Music Trade Review
Issue: 1925 Vol. 80 N. 21 - Page 14
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14
THE MUSIC TRADE
The Technical Department
(Continued from page 13)
soon on that subject. I want you to know that
1 appreciate your interest in the Technical De-
partment. Alvah Baker, Rochester, Ind."
Answer
Of course I shall be glad to have anything
on bass bridge repairing which Mr. Baker may
choose to send in. We have had discussions
of the questions involved in various past is-
sues, but it is always a fresh and interesting
subject nevertheless.
As for the grand piano which was in such a
bad condition after only a year's use, I can only
repeat what has been said above and in previous
issues: namely that the conditions which are
being made the subject of such widespread and
justifiable complaint are to be traced to sources
outside the immediate ken of the manufacturers.
Every additional piece of evidence obtained
constitutes just one more reason for publicity.
If loose tuning pins in new pianos are becom-
ing frequent, then obviously there is some de-
fect developing of which the manufacturers have
been unaware. No one can say at this moment
just what that defect is, although everyone can
bring up more than one plausible hypothesis.
We can only find out the truth by accumulating
facts, and so once more I extend the invitation
to every reader to tell us whether he is having
troubles in the matter of loose tuning-pins on
new pianos. The more details he can give, the
better it will be, although names of pianos, of
course, are never mentioned.
Loose Ivories
George L. Cheney, president of Pratt Read &
Co., Deep River, Conn., sent me the following
note on the recent observations of W. C. Swan,
of Dover,, N. H., on the subject of loose ivories
in new pianos:
"In your issue of May 2 you quote state-
ments by W. C. Swan of Dover, N. H., about
loose ivories.
"He says 'Ivory gluing seems to be a lost art.'
You add that there are three matters to discuss
including loose ivories, and state that 'There is
no doubt whatever that modern pianos are
showing regrettable weakness in these matters.'
"Here at our factory, where we have a very
large experience in making ivory piano keys and
in repairing them, this condition about ivories
has not been experienced. It was quite common
years ago, but has been practically unknown by
us for the last ten or fifteen years, either in the
key factory or iii the repair department. Yours
truly, Geo. L. Cheney."
Comment
I am glad to know that the Pratt Read fac-
tories have not experienced the difficulties to
which Mr. Swan has directed our attention.
Since however Mr. Swan bears a merited repu-
tation for sobriety and exactness in speaking
and writing (I have known him for many years),
I am sure that he has ample evidence to back
up all he said in The Review of May 2. He
there informed us that he has been having
trouble with loose ivories on new pianos and
that he has been unable to understand why this
should be so. He also said that when he has
complained to manufacturers the reply has
always been that the conditions in which the
piano has been living must be very unusual. He
justly thinks that these- glib explanations are
too much in the nature of excuses.
More Details Needed
In view however of what Mr. Cheney says I
think that the discussion would be vastly im-
proved if Mr. Swan would give us some more
details and go intothe facts a little more fully.
Then we might have a better basis for further
investigation.
REVIEW
Technician's Questionnaire
Needs Greater Response
President A. K. Gutsohn Asks for Greater Re-
sponse From Western Section of the Industry
Replies to the questionnaire sent out recently
by A. K. Gutsohn, president of the National
Piano Technicians' Association, have been
mailed in by about thirty piano manufacturers
and supply dealers who have answered the
questions according to their own theories. Mr.
Gutsohn has found a marked enthusiasm in the
letters accompanying the answers, but he stated
that he expected a much greater response from
the Western manufacturing trade.
"The future of the Association will depend
largely o-n the attitude manifested by the manu-
facturers at the Convention in June," said Mr.
Gutsohn recently to a representative of The
Review. "Most members of the trade have ex-
pressed themselves to me personally as favor-
ing the National Piano Technicians' movement,
admitting that there were personal benefits in
it for them. I am therefore confident that some
definite things may be accomplished in Chicago
when it will be possible to get everybody's idea
about our plans for next year."
Reifsnyder Music House
Opens in Reading, Pa.
Formal Opening of New Warerooms Draws
Crowd of 12,000—Two Orchestras Entertain
Visitors to Warerooms
The opening of the new Reifsnyder House, at
119 North Sixth street, Reading, Pa., recently,
was no ordinary event. The Reading ware-
rooms, which will be conducted as a branch of
the Reifsnyder Music House, of Lebanon, are
238 feet in length and occupy three floors. It
needed all the three floors and more to accom-
modate the 12,000 people who paid homage to
the House of Reifsnyder on the opening evening
MAY
23, 1925
between the hours of 7 o'clock and midnight.
Perry B. Reifsnyder, the twenty-eight-year-
old proprietor of the establishment, spared no
expense in the official presentation of his new
Reading showrooms to the local public, and as
a special attraction had Carl Fenton's Bruns-
wick Orchestra on hand for the entire evening.
