of all with whom he came in con-
tact. Mr. Payson will be sadly missed and tears will
be shed on his departure from among us.
Many friends have been hearing quite regularly, for
a long time, directly from Mr. Payson, who wrote
long and beautiful letters by hand and his penman-
ship, even up to his latter days, was a perfect and
readable type of lettering. Of late his letters have
fallen off and even his dearly beloved pal, his wife,
who is in poor health, was unable to continue these
letters.
The many friends of the Philpitt & Son Music
House of Miami Beach, Fla., were pained to learn of
the death of the secretary of that company, Mr. Fred
Philpitt, who was a brother of the founder of the
house, Mr. S. Ernest Philpitt.
The
music
uation
music
death is announced of Benjamin W. Kuhlow,
dealer of Janesville, Wis. Following his grad-
from high school Mr. Kuhlow entered the
business.
JESSE FRENCH COMPANY RECEIVERSHIP
In the matter of the assignment of the Jesse French
Manufacturing Company, H. D. Oberdorfer has been
appointed receiver in place of Franklin George, who
was originally appointed by the court. A receivership
was asked pending readjustment of the affairs of the
Jesse French Manufacturing Company.
TWO NEW SULLIVAN PUBLICATIONS
Will L. Sullivan, music publisher, 516 Englewood
avenue, Chicago, is out with two new compositions,
"Why Do You Want to Leave Me, Nell," and "That's
Why Amelia Flew Over There," two pieces that
ought to find a market in the widely diversified lines
of radio and general entertainment of the day.
Since the last issue of Presto-Times changes have
been made in the names and addresses herewith given,
some having discontinued business entirely, others
moved to new locations and still others "moved and
left no address."
F. J. Affholder, 55 Strand Arcade, Lansing, Mich.,
moved to 324 S. Pine street.
W. H. Baldwin. 2125 Baldwin street, Omaha, Neb-
moved to 935 Redick Towers.
J. H. Gettell, 271 Ft. Washington boulevard, Sta-
tion M, New York City, moved to 130 Ft. Washing-
ton boulevard.
N. W. Ayer & Son, 200 Fifth avenue, New York
city, moved to 500 Fifth avenue.
Charles H. Burtsloff, Benton Harbor, Mich., present
address 538 Pavone avenue.
H. L. Trimble, 1011 25th street. Des Moines. Iowa,
moved to 1325 Forest avenue.
E. Ernest Philpitt & Son, Jacksonville, Fla., mail
now forwarded to 40 S. E. First street, Miami, Fla.
J. C. Lansford, 718 Cherry street, Knoxville, Tenn..
moved and left no address.
George W. Braunsdorf (piano supplies, etc.), 430
E. 53rd street, New York, moved and left no address.
W. K. Anderson, Silver City, N. M., and S. A.
Palmer, Salt Lake City, moved and left no address.
Standard Roll Music Co., 15 Central avenue,
Orange, N. J., discontinued.
TUNERS' NATIONAL CONVENTION
(Continued from page 12)
Auditing Committee, Peter Norin, chairman; Arthur
F. Schneider and A. A. Dengler. Membership Pro-
motion Committee, W. F. Hastings, chairman; Peter
Norin and Erwin H. Bacon. Technical Problems,
Ncls C. Boc. Arthur F. Schneider was chosen to
write a history of the piano, which will be published
serially in the Tuners' Journal.
Chicago Again for Headquarters
It was voted to bring the headquarters of the asso-
ciation back to Chicago, Detroit having held this
honor for the past year.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

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