Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
10
ments. They too should rightly be operated
from a maximum downwards, thus making it
possible to build all the parts small, while se-
curing quicker response and cleaner repetition.
The summation of all these considerations
amounts to this: that the design of the player-
piano was originally laid on the incorrect,
though at the time inevitable, foundation of
working upwards from a zero pressure, thus
making the operation of all non-speaking parts
uncertain and of all speaking parts limited in
range of power. It now remains, not to go on
trying to improve the details of a mechanism
built on this idea, but rather to begin once
more from the foundation idea correctly con-
ceived, and to reverse all our old conceptions in
the light of this new idea. Our designers must
grasp the principle of maxima, the principle that
by working downwards instead of upwards you
reduce size and weight, secure quicker ac-
tion, and altogether replace uncertainty with
certainty, relative inefficiency with relative ef-
ficiency. This, of course, means that the old
idea of the bellows system must be replaced
with the new idea of this constant-level high-
tension power plant. This in turn means the
development of some small compact form of
rotary blower operated by suitable motor power.
The details of governance and control will fol-
low as a matter of course.
We shall not here go into details of the me-
chanical and musical advantages to be gained
by the application of this new conception. That
must be reserved for another time.
"But we do want every one of the many
thousands
of dealers who read the Standard
(Continued from page 9)
Player Monthly to harvest all the sales that
when a number of non-speaking elements are
will ripen before January first.
loaded on, they cannot work at maximum pres-
"Possibly one of the manufacturers with
sure without lowering the level of this for all
whom you are doing business, Mr. Dealer-
purposes, speaking and non-speaking. It is
Reader, may have some player-pianos that you
therefore quite certain that if we are to con-
can persuade him to ship you. If so, get your
sider the player mechanism in the future as
order, in quickly. In case you find it impos-
operating entirely from a maximum down, we
sible to replenish your stock immediately, you
must first re-think our power-producing system,
can make many sales from a sample, with prom-
and in time re-think our entire scheme.
ise of later delivery.
The reciprocating bellows provide nearly the
"What happened last summer is water over
worst type of power plant that could be
the dam. Yet we are only human in pointing
imagined for any purpose of delivering constant
to the fact that if our advice had been taken
power at high level. We must sooner or later
at that time fewer sales would have been lost.
come to the idea of a rotary device, motor
First come, first served, has been the rule in
driven and capable of delivering a pressure
the Standard player action plant, and those
equivalent to the highest that may ever be
who did get their specifications in earlier in the
needed in playing the piano. Given this, all
year are now reaping the benefit.
non-speaking pneumatics should be worked on
"The manufacturing facilities of the Stand-
it, which means that they will all be smaller and
ard Pneumatic Action Co. are far greater than
more compact than they are now, and that all
those of any other player action manufactur-
will work more rapidly than they do now. The
ing plant in the world, but even we could not
bellows system of the future must then not
possibly cope with the extraordinary demand of
be a bellows system at all, and it must be de-
the last two months. We have given excep-
signed to work all non-speaking elements at
tional service, and in no case where orders were
maximum pressure. The conception and grasp
placed before the rush of the past sixty days
of this principle will mark the next stage of
have we failed to make deliveries promptly.
player evolution. Indeed, if the player had not
"We have already booked thousands of play-
been thrust too hastily on the market, it is
er actions for next year's delivery, and while
certain that it would long since have been
this feverish activity will cool a bit around
grasped and put into practice, to the great ad-
January first, there is every indication that the
vantage of all concerned.
demand for the more desirable player-pianos
Similar reasoning applies to the speaking ele-
will continue to test the facilities of manufac-
turing plants right along after the beginning
ot the new year.
"Our plant will have produced, when Decem-
J. A. LeCato, President of the Standard Pneumatic Action Co., Tells of Some of the Causes for
ber 31 rolls around, about 25 per cent, of all
the Shortage in Players This Season—The Advantage of Placing Orders in Advance
the player actions made in the United States
A very fair idea of the present situation, so and December because player actions and pianos during the year. We are naturally very proud
far as player actions and player-pianos are con- in which to install them are not available in; of such a record—proud that the Standard oc-
cerned, may be gleaned from the remarks of sufficient quantities.
cupies the position it does in the affections of
J. A. LeCato, president of the Standard Pneu-
"Though it is rather late now to mend the the trade—proud that our labor of years to
matic Action Co., New York, on the player fence, for most of the cattle have strayed, yet make the Standard the most durable player
shortage, which appeared in this month's we want to have one last word on this sub- action in the world has met with such unquali-
Standard Player Monthly.
ject.
fied success and proud of the confidence the
"Every piano dealer should order this in- music industry of the United States has placed
"For many months," says Mr. LeCato, "we
have been urging our customers to order, order, stant by telegraph all the player-pianos he in us and our product."
order! All signs pointed to an unprecedented thinks he can possibly use for the next sixty
demand for player-pianos during the last three days.
PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS MIXED
months of the year. We felt that this demand
"We do not give this advice because we want
would exceed the supply in view of general any more business before January first. We
In a recent issue of The Review J. Wolfe
business conditions on the one hand and the have been compelled to turn down orders be- Gilbert was quoted in praise of the Q R S roll
enormous difficulty in securing materials be- cause of the great rush of business that has of the song: "Out of the Cradle Into My Heart,"
yond our usual quota on the other.
and was credited, through error, with being
come during the past sixty days.
"The manufacturer who has not given us manager of the professional department of J.
"Events have proven that we had sized up
the situation correctly.
The demand for his full specifications by the time this reaches H. Remick & Co., a position which is ably filled
player-pianos to-day is greater than the supply, the trade cannot have hope of getting more by Mose Gumble. Mr. Gilbert looks after the
profession for Jos. W. Stern & Co.
and many sales will be lost during November player actions for this year's delivery.
PNEUMATICS
WHY THERE WILL BE A SHORTAGE IN PLAYER-PIANOS
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York