Music Trade Review
Issue: 1945 Vol. 104 N. 4 - Page 14
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
"Our contention is that there should be at least two sizes,
one about 35 inches or 36 inches high and the other about 40
inches or 41 inches high and the quality should vary according
to the height."
L. Hiltbrunncr, Hiltbrunner Music Co., Cedar Rapids, la.
"We wish to say that we would be in favor of any size
console piano, just as long as it is built with the direct blow
action instead of the drop action."
Morgan Piano Co., Miami, Fla.
"We believe the public wants the small pianos, as low as
34 inches. Many people would rather sacrifice tone for looks
—especially where the piano is bought as a piece of furniture.
Harold G. Aggeler, Music Center, Boise, Idaho
"Since our customers have been unable to buy new pianos
of the type and style they want, we have sold several hun-
dred used pianos. Many of these customers bought used
pianos as a temporary expedient until the new pianos are
available. They have told us what they want and their ideas
are just as varied as the piano sizes were before the war—
some want the flat top Spinets, others whom I believe are
more interested in the tone qualities than the customer who
buys mainly on the furniture motive, want the higher type
verticals. Some say they would prefer a small studio upright.
"I believe we have two distinct classes of piano customers,
those prmarily buying furniture and those primarily interested
in a musical instrument and we should be able to meet the
demands of both classes.
"If you have had a customer come in and bang on several
pianos, ignorant of the prices, and tell you he or she thinks,
what in your estimation is the poorest piano on the floor, is
the best—you will appreciate what I have in mind when I say
there is a big volume of piano sales to be made to those
whose decision will be largely in fluenced by the 'furniture'
appeal."
Rudolph Siegling, Pres., Siegling Music House, Inc.,
Charleston, S. C.
"We believe that a piano should not be smaller than 38
inches. We find that in the smaller type piano the tonal
quality is not as good. We have always tried to sell the larger
pianos of the Spinet type, because with the longer strings,
larger sounding board area, and the height, the tonal quality
of these instruments is much better. We hope that they will
not build too small pianos after the war."
Henry A. Kieselhorst, Kieselhorst Piano Co., St. Louis, Mo.
"Regardless of what we in the industry think, public accept-
ance sets the size (and style) of what we sell if we are able
to do any amount of business.
"My personal opinion is that the manufacturer has a better
chance to get a good tone out of a 40 inch piano than he has
out of a 36 inch piano, but we have sold many 36 inch pianos
that have given the customer all he wants at the price he
was willing to pay.
"I would say continue to make the three principal sizes
that have been popular—36 inch, 38 inch, and 40 (or 41) inch
and let nature take its course."
Carl Wittich, Wittich's, Reading, Pa.
"We have been pondering over your request for our opinion
regarding the height of pianos. After weighing the arguments
for and against, it seems to resolve itself into just one ques-
tion—what will the public want?
"We feel that the public spoke in plain terms when they
old us, by their lack of patronage, that it didn't want the
upright pianos any longer. Similarly, they told us that the
44 inch piano was not acceptable, but they did indicate that
the 34 inch piano was highly acceptable and the 36 inch and
37 inch ones equally so. In our experience, the 39 inch and 40
inch ones were not received with the same amount of enthusi-
asm We believe that these same trends will be noticeable
in the future.
"The continued efforts of certain writers on technical sub-
jects relating to the manufacture and upkeep of pianos to
build resistance again.st the purchase of the type of piano
for which the public had so definitely shown a preference was
unfortunate. And the most amazing thing of all was that
the tuning profession, who in large numbers, in our locality
at least, were closely approaching the starvation point at the
time of the introduction of the new, little pianos, fought to
stem their popularity instead of jumping on the band wagon
for their own economic safety. We mean starvation of busi.
ness, of course, not the personal kind.
"If the manufacturers of other products would manufacture
what the public should have instead of what the public
wants, the $64 question would be—'Would manufacturing in-
come drop, would you say 10 per cent, 25 per cent or more
than 50 per cent?' Anybody could win the $64 answering
that one.
"On the whole, we were satisfied with tho small pianos.
Tonally they filled the average need. And for those desiring
the increased tone of a 40 inch piano, we feel certain that
there will be 40 inch pianos, just as there are large grands
for those that feel the smaller grands have their tonal limita-
tions. We should have said 'were' large grands, and our
greatest hope is that soon we will again be able to say 'there
are pianos here to fill every need.' "
C. E. Hollenback, Hollenback Piano Co., Spokane, Wash.
"It is my personal opinion that Spinets should not be under
-37 inches and made up to 40 inches. Small uprights 40 inches
to 42 inches. I haasea amaya aopaaianaiaonaaaa
to 42 inches. I base my opinion on the fact that we have been
stocking the different makes of pianos from 34 inches to 40
inches. The 37 inch Spinet pianos have advantages over the
34 inch that are very obvious and the 37 inch piano will sit
anywhere that a 34 inch piano will and look just as good and
has less sales resistance against the 40 inch or 41 inch ver-
ticals."
