Music Trade Review
Issue: 1922 Vol. 74 N. 10 - Page 12
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M A R C H 11,
12
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
OUR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
(Continued
from
page 1 1 )
Meanwhile, here is another good technical of-
fering:
i ADVICE ON MANIFOLD MATTERS
To Brother Clemens, the Pitch-raisers and
Others, by Earl H. Webb, Mt. Carmel, 111.
"Dear Mr. White: I read your Technical De-
partment every week with much interest and
nearly always there is something in it that 1
should like to answer. Now, I will break loose
and write a few lines that may be helpful to
some weary brothers:
"In regard to the inquiry of Brother Clemens 1
should say that I think the key-bed on the piano
he refers to had settled, thus lowering the strik-
ing line of the hammer enough to cause the bass
section to strike 'one string down."
"A settling of the key-bed to the extent of
one-eighth of an inch would bring that result
on many pianos. Also I think that Brother
Clemens will find his piano has wood flanges, in
which case the flange screws may be loosened
and the hammers pushed over to the right, which
will partly remedy the trouble.
"I have had such cases and where the flanges
will not allow enough adjustment I have raised
the bass end of the action enough to correct the
trouble, meanwhile regulating the capstan
screws accordingly. 1 do not think that the
most exacting ear could have detected in any
instance the slightest injury to the tonal result
from the raising of the striking point. If any
brother has a better solution 1 should be glad
to hear of it.
Those Schomacker Strings
"I see that Brother Burton Shaw tells in the
January 21 number about those Schomacker
pianos with the 'gold' strings. I believe the
strings are made of tempered brass. The piano
has a very sweet tone, but it is not so powerful
as that of other pianos. I have found the Scho-
mackers very pleasant to work with, for they
tune well and stand in tune. But when you
have to put in a steel string the difference in tone
can readily be noticed.
Pitch vs. Tone Quality
t "I hear a great deal lately about pitch raising,
though I hear still more from my own tuning
hammer. For several years past I have been
raising in pitch almost all upright pianos that
I find to need it. Occasionally I find one that
•is old and will stand it or, again, sometimes
a singer wants a piano at low pitch. But by far
the greater number of those who ask for a 'low
tone' refer to voicing and not to pitch.
j "The piano-owning public is a joke, when it
(comes to understanding pitch and voicing. If
the tone is mellow and the wish is to have it
harder then the tuner is told to 'tune it higher."
If the tone is already metallic one will be told
to 'tune it lower.' It strikes me that the brothers
ought to awake soon to the need for doing pio-
neer educational work among the people in this
respect.
;
"As to the question of pitch in general, with
relation to the tone and efficiency of pianos, it
seems to me that brother tuners ought to learn
for themselves why piano makers design pianos
to be tuned at a certain pitch. Those who know
why this is done can tell their customers why it
is so and that will be good for everybody.
"I do not think that it is necessary to do a
lot of extra tuning work for nothing, for nine
out of every ten people you meet are willing and
anxious to have their pianos put up to proper
pitch when once they understand why this ought
to be done.
"To raise the pitch of a piano by a half-tone
involves considerable work, which should be paid
for extra. I charge $4 for tuning straight pianos
and $5 for players or grands. For raising pitch
I charge $7.50; players, $8.50 and for grands,
$10. Grands are more sensitive and require more
time. Hence the higher price for them.
"A job of pitch-raising must be carefully done
and no reasonable person will object to paying
the proper price when once a sufficient reason
has been given. Moreover, the tuner's feelings
are of some account and he ought to be able to
feel satisfied with his own work.
"The owner entrusts the piano to the tuner
because he knows that something is wrong. The
tuner is expected to know his own business (that
is, to know the piano's 'needs'). I feel that I
have not been honest with my client unless I
leave the piano in the best possible condition.
"I know a large hardware house which has a
motto reading: 'The recollection of quality per-
sists long after the price is forgotten,' and that
will apply to piano work equally well. He who,
properly talented and schooled in his art, prac-
tices always to do his best need not fear to
charge a fair price."
Thank you muchly, Brother Webb. Please
come again. You have given us some good ideas.
NEW DEVICE IN SCHUBERT PIANOS
Letter Sent to Trade by Schubert Piano Co. Ex-
plains Merits ox the Virzi Tone Producer—
Head of Schubert on Plate of Each Piano
The Schubert Piano Co., 1 West 139th street,
New York, has recently sent out some interest-
ing data pertaining to the Virzi Tone Producer
in the Schubert piano, a new device which pro-
duces a great power of softness, mellowness and
clearness, as well as a great volume of tone. Re-
garding the new Schubert piano which is equipped
with this device, the company states: "This is
the newest and most extraordinary invention in
the art of tone production. The results obtained
by this simple device are marvelous; it has
merited the applause and received the indorse-
ment of many of the world's famous artists, some
oi whom have already had it installed in the in-
struments they use in concert work.
