Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE REVIEW'S TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted and Edited by Win. B. White.
[Contributions are invited for this department from members of the industry bearing strictly on the practical side
of the craft
Communications must be signed with the name and address of the sender
The editor ac-
cepts no responsibility for the opinions of correspondents.]
As a sign of the interest that is being taken in
this department by all classes of men in the mu-
sical instrument trade, we call the readers' at-
tention to the fact that we are in receipt of com-
munications from Mr. W. H. Howe, president of
the Elias Howe Co., of Boston, Mass., the well-
known small instrument makers, and from Mr.
John Fea, of Amsterdam, N. Y., a tuner and
pianoforte expert of more than local celebrity.
Both of these gentlemen have favored the depart-
ment with valuable papers. That of the former
is on the subject of "Sound-board Vibrations,'
and will be published and criticised at length in
the issue of next week. The thanks of the de-
partment are due to both of the gentlemen in
question, and the interest that they so intelli-
gently take in this work of the department is
most praiseworthy, and affords a most laudable
example to other members of the trade.
ways in which improvement might be practically
achieved, and certain of the most obvious of the
needed improvements. Mr. Fea, however, has
opened up new ground in his letter, and we
may properly give some attention to his ideas.
For example, he suggests that squeaking in
actions might permanently be prevented if means
were taken to expose the damper springs and
damper lifting rod to the tools of the regulator.
The use of a noiseless pedal mechanism, while
a step in the right direction, only removes such
of the defects of operation as directly arise in the
pedals themselves, and in their atttendant trap-
work. The damper springs squeak frequently, and
the damper-lifting rod is even more often guilty
of such performances. These things, however, do
not generally become apparent until long after
the instrument has been sold by the manufac-
turer and by the retailer. In consequence, these
evils are overlooked by the original action maker,
since he seldom has occasion to consider the wel-
fare of the luckless individual who will later be
called on to cure the various distressing troubles
to which squeaky actions give rise.
age of the instrument increases. At the same
time the glued sides almost always become
either loosened or more or less warped out of
place. Now, it will be recollected that the usual
method of securing the action to the instrument
contemplates a set of bolts driven into the key-
bed at suitable heights, and corresponding bolts
above the former and projecting from the sur-
face of the wrest-plank through holes bored in
the iron plate.
The disadvantages of such a method of con-
struction are very apparent. The sinking of the
key-bed causes the action bolts on it to sink at
the same time and thus loosens the bottom por-
tions of the action brackets. Now, if a method
such as Mr. Fea suggests, could be arranged,
whereby the complete task of holding the action
in place would be put upon the iron plate (which
is best fitted to endure it), there can be no doubt
that a cause of much loss of touch and looseness
of action would be avoided.
Further, we must, remember the action bolt
nuts. It is well known that these are generally
an unmitigated nuisance to all who have any-
thing to do with them. Besides they perform
their work in a very inefficient manner. There
is, however, on the market a form of action bolt
and nut that overcomes the objections raised
against the ordinary style most successfully, the
nut being permanently secured to the action
bracket. The main fault to be found with the
ordinary kind of nut is that it does not fit. prop-
erly when the bolt has to be bent out of a
straight line; that it never retains the continu-
ity of its threading, and that tightening and
loosening of it is a slow and difficult process.
We print herewith the letter of Mr. Pea.
"Dear Sir:—From the viewpoint taken by a
tuner of thirty-three years' practical experience,
the writer would say that he has a very high
estimation of the technical department of The
Music Trade Review. It is, in fact, the very best
The suggestion of Mr. Fea is really admirable
of its kind that has, as yet, appeared in any of
the trade papers. Manufacturers of pianos in its simplicity and practicability. Undoubtedly
As to the "muffler," of which Mr. Fea is so
should give the technical page close scrutiny, and if the damper rod swing wires were adjusted on
then at once profit by the practical advice given the flange rail in the space at the rear of each outspoken in expressing an opinion, there is
therein. Much improvement could be made in action bracket, the tuner or repairer would save really very little of good to be said for the usual
the construction of actions and keys, to make much time and gain greatly in accuracy and con- kind of device that goes under this name. The
them, and to keep them, in harmony each with venience whenever he found it necessary to pay whole idea is, of course, directly borrowed from
• attention to the rod. For such a method would the "buff-stop" of the square pianoforte, which
the other.
