Music Trade Review
Issue: 1901 Vol. 32 N. 10 - Page 8
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
How Women Tuners Are Hade! tematically, as well as doing her work con-
SOME UNIQUE INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC
GLEANED FROM THE TRIBUNE THE WRIT-
ER IS ENTITLED TO THE HIGHEST
POSSIBLE PRIZE FOR HIS TREAT-
MENT OF THIS SUBJECT.
The inaccuracies and bungling of the
daily papers in treating of music trade af-
fairs is really irritating. In last Sunday's
Tribune appeared a story regarding the in-
cursion of women in the piano tuning do-
main, which is liable to lead many foolish
women to believe that piano tuning is
something that can be mastered after a
lesson or two with such financial results as
to prevent them from seeking their fortune
in the Klondike.
After referring to the fitness of women
for this kind of work some pointers are
given as to how the business is learned.
For instance:
"Men, as a rule, pick up the business
while working in piano factories, where
they see and hear the tuners 'chipping' a
piano, as it is termed. ' Chipping ' consists
of picking at the strings ot a piano which
has just been put together and tightening
them up before sending them out of the
factory.
From watching and imitating
these tuners other tuners start out as
qualified."
Isn't this a gem? What a pointer for
our literary friends to become great novel-
ists by watching them dip their pens in ink
and write.
To go back to our subject. This writer
on piano tuning then proceeds to tell how
success may be achieved, and says:
"The best way for a woman to work up
a trade is for her to go to some nearby vil-
lage, carrying her tuning 'kit' in a hand
satchel. This 'kit' costs about $16. On
her arrival she should go to each house
and send in her card with her name and
business on it. Tuners do not meet with
the rebuffs that book agents encounter.
The business is stated on the card, and if
there is a piano that needs tuning the mis-
tress of the house is at once interested.
The tuner can usually effect an arrange-
ment to call periodically, and keep the
piano 'on edge,' as it is termed, that is,
thoroughly tuned up. To keep a piano in
perfect condition it should be tuned every
three months, but those who cannot afford
this will arrange for every six months or
once each year. The first customer will
usually give the tuuer the names of some
of her friends who may want their pianos
tuned, and thus a good trade is worked up
in that village, and the tuner will there-
after make the rounds of her pianos at
stated intervals. Proceeding in this man-
ner in one village after another, the tuner
gradually secures a long list of customers.
One of my pupils who settled in Southamp-
ton, Mass., has a flourishing business, and
another in Albany, N. Y., who is also a
musician, had added tuning to her previous
work with great profit.
"The prices paid for tuning a piano
range from $r to $2.50. The average
tuner gets $2 for each piano, and four
pianos constitute a good day's work. One
hour and a half is required for each piano.
Two pianos a day would be a small- esti-
mate, and at that rate the tuner would
make $24 a week, aside from repairing,
which comes incidentally, and will fre-
quently run up to $35 for a small piece of
work. But few of the occupations for
women yield such immense results for a
small outlay, and« by keeping a record of
her pianos and covering the ground sys-
scientiously, the woman tuner can build
up a business which will render her self-
supporting, and afford her an independence
regarding the disposal of her time which
only a few occupations would enable her
to enjoy."
Of all the inane stuff regarding piano
tuning which has appeared in the daily
papers this is entitled to the grand prix.
It is such "rot" that accounts for so
many itinerant tinkers, so called piano
tuners, making their debut in the piano
trade.
The woods are full of men and women
who annually spoil many good pianos
throughout the country under the guise of
tuning them.
A Nicaraguan Exposition.
The Executive Committee of the Nation-
al Piano Manufacturers' Association held a
conference at the Hotel Logerot on Wed-
nesday evening with a special committee
of the N. Y. P. M. A., to consider ways
and means regarding the forthcoming an-
nual meeting of the N. P. M. A., to which
prominent dealers throughout the country
will be invited.
The subject was thoroughly discussed
but no definite arrangements as to recep-
tion were concluded. Final action was
deferred until another conference could be
held. The second meeting of the commit-
tees will take place in the early part of the
coming week. It was decided, however,
that the annual meeting in question, origi-
nally fixed for May 8, would not be held
until May 15, so that the natural beauties
of this locality might be enjoyed by the
Association's guests.
It is understood that the leading deal-
ers, as a whole, view with unequivocal
favor the proposition to attend the N. P.
M. A. annual meeting. It promises to be
a big success.
