Music Trade Review
Issue: 1921 Vol. 73 N. 19 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 5,
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1921
OurTDCHNICAL DEPAKIMENT
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM BRAID WHITE
"Many thanks for past information and assur-
ing you that I enjoy all the letters from the
other brothers, old and young, I am, sincerely
Pleasant Answers to Pleasant Questions From yours, Byron Shaw, Pleasant Hill, 111." •
Pleasant Hill
To "Pleasant Hill"
Certainly, Brother Shaw, you shall have all the
"Dear Mr. White: I have been deeply inter- information I can give you. We do not hear from
ested in various recent articles in the Technical you very often, but the name of that town of
Department and on certain of the topics treated yours sticks in the memory. "Pleasant Hill."
I should like to gain further information.
What a charming name, to be sure. One feels
"First, on the subject of keys: I should like that it would be nice to live on Pleasant Hill
to know, in detail, the correct method for lead- and look down from it into Pleasant Valley,
ing piano keys. I have come across a few through which, let us hope, Pleasant River is
pianos in which the keys need some lead, espe- running its silvery course.
cially the black keys in one piano which I have
About Leads
in mind. What sizes of leads are best to use?
But we grow affecting. * Let us proceed. In
When keys are not made of straight-grained the first place, unfortunately, there is no definite
wood what is the best way of avoiding splitting rule to give for leading keys. The intention of
when leads are being put into them? Please tell the leading is, of course, to balance the key
me the whole business from start to finish.
evenly. Rightly speaking, if the action is prop-
"Of late the mice have kept me busy putting erly made the key should be balanced so that the
in whole new sets of bridle straps. At present I weight on each side of the balance pin is equal.
use all-leather and all-felt straps as advertised It is true that the front-lever is always longer
on the Technical page. These straps can be put than the back-lever, but if the weight of the one
on rapidly, but they do not stay right up against is balanced to match the weight of the other then
the back-stops. Rather, they slide on the stems, the lever is in the best possible condition to
changing their effective lengths. In replacing transmit rightly to the action the motion im-
bridle straps I should prefer fastening them to parted by the finger. If, indeed, the action is
the back-stop stems by gluing them on the under badly set, or badly balanced, then it might be
side of the stem and tying with a piece of thread, necessary to weight the keys either in front or
but this is too slow a process. I do not believe behind, in order to compensate the defect men-
. in the tack method.
tioned above. In a good many pianos it will be
"What about the instantly inserted bridle strap found that there have been carried out certain
with cord ends? Are they the stuff? I should traditional methods of action-setting which call
like to hear from the brethren on the results for parallel peculiarities in leading the keys. The
they have had from various sorts of bridle straps only use of any such work, of course, is to enable
and what they charge per set for putting on the the pianist to transmit his finger motion to the
same.
key efficiently and to obtain an instantaneous re-
"Can you tell me where to buy thin material for bound. If the action is in good condition and
making tool cases? I should like to have the properly set in place its resistance will be amply
name and address of some firm which makes sufficient to give quick repetition of the key upon
fibre material about one-fourth inch in thickness. its release. If not the tuner must use his own
"In regard to the Plymetl material, of which judgment.
you told us in the October 1 issue, can you tell
Now, as for the actual insertion of leads, the
me if the Haskelite people make this material first thing to do is to get a supply of these from
light enough and thin enough so that it can be a piano supply house, together with a "key-lead
used for tuners' cases?
bit," as it is called. This latter is a sort of spoon-
shaped bit which digs out a nice round hole in the
soft wood of the key and will usually drill it
KEYS-LEADS-STRAPS
DEAGAN TUNING FORKS
neatly without splitting even very badly grained
wood. Then the leads must be driven in. They
are somewhat wider at one end and, of course,
are driven small end first. If the wood is crooked-
grained it may split if one is not careful in driv-
ing the leads, but, on the other hand, the spoon-
bit usually takes care of all but the worst cases,
such as one only finds in boxes unworthy the
name "piano."