Fenton was located on a specially constructed
stand directly inside the main entrance of the
store and played continuously from the opening
hour until the closing. In the language of the
day, Fenton "was a solid hit." On the second
floor Walter J. Wolf's Merry Makers, a snappy
dance orchestra from Lebanon, Pa., kept things
moving briskly.
The attractiveness of the interior came in for
a wealth of favorable comment. The color
scheme of blue and gold throughout enhanced
to a degree the beauty of the many lines on dis-
play. The store contains eight up-to-date dem-
onstration booths and Mr. Reifsnyder has a
staff of five clerks in addition to eighteen out-
side salesmen covering the territory in and
about Reading. While the Reifsnyder House is
an exclusive Brunswick dealer, this firm is also
extensively represented in the piano field with
the Packard, Milton and Lauter lines and car-
ries as well Q R S and U S word rolls.
After the opening a banquet was tendered by
Albert Bond, president of the Packard Piano
Co., to Mr. Reifsnyder and his associates at the
Berkshire Hotel. Among the speakers of the
evening paying tribute to both Mr. and Mrs.
Reifsnyder were Mr. Bond, George W. Allan,
of the Milton Piano Co., Richard Hill, manager
of the Packard Piano Co., A. E. Schmalzigan, of
the Lauter Piano Co., Harry A. Beach, Eastern
sales manager of the Brunswick-Balke-Col-
lender Co., Harry Mays, advertising manager
of the Reifsnyder stores, Claire Moser, mana-
ger of the Reifsnyder store at Lebanon, and
Lyle Moser, who has been appointed manager
of the Reifsnyder house at Reading. In addi-
tion to Mr. Beach and H. Emerson Yorke of
the New York Brunswick forces, Mr. and Mrs.
E. B. Shiddell and W. J. Loranzo of the Phila-
delphia branch were also present.
KLEERNOTE
TRACKER BAR
SUCTION
PUMP
The only thorough and
efficient Tracker Bar Suction
or Vacuum Pump. Absolutely
essential for removing dirt, dust and
paper particles from the Tracker Bar.
Keeps the instrument in proper playing con-
dition, prevents weak and silent notes.
We Are Prepared to Make Special
Prices to Dealers and Tuners
Correspondence
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
is solicited and should be addressed to William
Braid White, care of The Music Trade Review,
Western Division, 209 South State street, Chi-
cago.
Piano and Player Hardware, Felt* and Tools
New York, Since 1848
4th Aye. end 13th St.
14
THE MUSIC TRADE
The Technical Department
(Continued from page 13)
soon on that subject. I want you to know that
1 appreciate your interest in the Technical De-
partment. Alvah Baker, Rochester, Ind."
Answer
Of course I shall be glad to have anything
on bass bridge repairing which Mr. Baker may
choose to send in. We have had discussions
of the questions involved in various past is-
sues, but it is always a fresh and interesting
subject nevertheless.
As for the grand piano which was in such a
bad condition after only a year's use, I can only
repeat what has been said above and in previous
issues: namely that the conditions which are
being made the subject of such widespread and
justifiable complaint are to be traced to sources
outside the immediate ken of the manufacturers.
Every additional piece of evidence obtained
constitutes just one more reason for publicity.
If loose tuning pins in new pianos are becom-
ing frequent, then obviously there is some de-
fect developing of which the manufacturers have
been unaware. No one can say at this moment
just what that defect is, although everyone can
bring up more than one plausible hypothesis.
We can only find out the truth by accumulating
facts, and so once more I extend the invitation
to every reader to tell us whether he is having
troubles in the matter of loose tuning-pins on
new pianos. The more details he can give, the
better it will be, although names of pianos, of
course, are never mentioned.
Loose Ivories
George L. Cheney, president of Pratt Read &
Co., Deep River, Conn., sent me the following
note on the recent observations of W. C. Swan,
of Dover,, N. H., on the subject of loose ivories
in new pianos:
"In your issue of May 2 you quote state-
ments by W. C. Swan of Dover, N. H., about
loose ivories.
"He says 'Ivory gluing seems to be a lost art.'
You add that there are three matters to discuss
including loose ivories, and state that 'There is
no doubt whatever that modern pianos are
showing regrettable weakness in these matters.'
"Here at our factory, where we have a very
large experience in making ivory piano keys and
in repairing them, this condition about ivories
has not been experienced. It was quite common
years ago, but has been practically unknown by
us for the last ten or fifteen years, either in the
key factory or iii the repair department. Yours
truly, Geo. L. Cheney."
Comment
I am glad to know that the Pratt Read fac-
tories have not experienced the difficulties to
which Mr. Swan has directed our attention.