"We are glad to say that we have obtained the
right to use it in the Schubert piano and it can
be obtained only from us."
In the same letter the company draws attention
to the fact that all Schubert pianos now bear
the trade-mark, the head of Schubert, on the
plate, and that none will be genuine Schubert
pianos without it. Another unique feature is a
new guarantee which is tied to the top frame of
each piano.
BUSINESS SHOWS^STEADY GAIN
Industrial Survey Made by the Department of
Commerce Shows Steady Improvement
EVEN WITH THESE
fine contributions your editor's thirst for assist-
ance from the brethren continues unabated. You
are requested to remember this and, when the
spirit moves you, to send in the results to Wil-
liam Braid White, care The Music Trade Review,
373 Fourth avenue, New York, N. Y.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions
of any kind.
THE
WASHINGTON, D. C, March 6.—Business condi-
tions of the country continue to show slow and
steady improvement and nearly every industry
reports returning confidence, according to a new
survey of the business situation, it was announced
to-day by the Department of Commerce. The
figures received as a result of the survey, it was
said, emphasize the progress which business has
made in returning to a better foundation, as com-
pared with the confusion existing six months and
a year ago.
CELEBRATED
F&G
(FELTEN & GUILLEAUME)
"*X S"^ GAR
* „
AUS VOPZUG
IMPORTED
)I F ! G J •
FELTEN I G U I L L E A U M E V » 2
„
CARLSWERK
W
1922
--
;
1
•
HAMMACHER.SCHlEMMER&C
MUSIC WIRE
IN BLACK, RED and GREEN
LABEL BRANDS
IS UNEXCELLED
The " F & G " Blue Label Brand is again being
used by Rudolph C. Koch in the manufacture
off the Reinwarth Covered Bass Strings
For TUNERS and REPAIRERS we have the
convenient one quarter pound clamps
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER& CO.
PIANO AND PLAYER HARDWARE, FELTS AND TOOLS
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.
M A R C H 11,
12
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
OUR TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
(Continued
from
page 1 1 )
Meanwhile, here is another good technical of-
fering:
i ADVICE ON MANIFOLD MATTERS
To Brother Clemens, the Pitch-raisers and
Others, by Earl H. Webb, Mt. Carmel, 111.
"Dear Mr. White: I read your Technical De-
partment every week with much interest and
nearly always there is something in it that 1
should like to answer. Now, I will break loose
and write a few lines that may be helpful to
some weary brothers:
"In regard to the inquiry of Brother Clemens 1
should say that I think the key-bed on the piano
he refers to had settled, thus lowering the strik-
ing line of the hammer enough to cause the bass
section to strike 'one string down."
"A settling of the key-bed to the extent of
one-eighth of an inch would bring that result
on many pianos. Also I think that Brother
Clemens will find his piano has wood flanges, in
which case the flange screws may be loosened
and the hammers pushed over to the right, which
will partly remedy the trouble.
"I have had such cases and where the flanges
will not allow enough adjustment I have raised
the bass end of the action enough to correct the
trouble, meanwhile regulating the capstan
screws accordingly. 1 do not think that the
most exacting ear could have detected in any
instance the slightest injury to the tonal result
from the raising of the striking point. If any
brother has a better solution 1 should be glad
to hear of it.
Those Schomacker Strings
"I see that Brother Burton Shaw tells in the
January 21 number about those Schomacker
pianos with the 'gold' strings. I believe the
strings are made of tempered brass. The piano
has a very sweet tone, but it is not so powerful
as that of other pianos. I have found the Scho-
mackers very pleasant to work with, for they
tune well and stand in tune. But when you
have to put in a steel string the difference in tone
can readily be noticed.
Pitch vs. Tone Quality
t "I hear a great deal lately about pitch raising,
though I hear still more from my own tuning
hammer. For several years past I have been
raising in pitch almost all upright pianos that
I find to need it. Occasionally I find one that
•is old and will stand it or, again, sometimes
a singer wants a piano at low pitch. But by far
the greater number of those who ask for a 'low
tone' refer to voicing and not to pitch.
j "The piano-owning public is a joke, when it
(comes to understanding pitch and voicing. If
the tone is mellow and the wish is to have it
harder then the tuner is told to 'tune it higher."