C. H. Lane, Eureka, Kansas
"We see a definite place in the trade for the 34 inch piano.
Bungalows and apartments need small pianos. Not all pur-
chasers are or ever intend to be musicians. Then, too, price
is a factor.
"It appears to the writer that it is up to the dealer to 'sell
the right type of piano to the right prospect.' "
Wurlitzer Gets Additional
War Plant in DeKalb, 111.
Expansion in the war work of The
Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, DeKalb,
111., was announced recently by Cyril
Farny, vice president and manager of
the DeKalb organization, with the
statement that the huge building re-
cently occupied by Interstate Engineer-
ing and Aircraft Corporation, would
become Wurlitzer Plant No. 2.
On High Priority
Mr. Farny, in announcing the broad-
ening of the Wurlitzer organization in
war contract activities, stated that the
move is being made at the urgent re-
quest of the Bureau of Aeronautics of
14
the Navy Department.
The Wurlitzer company in the new-
ly acquired factory building will be
working on high priority aircraft work
for the Goodyear Aircraft Corpora-
tion of Akron, Ohio. Products to be
manufactured are aircraft components,
the Navy making no additional public
releases concerning the nature of the
work. Mr. Farny stated that special
machinery needed for the work has
been ordered, and is now being shipped
and complete plans for the rearrange-
ment of the factory to handle the
work have been drafted. Raw mate-
rial needed on the project has also
been ordered. The Wurlitzer organiza-
tion took over the plant as of March 1,
including not only the factory but also
the hangar and the runway. The phy-
sical properties are being leased by
Wurlitzer from the Defense Plant Cor-
poration.
Current war contracts uow being
handled by Wurlitzer in its present
large plant will continue under present
schedules and will not be changed by
the additional work.
A New Building
This announcement of the Wurlitzer
move will mean the utilization of De-
Kalb's newest manufacturing building
in vital war work. The structure orig-
inally erected as a furniture factory
was taken over by Interstate and oper-
ated by that organization on a navy
contract for aircraft until the can-
cellation of that work.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL. 1945
"Our contention is that there should be at least two sizes,
one about 35 inches or 36 inches high and the other about 40
inches or 41 inches high and the quality should vary according
to the height."
L. Hiltbrunncr, Hiltbrunner Music Co., Cedar Rapids, la.
"We wish to say that we would be in favor of any size
console piano, just as long as it is built with the direct blow
action instead of the drop action."
Morgan Piano Co., Miami, Fla.
"We believe the public wants the small pianos, as low as
34 inches. Many people would rather sacrifice tone for looks
—especially where the piano is bought as a piece of furniture.
Harold G. Aggeler, Music Center, Boise, Idaho
"Since our customers have been unable to buy new pianos
of the type and style they want, we have sold several hun-
dred used pianos. Many of these customers bought used
pianos as a temporary expedient until the new pianos are
available. They have told us what they want and their ideas
are just as varied as the piano sizes were before the war—
some want the flat top Spinets, others whom I believe are
more interested in the tone qualities than the customer who
buys mainly on the furniture motive, want the higher type
verticals. Some say they would prefer a small studio upright.
"I believe we have two distinct classes of piano customers,
those prmarily buying furniture and those primarily interested
in a musical instrument and we should be able to meet the
demands of both classes.
"If you have had a customer come in and bang on several
pianos, ignorant of the prices, and tell you he or she thinks,
what in your estimation is the poorest piano on the floor, is
the best—you will appreciate what I have in mind when I say
there is a big volume of piano sales to be made to those
whose decision will be largely in fluenced by the 'furniture'
appeal."
Rudolph Siegling, Pres., Siegling Music House, Inc.,
Charleston, S. C.
"We believe that a piano should not be smaller than 38
inches. We find that in the smaller type piano the tonal
quality is not as good. We have always tried to sell the larger
pianos of the Spinet type, because with the longer strings,
larger sounding board area, and the height, the tonal quality
of these instruments is much better. We hope that they will
not build too small pianos after the war."
Henry A. Kieselhorst, Kieselhorst Piano Co., St. Louis, Mo.
"Regardless of what we in the industry think, public accept-
ance sets the size (and style) of what we sell if we are able
to do any amount of business.
"My personal opinion is that the manufacturer has a better
chance to get a good tone out of a 40 inch piano than he has
out of a 36 inch piano, but we have sold many 36 inch pianos
that have given the customer all he wants at the price he
was willing to pay.