"Noiseless pedals do not prevent squeaks in the render the instant removal of the whole rod a is in turn a survival of the harp and lute stops
damper springs or the damper-bar swings. The matter of ease, whereas, to get at the swings for of the harpsichord.
swings of the damper-bar should invariably be the purpose of releasing the rod is now a lengthy
The fundamental idea of the device is, per se,
hitched to the flange rail in the spaces at the and dangerous operation. Every practical re-
rear of action brackets, to allow of easy removal pairer knows that it is necessary to take out the good. Whether it be used for the peculiar effects
or to give access to oil the bearings. The anti- damper swing rod every few years and cover its obtainable from it, or whether we merely con-
quated bracket bolts and their nuts to hold action surface with a coating of graphite, which is then sider the relief gained by using it for practice
in place should be replaced by simple cam clamps burnished. In this way the friction of the metal • purposes, there can be no question that the de-
attached to the face of the string-plate. That rod against the felt of the damper levers is ab- vice has elements of value. The chief trouble is
abominable thing, vulgarly termed the "muffler," sorbed, and silent working of the parts assured. with the method of mounting and construction.
instead of being made of one long strip of felt, Moreover, the bearings of the swings must be
The ordinary style of construction makes use
should be separated between each group of uni- oiled occasionally for the same purpose. As at
son strings to prevent discord with neighboring present arranged, these bearings cannot be ex- of a wooden or metallic rail 1o which is glued a
unisons. Yes, there are hundreds of simple im- posed without the risk of breaking one or more strip of felt, of graduated thickness. The rail is
provements to suggest, but is there a manufac- of the damper levers; or at least without the cer- adapted to be raised or lowered in front of the
turer of pianos ready to lift himself out of the tainty of flooding them with oil if the lubrica- hammers so as to interpose the felt between the
hammers and the strings, or to remove it from
old traditional rut by taking advice from a tion be undertaken without removing them.
that position whenever desired. The raising or
tuner?"
As for the damper-springs (not so particu- lowering is accomplished by a rod and trap work
larly mentioned by Mr. Fea), why could they connecting with a third pedal.
This letter may well be considered as a model not be placed on the outside of the levers instead
of its kind. Within its short compass are con- of at their inner face. They would have to be
The great fault to be found here is, as sug-
tained a number of most valuable suggestions; on the under side of the lever and below the gested by Mr. Fea in the construction of the felt
nor does the writer waste any time in prelimin- flange instead of above. Such a method would damping strip. It would be far better if there
ary skirmishing. On the contrary, he comes not offer any particular difficulties and would be were a separate small piece of felt for each uni-
straight to the point without fencing. Abandon- much more convenient, as there would no longer son group of strings. These should be stretched
ing consideration of the complimentary portion be blind groping after the springs for the pur- upon a frame and the frame should be made to
of Mr. Fea's letter, we desire to direct attention pose of oiling them or of strengthening them by slide in grooves or slots upon the sides of the
to the various points that he makes.
case. There is no difficulty about connecting the
bending.
frame with the trap-work. Very often these de-
vices are provided with locks, adapted to
Mr. Fea, as will be observed, has a number of
A further and complementary reform would
ideas in relation to the betterment of the upright lie in the direction of substituting suitable metal hold down the connecting trap-work lever un-
action. It is perfectly true that, this mechanism, lifters for the wooden rods that are now used til the pressing of one of the other pedals re-
as now constructed, is far from fulfilling all the to raise the hammer and damper rails in connec- leases it. By this means it is possible to have
demands that the touch of artists puts upon it. tion with the loud and soft pedals. These wooden the muffler continuously in operation when a
For this reason, the upright has ever been re- rods never maintain their original shapes but al- student, for instance, is practicing, without, the
garded as mechanically inferior to the grand. ways warp in some way, thus binding against necessity of keeping the foot upon the pedal.
While it may be doubted whether a practical their sockets and affecting the proper working
We think that Mr. Fea is unduly pessimistic
double escapement can be applied to the present and correlation of the various parts of the action as to the attitude of the action makers and piano-
form of upright action; whether in short, the re- and pedals.
forte manufacturers. He should remember that
peating qualities can be radically modified; there
they are besieged with offers by long haired and
is no doubt whatever that the present type of up-
As to the suggestion advanced by Mr. Fea in unpractical geniuses, who have infallible schemes
right action is not yet mechanically developed reference to the securing of the action in place, for revolutionizing the whole system of action
along its natural lines in all the perfection that it may be observed that this is a point that has construction and of pretty much everything else.
might reasonably be expected? This department often been neglected. The key-bed of the upright
had occasion to discuss, a few weeks ago, certain pianoforte is subject to a gradual sinking, as the
The files of the Patent Office show this kind