A. D. Straus, Consul General for Nicara-
gua, has received information from the
Nicaragua Minister at Washington of the
establishment of a "National Museum,"
devoted to the development of indus-
try, commerce and science, with a sec-
tion devoted to foreign commerce and
industry. In order to establish better
commercial relations between Europe,
America and Nicaragua, a large hall has
been provided in Managua, the capital of
Nicaragua, for the public display of the
products of foreign lands. The director of
this museum invites the Nicaraguan Con-
suls in Europe and America to solicit from
the manufacturers and producers within
their consulates samples of goods and
articles of their manufacture—only such as
will be of interest, and of commercial value
to that country being desired. Articles of
this description are to be exhibited at all
times free of cost, and it is anticipated that
a permanent exhibition of this kind will
inure to the benefit of both exhibitors and
visitors.
Mr. Straus extends an invitation to the
merchants and manufacturers to send him
samples suitable for the purpose, suggested
by the director of this Central American
Museum. He requests, also, that all ex-
hibits be accompanied by a lucid descrip-
tion or by instructions how to operate
them, their advantages, their technical or
commercial names, together with cata-
logue, price-lists, terms, commissions al-
lowed to agents—and especially the style
of packing for export. This latter point
is of great importance to the Nicaraguans,
as the custom duties of that country are
based on the gross weights. All consign-
ments should be packed as lightly as is
consistent with safety.
Sawdust on the roof of the boiler house
of H. Holtzman & Son's piano stool and
cover factory, Columbus, O., caught fire
from sparks Friday night. The depart-
ment was called, but there was no loss.
In connection with the silver anniver-
sary of the Wanamaker store a number of
special bargains in second-hand pianos are
being advertised in the local papers.
Association Members Confer.
"Jill about 11$ and below
tbe sound of hammers blow
on blow " • « • • • •
A n d e v e r y w h e r e in t h e m u s i c c i r c l e s
t h e s o u n d of t h e h a m m e r s of
. . . .
DAVID H. SCHMIDT
may be heard. They are the most enduring,
the most satisfactory, the most perfect,
because they are made by hammer specialists
in a hammer factory.
factory:
667 to * $ ; €a$t
new York.
street,
A SPECIALTY OF
DEALERS' TRADE
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
How Women Tuners Are Hade! tematically, as well as doing her work con-
SOME UNIQUE INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC
GLEANED FROM THE TRIBUNE THE WRIT-
ER IS ENTITLED TO THE HIGHEST
POSSIBLE PRIZE FOR HIS TREAT-
MENT OF THIS SUBJECT.
The inaccuracies and bungling of the
daily papers in treating of music trade af-
fairs is really irritating. In last Sunday's
Tribune appeared a story regarding the in-
cursion of women in the piano tuning do-
main, which is liable to lead many foolish
women to believe that piano tuning is
something that can be mastered after a
lesson or two with such financial results as
to prevent them from seeking their fortune
in the Klondike.
After referring to the fitness of women
for this kind of work some pointers are
given as to how the business is learned.
For instance:
"Men, as a rule, pick up the business
while working in piano factories, where
they see and hear the tuners 'chipping' a
piano, as it is termed. ' Chipping ' consists
of picking at the strings ot a piano which
has just been put together and tightening
them up before sending them out of the
factory.
From watching and imitating
these tuners other tuners start out as
qualified."
Isn't this a gem? What a pointer for
our literary friends to become great novel-
ists by watching them dip their pens in ink
and write.
To go back to our subject. This writer
on piano tuning then proceeds to tell how
success may be achieved, and says:
"The best way for a woman to work up
a trade is for her to go to some nearby vil-
lage, carrying her tuning 'kit' in a hand
satchel. This 'kit' costs about $16. On
her arrival she should go to each house
and send in her card with her name and
business on it. Tuners do not meet with
the rebuffs that book agents encounter.
The business is stated on the card, and if
there is a piano that needs tuning the mis-
tress of the house is at once interested.
The tuner can usually effect an arrange-
ment to call periodically, and keep the
piano 'on edge,' as it is termed, that is,
thoroughly tuned up. To keep a piano in
perfect condition it should be tuned every
three months, but those who cannot afford
this will arrange for every six months or
once each year. The first customer will
usually give the tuuer the names of some
of her friends who may want their pianos
tuned, and thus a good trade is worked up
in that village, and the tuner will there-
after make the rounds of her pianos at
stated intervals. Proceeding in this man-
ner in one village after another, the tuner
gradually secures a long list of customers.