Since however Mr. Swan bears a merited repu-
tation for sobriety and exactness in speaking
and writing (I have known him for many years),
I am sure that he has ample evidence to back
up all he said in The Review of May 2. He
there informed us that he has been having
trouble with loose ivories on new pianos and
that he has been unable to understand why this
should be so. He also said that when he has
complained to manufacturers the reply has
always been that the conditions in which the
piano has been living must be very unusual. He
justly thinks that these- glib explanations are
too much in the nature of excuses.
More Details Needed
In view however of what Mr. Cheney says I
think that the discussion would be vastly im-
proved if Mr. Swan would give us some more
details and go intothe facts a little more fully.
Then we might have a better basis for further
investigation.
REVIEW
Technician's Questionnaire
Needs Greater Response
President A. K. Gutsohn Asks for Greater Re-
sponse From Western Section of the Industry
Replies to the questionnaire sent out recently
by A. K. Gutsohn, president of the National
Piano Technicians' Association, have been
mailed in by about thirty piano manufacturers
and supply dealers who have answered the
questions according to their own theories. Mr.
Gutsohn has found a marked enthusiasm in the
letters accompanying the answers, but he stated
that he expected a much greater response from
the Western manufacturing trade.
"The future of the Association will depend
largely o-n the attitude manifested by the manu-
facturers at the Convention in June," said Mr.
Gutsohn recently to a representative of The
Review. "Most members of the trade have ex-
pressed themselves to me personally as favor-
ing the National Piano Technicians' movement,
admitting that there were personal benefits in
it for them. I am therefore confident that some
definite things may be accomplished in Chicago
when it will be possible to get everybody's idea
about our plans for next year."
Reifsnyder Music House
Opens in Reading, Pa.
Formal Opening of New Warerooms Draws
Crowd of 12,000—Two Orchestras Entertain
Visitors to Warerooms
The opening of the new Reifsnyder House, at
119 North Sixth street, Reading, Pa., recently,
was no ordinary event. The Reading ware-
rooms, which will be conducted as a branch of
the Reifsnyder Music House, of Lebanon, are
238 feet in length and occupy three floors. It
needed all the three floors and more to accom-
modate the 12,000 people who paid homage to
the House of Reifsnyder on the opening evening
MAY
23, 1925
between the hours of 7 o'clock and midnight.
Perry B. Reifsnyder, the twenty-eight-year-
old proprietor of the establishment, spared no
expense in the official presentation of his new
Reading showrooms to the local public, and as
a special attraction had Carl Fenton's Bruns-
wick Orchestra on hand for the entire evening.
Fenton was located on a specially constructed
stand directly inside the main entrance of the
store and played continuously from the opening
hour until the closing. In the language of the
day, Fenton "was a solid hit." On the second
floor Walter J. Wolf's Merry Makers, a snappy
dance orchestra from Lebanon, Pa., kept things
moving briskly.
The attractiveness of the interior came in for
a wealth of favorable comment. The color
scheme of blue and gold throughout enhanced
to a degree the beauty of the many lines on dis-
play. The store contains eight up-to-date dem-
onstration booths and Mr. Reifsnyder has a
staff of five clerks in addition to eighteen out-
side salesmen covering the territory in and
about Reading. While the Reifsnyder House is
an exclusive Brunswick dealer, this firm is also
extensively represented in the piano field with
the Packard, Milton and Lauter lines and car-
ries as well Q R S and U S word rolls.
After the opening a banquet was tendered by
Albert Bond, president of the Packard Piano
Co., to Mr. Reifsnyder and his associates at the
Berkshire Hotel. Among the speakers of the
evening paying tribute to both Mr. and Mrs.
Reifsnyder were Mr. Bond, George W. Allan,
of the Milton Piano Co., Richard Hill, manager
of the Packard Piano Co., A. E. Schmalzigan, of
the Lauter Piano Co., Harry A. Beach, Eastern
sales manager of the Brunswick-Balke-Col-
lender Co., Harry Mays, advertising manager
of the Reifsnyder stores, Claire Moser, mana-
ger of the Reifsnyder store at Lebanon, and
Lyle Moser, who has been appointed manager
of the Reifsnyder house at Reading. In addi-
tion to Mr. Beach and H. Emerson Yorke of
the New York Brunswick forces, Mr. and Mrs.
E. B. Shiddell and W. J. Loranzo of the Phila-
delphia branch were also present.
KLEERNOTE
TRACKER BAR
SUCTION
PUMP
The only thorough and
efficient Tracker Bar Suction
or Vacuum Pump. Absolutely
essential for removing dirt, dust and
paper particles from the Tracker Bar.
Keeps the instrument in proper playing con-
dition, prevents weak and silent notes.
We Are Prepared to Make Special
Prices to Dealers and Tuners
Correspondence
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
is solicited and should be addressed to William
Braid White, care of The Music Trade Review,
Western Division, 209 South State street, Chi-
cago.
Piano and Player Hardware, Felt* and Tools
New York, Since 1848
4th Aye. end 13th St.
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