"I would say continue to make the three principal sizes
that have been popular—36 inch, 38 inch, and 40 (or 41) inch
and let nature take its course."
Carl Wittich, Wittich's, Reading, Pa.
"We have been pondering over your request for our opinion
regarding the height of pianos. After weighing the arguments
for and against, it seems to resolve itself into just one ques-
tion—what will the public want?
"We feel that the public spoke in plain terms when they
old us, by their lack of patronage, that it didn't want the
upright pianos any longer. Similarly, they told us that the
44 inch piano was not acceptable, but they did indicate that
the 34 inch piano was highly acceptable and the 36 inch and
37 inch ones equally so. In our experience, the 39 inch and 40
inch ones were not received with the same amount of enthusi-
asm We believe that these same trends will be noticeable
in the future.
"The continued efforts of certain writers on technical sub-
jects relating to the manufacture and upkeep of pianos to
build resistance again.st the purchase of the type of piano
for which the public had so definitely shown a preference was
unfortunate. And the most amazing thing of all was that
the tuning profession, who in large numbers, in our locality
at least, were closely approaching the starvation point at the
time of the introduction of the new, little pianos, fought to
stem their popularity instead of jumping on the band wagon
for their own economic safety. We mean starvation of busi.
ness, of course, not the personal kind.
"If the manufacturers of other products would manufacture
what the public should have instead of what the public
wants, the $64 question would be—'Would manufacturing in-
come drop, would you say 10 per cent, 25 per cent or more
than 50 per cent?' Anybody could win the $64 answering
that one.
"On the whole, we were satisfied with tho small pianos.
Tonally they filled the average need. And for those desiring
the increased tone of a 40 inch piano, we feel certain that
there will be 40 inch pianos, just as there are large grands
for those that feel the smaller grands have their tonal limita-
tions. We should have said 'were' large grands, and our
greatest hope is that soon we will again be able to say 'there
are pianos here to fill every need.' "
C. E. Hollenback, Hollenback Piano Co., Spokane, Wash.
"It is my personal opinion that Spinets should not be under
-37 inches and made up to 40 inches. Small uprights 40 inches
to 42 inches. I haasea amaya aopaaianaiaonaaaa
to 42 inches. I base my opinion on the fact that we have been
stocking the different makes of pianos from 34 inches to 40
inches. The 37 inch Spinet pianos have advantages over the
34 inch that are very obvious and the 37 inch piano will sit
anywhere that a 34 inch piano will and look just as good and
has less sales resistance against the 40 inch or 41 inch ver-
ticals."
C. H. Lane, Eureka, Kansas
"We see a definite place in the trade for the 34 inch piano.
Bungalows and apartments need small pianos. Not all pur-
chasers are or ever intend to be musicians. Then, too, price
is a factor.
"It appears to the writer that it is up to the dealer to 'sell
the right type of piano to the right prospect.' "
Wurlitzer Gets Additional
War Plant in DeKalb, 111.
Expansion in the war work of The
Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, DeKalb,
111., was announced recently by Cyril
Farny, vice president and manager of
the DeKalb organization, with the
statement that the huge building re-
cently occupied by Interstate Engineer-
ing and Aircraft Corporation, would
become Wurlitzer Plant No. 2.
On High Priority
Mr. Farny, in announcing the broad-
ening of the Wurlitzer organization in
war contract activities, stated that the
move is being made at the urgent re-
quest of the Bureau of Aeronautics of
14
the Navy Department.
The Wurlitzer company in the new-
ly acquired factory building will be
working on high priority aircraft work
for the Goodyear Aircraft Corpora-
tion of Akron, Ohio. Products to be
manufactured are aircraft components,
the Navy making no additional public
releases concerning the nature of the
work. Mr. Farny stated that special
machinery needed for the work has
been ordered, and is now being shipped
and complete plans for the rearrange-
ment of the factory to handle the
work have been drafted. Raw mate-
rial needed on the project has also
been ordered. The Wurlitzer organiza-
tion took over the plant as of March 1,
including not only the factory but also
the hangar and the runway. The phy-
sical properties are being leased by
Wurlitzer from the Defense Plant Cor-
poration.
Current war contracts uow being
handled by Wurlitzer in its present
large plant will continue under present
schedules and will not be changed by
the additional work.
A New Building
This announcement of the Wurlitzer
move will mean the utilization of De-
Kalb's newest manufacturing building
in vital war work. The structure orig-
inally erected as a furniture factory
was taken over by Interstate and oper-
ated by that organization on a navy
contract for aircraft until the can-
cellation of that work.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL. 1945
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