One of my pupils who settled in Southamp-
ton, Mass., has a flourishing business, and
another in Albany, N. Y., who is also a
musician, had added tuning to her previous
work with great profit.
"The prices paid for tuning a piano
range from $r to $2.50. The average
tuner gets $2 for each piano, and four
pianos constitute a good day's work. One
hour and a half is required for each piano.
Two pianos a day would be a small- esti-
mate, and at that rate the tuner would
make $24 a week, aside from repairing,
which comes incidentally, and will fre-
quently run up to $35 for a small piece of
work. But few of the occupations for
women yield such immense results for a
small outlay, and« by keeping a record of
her pianos and covering the ground sys-
scientiously, the woman tuner can build
up a business which will render her self-
supporting, and afford her an independence
regarding the disposal of her time which
only a few occupations would enable her
to enjoy."
Of all the inane stuff regarding piano
tuning which has appeared in the daily
papers this is entitled to the grand prix.
It is such "rot" that accounts for so
many itinerant tinkers, so called piano
tuners, making their debut in the piano
trade.
The woods are full of men and women
who annually spoil many good pianos
throughout the country under the guise of
tuning them.
A Nicaraguan Exposition.
The Executive Committee of the Nation-
al Piano Manufacturers' Association held a
conference at the Hotel Logerot on Wed-
nesday evening with a special committee
of the N. Y. P. M. A., to consider ways
and means regarding the forthcoming an-
nual meeting of the N. P. M. A., to which
prominent dealers throughout the country
will be invited.
The subject was thoroughly discussed
but no definite arrangements as to recep-
tion were concluded. Final action was
deferred until another conference could be
held. The second meeting of the commit-
tees will take place in the early part of the
coming week. It was decided, however,
that the annual meeting in question, origi-
nally fixed for May 8, would not be held
until May 15, so that the natural beauties
of this locality might be enjoyed by the
Association's guests.
It is understood that the leading deal-
ers, as a whole, view with unequivocal
favor the proposition to attend the N. P.
M. A. annual meeting. It promises to be
a big success.
A. D. Straus, Consul General for Nicara-
gua, has received information from the
Nicaragua Minister at Washington of the
establishment of a "National Museum,"
devoted to the development of indus-
try, commerce and science, with a sec-
tion devoted to foreign commerce and
industry. In order to establish better
commercial relations between Europe,
America and Nicaragua, a large hall has
been provided in Managua, the capital of
Nicaragua, for the public display of the
products of foreign lands. The director of
this museum invites the Nicaraguan Con-
suls in Europe and America to solicit from
the manufacturers and producers within
their consulates samples of goods and
articles of their manufacture—only such as
will be of interest, and of commercial value
to that country being desired. Articles of
this description are to be exhibited at all
times free of cost, and it is anticipated that
a permanent exhibition of this kind will
inure to the benefit of both exhibitors and
visitors.
Mr. Straus extends an invitation to the
merchants and manufacturers to send him
samples suitable for the purpose, suggested
by the director of this Central American
Museum. He requests, also, that all ex-
hibits be accompanied by a lucid descrip-
tion or by instructions how to operate
them, their advantages, their technical or
commercial names, together with cata-
logue, price-lists, terms, commissions al-
lowed to agents—and especially the style
of packing for export. This latter point
is of great importance to the Nicaraguans,
as the custom duties of that country are
based on the gross weights. All consign-
ments should be packed as lightly as is
consistent with safety.
Sawdust on the roof of the boiler house
of H. Holtzman & Son's piano stool and
cover factory, Columbus, O., caught fire
from sparks Friday night. The depart-
ment was called, but there was no loss.
In connection with the silver anniver-
sary of the Wanamaker store a number of
special bargains in second-hand pianos are
being advertised in the local papers.
Association Members Confer.
"Jill about 11$ and below
tbe sound of hammers blow
on blow " • « • • • •
A n d e v e r y w h e r e in t h e m u s i c c i r c l e s
t h e s o u n d of t h e h a m m e r s of
. . . .
DAVID H. SCHMIDT
may be heard. They are the most enduring,
the most satisfactory, the most perfect,
because they are made by hammer specialists
in a hammer factory.
factory:
667 to * $ ; €a$t
new York.
street,
A SPECIALTY OF
DEALERS' TRADE
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