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Music Trade Review

Issue: 1917 Vol. 64 N. 23 - Page 51

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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
51
REVIEW
SOME INTERESTING DETAILS CONCERNING PIANO WIRE
What Constitutes Real Piano Strings—The Accomplishments of One of Our Great American In-
stitutions Along Lines of Scientific Development—Brands Used by Leading Manufacturers
What is the ideal piano string? The answer
would be, one that is duly proportioned to its
pitch and capable of producing a satisfactory
tone quality.
The ideal piano string presupposes an ideal
piano wire.
In this connection we might add that the
American Steel & Wire Co., manufacturers of
the "Perfected" and "Crown" brands of piano
wire, has been developing by research and by
experiment year after year, and these products
represent the cumulative result of all of the ex-
perimental work during that period in the blend-
ing of metals for perfect acoustic purposes.
There are so many things to consider in the
manufacture of piano wire.
It must possess the qualities of ductility and
tensile strength. It must yield readily to the
tuning hammer, stretching and recovering in
turn with equal facility, while on the other
hand it must possess sufficient tensile strength
to assure that when once stretched it will re-
tain its new proportions for an indefinite length
of time. When we add to these requirements
the further requirement of toughness, it will be
seen that the production of a perfect piano
wire involves a complexity of detail hardly im-
aginable, and when a great house with unlimited
resources devotes a long period of years in the
development of piano wire which shall meet with
every requirement, it certainly is impressive.
There must be evenness in diameter, homo-
geneity of structure, ductility, tensile strength
and toughness—all of these elements which in
their true portions together combine to make a
perfect piano wire.
PIANO ACTION MACHINERY
We are also builders and designers of
Special Machines for Special Purposes
The A . H. NILSON MACHINE CO.
BRIDGEPORT. CONN., U. S. A.
It has been the task of the American Steel
& Wire Co. to solve all of these problems dur-
ing its long years of experimental work.
It is, therefore, easy to see that much splen-
did work has been done by this company, and
is being done in various directions.
A visit to the plant of this great corporation
will convince piano manufacturers that they
have perfected the mechanical side of the art
in a remarkable way.
Piano makers and pianists agree as to what
constitutes a good piano tone.
Physically
analyzed it is seen that this tone is resolvable
into a sound-wave form of definite nature. This
wave form, generally speaking, is marked by
the possession of a strong fundamental vibra-
tion, and in the manufacture of piano wire it
becomes obvious that the most important ele-
ment in obtaining perfection is the evenness of
the wire drawing.
Then there are other points to consider, such
as durability, tensile strength, evenness and
ductility. These are all prime essentials in the
ideal piano wire, and it must possess an almost
perfect homogeneity of structure throughout. If
this is ntft so precisely the same conditions will
be found to occur as have been noted as fol-
lowing from unevenness. We must ever keep
in mind the fact that a piano wire vibrates in
segments as well as in its whole length, so that
every section of the wire must be perfect.
The scientific analysis of piano wire is inter-
esting, and it seems reasonable that a great cor-
poration with boundless capital at its command,
having devoted more than six decades to spe-
cializing in piano wire, should be able to meet
with all the requirements of the piano maker.
When we consider that the American Steel &
Wire Co. has supplied for many years some of
America's leading and most representative piano
manufacturers, it must be conceded that they
know whereof they speak when they refer to a
wire quality standard.
GEO. W. BRAUNSDORF, Inc.
Tuners' Trade
Manufacturers of
Solicited
PAPER, FELT AND CLOTH PUNCHINGS
BRIDLE STRAPS, FIBRE WASHERS AND BRIDGES
FOR PIANOS, ORGANS AND PLAYER ACTIONS
i
And when you're satisfied
that we've the best punch-
ings on the market, cut
clean and accurately from
the best of material in cellu-
loid, cloth, felt, fibre,
leather, paper, rubber or
whatever you want, give
us credit and send your
orders to
CEGOEPEL*C0
137 E A S T I3 T ^ ST.
NEW YORK
WALNUT INCREASING IN USE
The Louisville Hardwood Club is authority
for the statement that the consumption of
American walnut has increased 100 per cent,
during the last few months on account of the
scarcity of Circassian walnut, which is not to
be had. Price seems to be no object with
users of high-grade veneers, it being merely a
matter of getting the stock, all of the mills in
the country working overtime.
The Ohio Veneer Co. I
CINCINNATI, O.
(
Importers and Manufacturers of Figured § |
H Mahogany and Foreign Woods for high- If
j| grade piano cases and cabinets.
'New York Office and Sample Room M
Grand Central Palace Bldg.
Lexington Ave. and 46th St.
G. H. VAUGHAN. Eastern Representative
Office and Factory: 422-430 East 53d Street, New York
THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY & CO., IV0RYTON
CONN.
ANUFACTUKEKS
Piano-forte Ivory Keys, Actions and Hammers,
Ivory and Composition Covered Organ Keys
Established 18S3
GRUBB 4 KO8EGARTEN BROS.
Manufacturers ol HIGH GRADE
PIANO-FORTE ACTIONS
NASSAU. Rensselaer County. N. Y.
THE STANDARD CO.
T0RR1NGT0N,
CONN.
r.
SYLVESTER TOWER CO.
GraiMi a n d
Tower* Above
All Others
Upright Piano-forte Actions 2? ESSS'SSi
Keys, Actions. Hammers. Brackets and Nickel Rail Furnished Complete
131 to 147 Broadway
.
.
.
CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASS.
WESSELL, NICKEL & GROSS
MANUFACTURERS OF
Manufacturers of a
Complete Line of Piano Action Hardware
Brass Flanges, Damper Rods, Special Capstan Screws,
Bracket and Ball Bolts, Key Pins, Regulating Brackets
and Specialties.
WHITE, SON COMPANY
Manufacturers
ORGAN AND PLAYER-PIANO BOSTON.
LEATHERS
MASS.
PIANO
ACTIONS
HIGHEST GRADE
ONE GRADE ONLY
OFFICE
457 WEST FORTY-FIFTH ST.
FACTORIES—WEST FORTY-FIFTH ST.
Tenth Avenue and Weit F«rty-Sixth Street
NEW YORK
530-540 ATLANTIC AVENUE
A. C. CHENEY PIANO ACTION CO.
m-™...^.,™,, ^f (PNEUMATIC ACTIONS FOR PLAYER-PIANOS
Manufacturers of -j HIGH-GRADE PIANOFORTE ACTIONS
rACTTFTAiy 1U17W VADV
CASTLtTUlM, N t W YUKti

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