I do not see why Mr. Shaw should have any
trouble with the all-leather bridle straps made
by Braunsdorf. They can either be glued, or
else just stuck on with a tack. Really, there is
no reason why Mr. Shaw should not use a tack
for repair work, for unless he does this there is
nothing left save to glue, and he apparently does
not want to glue. Of course, the proper thing
to do is to pull out the back-stop stem with an
extractor and glue in the new bridle strap, as it
would be done in the factory. But if this will
not do, another good scheme is to cut a slight
groove with a very fine hack-saw, right where
the stem enters the wood of the hammer-butt,
and then lap over the end of the strap and force
it into this little groove with a touch of glue.
That makes a neat job, but one must be careful
to get the straps all of the same length, of
course.
What is the "instantly inserted bridle strap
with cork ends"? I think I do not know. Has
someone been slipping something over while I
was asleep? Will the brother please elucidate?
Haskelite and Plymetl
The question about the material called Plymetl
and similar material is interesting. If one is
going to make something like a tool-case the
very best material undoubtedly would be some-
thing like either Haskelite or Plymetl. I have
(Continued
on page 14)
The Superior Ukulele Attachment
For PIANOS and PLAYER-PIANOS
DEALERS and
TUNERS
JUST WHAT YOU
HAVE BEEN LOOK-
ING FOR
VIBRATIONS GUARANTEED
YOU CAN INSTALL
Series "One Seventy"
A-440, Bb-486.2 and C-52I.S
(A-435 If desired)
PRICE, 75o. EACH
J. C.
T
•
,
Deagan Building
inc.,
1786 Bertean ATCBBC, Chicaro
URN YOUR STRAIGHT
PIANOS INTO PLAYERS
Individual pneumatic stacks, roll
boxes, bellows, pedal actions,
expression boxes.
Manufacturers, dealers, tuners
and repair men supplied with
player actions for straight pianos.
JENKINSON PLAYER ACTION CO., Inc.
912-914 Elm St.
Cincinnati, O.
FAUST SCHOOL
OF TUNING
Standard of Amarica
Alumni of 2000
FfcM T n > , Hfe P H ***J 0"**
•mi Phrtr P U M . Temr Be*k PrM.
27-29 Gainsboro Straat
BOSTON, MASS.
Artrola Player Actions
Easily and At Small Expense
Treble the value of your trade-ins
and 65-note players
For detail* and exclusive territory write
S T U D Y
T H I 8
VIEW. T H E N
WRITE
FOR FULL
DESCRIPTIVE CIRCU-
LAR AND PRICE8. IT EXPLAINS
THE
LATEST
INVENTION
IN
THIS KIND OF A DEVICE. THE
BEST -MADE AND IT C08T8 NO
MORE.
UNDER KEYBED CONTROL FOR
STRAIGHT PIANOS. AND SPOOL-
BOX
CONTROL FOR PLAYER-
PIANOS.
ARTROLA PLAYER CO.
224 N. Sheldon St.
Chicago
TUNERS
BASS STRINGS
• ! * • • « • • •!*•• «• t t * MMlt Of Ik* t«JMr Mtf MM
OTTO R. TREFZ,
Jr.
Philadelphia, Pa.
SI 10 Falrmount A T « D *
SUPERIOR MFG. CO.
LIMA, OHIO
with upwards at
lOOO
f SUCCESSFUL
GRADUATES
COURTHOUSE 80.
VALPARAISO. IND.
The TUNER'S FRIEND
Old style bridle strap
New style mil leather bridle strap
BRAUNSDORF'S ALL LEATHER BRIDLE STRAPS
Labor Saving; Mouse Proof: Guaranteed all one length
Send for Sample*.