If the tone is already metallic one will be told
to 'tune it lower.' It strikes me that the brothers
ought to awake soon to the need for doing pio-
neer educational work among the people in this
respect.
;
"As to the question of pitch in general, with
relation to the tone and efficiency of pianos, it
seems to me that brother tuners ought to learn
for themselves why piano makers design pianos
to be tuned at a certain pitch. Those who know
why this is done can tell their customers why it
is so and that will be good for everybody.
"I do not think that it is necessary to do a
lot of extra tuning work for nothing, for nine
out of every ten people you meet are willing and
anxious to have their pianos put up to proper
pitch when once they understand why this ought
to be done.
"To raise the pitch of a piano by a half-tone
involves considerable work, which should be paid
for extra. I charge $4 for tuning straight pianos
and $5 for players or grands. For raising pitch
I charge $7.50; players, $8.50 and for grands,
$10. Grands are more sensitive and require more
time. Hence the higher price for them.
"A job of pitch-raising must be carefully done
and no reasonable person will object to paying
the proper price when once a sufficient reason
has been given. Moreover, the tuner's feelings
are of some account and he ought to be able to
feel satisfied with his own work.
"The owner entrusts the piano to the tuner
because he knows that something is wrong. The
tuner is expected to know his own business (that
is, to know the piano's 'needs'). I feel that I
have not been honest with my client unless I
leave the piano in the best possible condition.
"I know a large hardware house which has a
motto reading: 'The recollection of quality per-
sists long after the price is forgotten,' and that
will apply to piano work equally well. He who,
properly talented and schooled in his art, prac-
tices always to do his best need not fear to
charge a fair price."
Thank you muchly, Brother Webb. Please
come again. You have given us some good ideas.
NEW DEVICE IN SCHUBERT PIANOS
Letter Sent to Trade by Schubert Piano Co. Ex-
plains Merits ox the Virzi Tone Producer—
Head of Schubert on Plate of Each Piano
The Schubert Piano Co., 1 West 139th street,
New York, has recently sent out some interest-
ing data pertaining to the Virzi Tone Producer
in the Schubert piano, a new device which pro-
duces a great power of softness, mellowness and
clearness, as well as a great volume of tone. Re-
garding the new Schubert piano which is equipped
with this device, the company states: "This is
the newest and most extraordinary invention in
the art of tone production. The results obtained
by this simple device are marvelous; it has
merited the applause and received the indorse-
ment of many of the world's famous artists, some
oi whom have already had it installed in the in-
struments they use in concert work.
"We are glad to say that we have obtained the
right to use it in the Schubert piano and it can
be obtained only from us."
In the same letter the company draws attention
to the fact that all Schubert pianos now bear
the trade-mark, the head of Schubert, on the
plate, and that none will be genuine Schubert
pianos without it. Another unique feature is a
new guarantee which is tied to the top frame of
each piano.
BUSINESS SHOWS^STEADY GAIN
Industrial Survey Made by the Department of
Commerce Shows Steady Improvement
EVEN WITH THESE
fine contributions your editor's thirst for assist-
ance from the brethren continues unabated. You
are requested to remember this and, when the
spirit moves you, to send in the results to Wil-
liam Braid White, care The Music Trade Review,
373 Fourth avenue, New York, N. Y.
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions
of any kind.
THE
WASHINGTON, D. C, March 6.—Business condi-
tions of the country continue to show slow and
steady improvement and nearly every industry
reports returning confidence, according to a new
survey of the business situation, it was announced
to-day by the Department of Commerce. The
figures received as a result of the survey, it was
said, emphasize the progress which business has
made in returning to a better foundation, as com-
pared with the confusion existing six months and
a year ago.
CELEBRATED
F&G
(FELTEN & GUILLEAUME)
"*X S"^ GAR
* „
AUS VOPZUG
IMPORTED
)I F ! G J •
FELTEN I G U I L L E A U M E V » 2
„
CARLSWERK
W
1922
--
;
1
•
HAMMACHER.SCHlEMMER&C
MUSIC WIRE
IN BLACK, RED and GREEN
LABEL BRANDS
IS UNEXCELLED
The " F & G " Blue Label Brand is again being
used by Rudolph C. Koch in the manufacture
off the Reinwarth Covered Bass Strings
For TUNERS and REPAIRERS we have the
convenient one quarter pound clamps
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER& CO.
PIANO AND PLAYER HARDWARE, FELTS AND TOOLS
NEW YORK SINCE 1848
4th Ave. and 13th St.
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