Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . XXXII. N o . 7. Published Every Saturday Dy Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street, New York, Feb. 16,1901.
Piano Making in the Twentieth Century.
ITS VARIED PHASES DISCUSSED BY PAUL G. MEHLIN THE MANY CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE
MANUFACTURERS OF THIS ERA AND THE OLD.
Paul G. Mehlin, head of the firm of Paul
G. Mehlin & Sons, believes that the twen-
tieth century piano manufacturer of the
United States must be strictly up to date
if he wishes to become a power in the
trade. Furthermore, in Mr. Mehlin's opin-
ion, he must be proud of his calling and
jealous of the industry's prestige and good
name.
In the last issue of The Review, Charles
H. Parsons, president of the Needham
Piano & Organ Co., gave the trade the
benefit of his views as to the business es-
sentials of the twentieth century traveling
piano-salesman. Following along the same
line, Paul G. Mehlin, one of the veterans
among experienced practical piano-makers,
was asked tLis week what he thought would
and should be the leading characteristics
of the twentieth-century piano manufac-
turer.
"If he wishes to succeed," replied Mr.
Mehlin, "he must see that his machinery
and other appliances for case making—pro-
viding, of course, that he makes his own
cases—is of the latest and best form.
Much progress has been made in this di-
rection since I entered the business.
There is still room for improvement.
Certainly there is more scope for addi-
tions and advantageous alterations in this
department than in any other. The ma-
chinery for the making of piano cases
to-day is a vast improvement over what
has been.
"In many other departments of the fac-
tory the work must continue with but
few modifications, in the same manner as it
has been carried on for a quarter of a cen-
tury. Take plate-making, stringing and
the other features incidental to that de-
partment. Certain changes in shape or
general design may be made, but for the
vital purpose of sound-producing, there
can be no change that will seriously affect
the very basis—the number of string vibra-
tions necessary to produce certain desired
effects. Still the manufacturer must al-
ways be alert to improve means and meth-
ods in every direction."
"You spoke of changes made in case-
making machinery, Mr. Mehlin, and we
all know that there has been a general ad-
vance in tools and similar appliances. Has
the standard of mental equipment of the
Z m
S3.00 PRR YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
of his hire. They paid the price asked
without question, and were glad to pur-
chase at that price. Rarely did he have
any traveling men on his staff.
"Now things are entirely different.
The pursuit of artistic pianos has given
place to the pursuit of the dollar. Trav-
elers have to go hither and thither at
lightning speed to see the dealers.
Dealers make flying visits to see the man-
ufacturers. But what a change has come
over the spirit of these enterprises! Of-
tener than not, the first question—not the
last—is: 'What's your price for that style?
Oh! that's too much. I can go to So-and-
so and get as good-looking an instrument
for five dollars less.'
''I do not intend this in any offensive
sense. Presumably the dealer [is driven
to do it by his customers, who treat him in
the same way and force him down to their
level. Nevertheless, two wrongs do not
make a right and I maintain that if the
dealer of to-day were to stand up—many
do, but many more do not—for the dignity
of our calling and theirs, as their predeces-
sors did—giving piano buyers to under-
stand that if they want a good piano they
must pay a fair price for it, and that it is
better to wait until they can get an instru-
ment worthy of the name and that will en-
dure than to try a nondescript that will not
endure—the trade would be vastly benefit-
ed."
"Concerning the general conduct of
business, wholesale and retail, Mr. Mehlin,
what do you think are the principal differ-
ences between the manufacturer of this
new era and of the old?"
"The whole aspect of business has
changed. Many changes are for the bet-
ter. Those I have just mentioned are
not, but I am free to admit that some are,
notably those that have come about
through extension of territory and growth
of population, such as judicious advertis-
ing, persistently carried on in dignified,
legitimate ways. There are so many peo-
ple, and every intelligent, active person
has so many things to divert his attention,
that by such methods alone can merit be
made known far and wide."
average piano-making mechanic kept pace,
in your opinion, with the advance made in
the machinery and tools he uses?"
"I am not at all sure that it has, taking
a broad survey of the situation," was the
reply. "I am inclined to think it has, on
the contrary, been lowered. The mechanic
who learned the trade when I learned
mine had to think and reason at every
step. He had to do it to get good results,
and good results were the only results
wanted. There was no market for any
other kind.
"The piano making mechanic of to-
day is more automatic in his methods.
He has his thinking done for him
and, as a rule, he keeps in certain
well-defined grooves and ruts.
Un-
less he breaks away from these ruts and
grooves his automatic life continues. Hav-
ing once mastered work in some special,
but narrow field, there is no more neces-
sity for him to think. That kind of an ex-
istence pleases many because it is ' easy.'
But you can see the net result, can you not?
Instead of having an army of men thor-
oughly trained in every department of a
factory and who, therefore, have a fairly-
good all-round knowledge, you have an
army of men who can do this or do that,
and when ' this ' or ' that' is done they are
at the end of their rope, using the phrase
in any sense you want."
"Now, Mr. Mehlin, we have talked
about the manufacturer in his factory.
Suppose we consider him for a moment
outside of his factory. What are the prin-
cipal differences in the relations between
manufacturers and dealers of your early
days and during the present period—-at
the beginning of the twentieth century? "
"Thirty years ago, the manufacturer
stayed at his factory and devoted his whole
time and attention to the construction
of artistic instruments — instruments of
which he, and his children, and his chil-
dren's children might be proud. Once
having established his full right and
The Steinertone was played last Friday
title to be called a piano manufacturer,
night by Heinrich Gebhardt, the talented
the news traveled slowly perhaps but young Boston pianist, at the People's Sym-
surely, and dealers, appreciative of high- phony concert in Cooper Union, under
class work and decrying all other, came the direction of F. X. Arens. Mr. Geb-
to see him. They made no quibble about hardt's superb playing created a perfect
a five-dollar bill here or there. They rea- furore and the lovely qualities of the Stein-
soned rightly that the laborer was worthy ertone were much admired.
|TKE N
REVIEW
JfUSIC TIRADE
iff
[PUBLIC
THE
K w
p