Prices on Bequest
FeltM and Cloth* in any Quantities
GEO. W. BRAUNSDORF, Inc.,
Braunsdorf's Other Specialties
Paper, Felt and Cloth
Punching^, Fibre Washers
and Bridges for
Pianos, Organs and
Player Actions
Office and Factory:
430 East 53rd St., New York
NOVEMBER 5,
11
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1921
OurTDCHNICAL DEPAKIMENT
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM BRAID WHITE
"Many thanks for past information and assur-
ing you that I enjoy all the letters from the
other brothers, old and young, I am, sincerely
Pleasant Answers to Pleasant Questions From yours, Byron Shaw, Pleasant Hill, 111." •
Pleasant Hill
To "Pleasant Hill"
Certainly, Brother Shaw, you shall have all the
"Dear Mr. White: I have been deeply inter- information I can give you. We do not hear from
ested in various recent articles in the Technical you very often, but the name of that town of
Department and on certain of the topics treated yours sticks in the memory. "Pleasant Hill."
I should like to gain further information.
What a charming name, to be sure. One feels
"First, on the subject of keys: I should like that it would be nice to live on Pleasant Hill
to know, in detail, the correct method for lead- and look down from it into Pleasant Valley,
ing piano keys. I have come across a few through which, let us hope, Pleasant River is
pianos in which the keys need some lead, espe- running its silvery course.
cially the black keys in one piano which I have
About Leads
in mind. What sizes of leads are best to use?
But we grow affecting. * Let us proceed. In
When keys are not made of straight-grained the first place, unfortunately, there is no definite
wood what is the best way of avoiding splitting rule to give for leading keys. The intention of
when leads are being put into them? Please tell the leading is, of course, to balance the key
me the whole business from start to finish.
evenly. Rightly speaking, if the action is prop-
"Of late the mice have kept me busy putting erly made the key should be balanced so that the
in whole new sets of bridle straps. At present I weight on each side of the balance pin is equal.
use all-leather and all-felt straps as advertised It is true that the front-lever is always longer
on the Technical page. These straps can be put than the back-lever, but if the weight of the one
on rapidly, but they do not stay right up against is balanced to match the weight of the other then
the back-stops. Rather, they slide on the stems, the lever is in the best possible condition to
changing their effective lengths. In replacing transmit rightly to the action the motion im-
bridle straps I should prefer fastening them to parted by the finger. If, indeed, the action is
the back-stop stems by gluing them on the under badly set, or badly balanced, then it might be
side of the stem and tying with a piece of thread, necessary to weight the keys either in front or
but this is too slow a process. I do not believe behind, in order to compensate the defect men-
. in the tack method.
tioned above. In a good many pianos it will be
"What about the instantly inserted bridle strap found that there have been carried out certain
with cord ends? Are they the stuff? I should traditional methods of action-setting which call
like to hear from the brethren on the results for parallel peculiarities in leading the keys. The
they have had from various sorts of bridle straps only use of any such work, of course, is to enable
and what they charge per set for putting on the the pianist to transmit his finger motion to the
same.
key efficiently and to obtain an instantaneous re-
"Can you tell me where to buy thin material for bound. If the action is in good condition and
making tool cases? I should like to have the properly set in place its resistance will be amply
name and address of some firm which makes sufficient to give quick repetition of the key upon
fibre material about one-fourth inch in thickness. its release. If not the tuner must use his own
"In regard to the Plymetl material, of which judgment.
you told us in the October 1 issue, can you tell
Now, as for the actual insertion of leads, the
me if the Haskelite people make this material first thing to do is to get a supply of these from
light enough and thin enough so that it can be a piano supply house, together with a "key-lead
used for tuners' cases?
bit," as it is called. This latter is a sort of spoon-
shaped bit which digs out a nice round hole in the
soft wood of the key and will usually drill it
KEYS-LEADS-STRAPS
DEAGAN TUNING FORKS
neatly without splitting even very badly grained
wood. Then the leads must be driven in. They
are somewhat wider at one end and, of course,
are driven small end first. If the wood is crooked-
grained it may split if one is not careful in driv-
ing the leads, but, on the other hand, the spoon-
bit usually takes care of all but the worst cases,
such as one only finds in boxes unworthy the
name "piano."
I do not see why Mr. Shaw should have any
trouble with the all-leather bridle straps made
by Braunsdorf. They can either be glued, or
else just stuck on with a tack. Really, there is
no reason why Mr. Shaw should not use a tack
for repair work, for unless he does this there is
nothing left save to glue, and he apparently does
not want to glue. Of course, the proper thing
to do is to pull out the back-stop stem with an
extractor and glue in the new bridle strap, as it
would be done in the factory. But if this will
not do, another good scheme is to cut a slight
groove with a very fine hack-saw, right where
the stem enters the wood of the hammer-butt,
and then lap over the end of the strap and force
it into this little groove with a touch of glue.
That makes a neat job, but one must be careful
to get the straps all of the same length, of
course.
What is the "instantly inserted bridle strap
with cork ends"? I think I do not know. Has
someone been slipping something over while I
was asleep? Will the brother please elucidate?
Haskelite and Plymetl
The question about the material called Plymetl
and similar material is interesting. If one is
going to make something like a tool-case the
very best material undoubtedly would be some-
thing like either Haskelite or Plymetl. I have
(Continued
on page 14)
The Superior Ukulele Attachment
For PIANOS and PLAYER-PIANOS
DEALERS and
TUNERS
JUST WHAT YOU
HAVE BEEN LOOK-
ING FOR
VIBRATIONS GUARANTEED
YOU CAN INSTALL
Series "One Seventy"
A-440, Bb-486.2 and C-52I.S
(A-435 If desired)
PRICE, 75o. EACH
J. C.
T
•
,
Deagan Building
inc.,
1786 Bertean ATCBBC, Chicaro
URN YOUR STRAIGHT
PIANOS INTO PLAYERS
Individual pneumatic stacks, roll
boxes, bellows, pedal actions,
expression boxes.
Manufacturers, dealers, tuners
and repair men supplied with
player actions for straight pianos.
JENKINSON PLAYER ACTION CO., Inc.
912-914 Elm St.
Cincinnati, O.
FAUST SCHOOL
OF TUNING
Standard of Amarica
Alumni of 2000
FfcM T n > , Hfe P H ***J 0"**
•mi Phrtr P U M . Temr Be*k PrM.
27-29 Gainsboro Straat
BOSTON, MASS.
Artrola Player Actions
Easily and At Small Expense
Treble the value of your trade-ins
and 65-note players
For detail* and exclusive territory write
S T U D Y
T H I 8
VIEW. T H E N
WRITE
FOR FULL
DESCRIPTIVE CIRCU-
LAR AND PRICE8. IT EXPLAINS
THE
LATEST
INVENTION
IN
THIS KIND OF A DEVICE. THE
BEST -MADE AND IT C08T8 NO
MORE.
UNDER KEYBED CONTROL FOR
STRAIGHT PIANOS. AND SPOOL-
BOX
CONTROL FOR PLAYER-
PIANOS.
ARTROLA PLAYER CO.
224 N. Sheldon St.
Chicago
TUNERS
BASS STRINGS
• ! * • • « • • •!*•• «• t t * MMlt Of Ik* t«JMr Mtf MM
OTTO R. TREFZ,
Jr.
Philadelphia, Pa.
SI 10 Falrmount A T « D *
SUPERIOR MFG. CO.
LIMA, OHIO
with upwards at
lOOO
f SUCCESSFUL
GRADUATES
COURTHOUSE 80.
VALPARAISO. IND.
The TUNER'S FRIEND
Old style bridle strap
New style mil leather bridle strap
BRAUNSDORF'S ALL LEATHER BRIDLE STRAPS
Labor Saving; Mouse Proof: Guaranteed all one length
Send for Sample*.
Prices on Bequest
FeltM and Cloth* in any Quantities
GEO. W. BRAUNSDORF, Inc.,
Braunsdorf's Other Specialties
Paper, Felt and Cloth
Punching^, Fibre Washers
and Bridges for
Pianos, Organs and
Player Actions
Office and Factory:
430 East 53rd St., New York
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).