Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-02
HOW PIANOS ARE MADE.
The Various Processes and Materials
big Margin of Profit Left for the
Manufacturer.

The Various Processes and Natcrials-
4 big Margin OF Profit Left for the
Manufacturer.
From the New York Tribune.
visit to piano factory gives an opportunity
for seeing much that Is of interest. There is a
fascination in watching the processes by which
from rough piles of lumber and coils of wire the
instrument which can become one either of tor
ture or pleasure is fashioned.
piano may in the making be divided into
four parts: The Case, the framing and sounding
board, the stringing. the keys and action The
case is the most expensive part of the instru-
ment, though upon it depends none of the value
OF the piano as a musical instrument Until
within few years cases were almost invariably
made Of rosewood. tut now every variety of
wood from mahogany to holly is used. Ii must
rot be supposed. however. that @ case of rose
wood. or any other sort of fancy wood is made
OF that material entirely. Tie real case is OF
white wood; and the appearance of the most ex-
pensiye wood is gwen by thin veneering ap-
pied with extreme care The framing has fer
the last sixty years been formed in part or whole
OF iron. This is necessary on account of the i'm
mense strain produced by the strings the sum
OF whose tension amounts to from seven to ten
tons. The sounding board is of thin spruce
The strings are of iron wire. covered with either
copper or steel wire or else plain. The action
felt.
Tribune reporter was led yesterday through
large factory from the top story down, and
found each floor devoted to one special branch
of the manufacture. His guide volublv ex-
planned they passed through the WHY and
wherefore of everything.
This is the polishng-room." said he. land an
important room it is. too. The polishing of q
piano is long. labOriOus business. The varnish
is laid on first in four or five successive coats
which each of them rIIhbp6 dnun ,.ba-, dr,,
with pun!iCe stone and water Then other
finishing coats are applied. which are sand
papered until the fiual polishing coat is applied
Altogether there are nine or ten coats of varnish
or polish applied"
The next floor was reached
These men are building up the cases." said
the guide They are held together by wooden
clamps and when finished are taken apart num-
bcred and sent upstairs to be polished. That
man is veneering. A thin, paper-like sheet of
rosewood is glued to that inch thick piece OF
white wood. and both are then subjected to
enormous pressure at a high temperature The
glue pOurs out at the sides and the veneer is
almost part of the humber wood it masks 1t
Will never blister or crack. That oddly shaped
piece Oh iron is the frame Wedo not cast those
ourselves, as 1t would not pay. Steinway is the
only manufacturer who does. In that little
room are the regulators. who. after the piano is
made. tone it by carefully Tightening or loosen
ing the strings. The regulator Is the highest
little over day to tone piano if he is working
by time. If he Is piece-wOrking he gets it done
within the day. Before coming to him. how
ever, the instrument passes through many
hands Tor each man has his own line, and never
departs from 1t. There are key-makprs hammer
makers, hammer-leatherers. stringers. case
makers ana flnishers, sound board makers and
so on. The keys are made as a rule outside the
factory. as 1t would not be worth while to have
the necessary machinery for ivory working"
at frrt Sx-ici ind
packing room was reached. and after that the
wareroom. where rows of shining instruments
stood. each carefully covered to protect it from
the dust. There. sir" said the guide, that is
where plano finds its way six months or so after
Its manufacture is begun
what Is the average price ur a Dano;"
'Well. that's difficult question to answer
f0u can buy a piano at retail for 500, or rather
what for want of better name is called piano
I on can Also think yourself lucky il you get one
for $500 as special favor from the manufac-
turer- Our instruments sell for 300. but to
you would put it in at 5000 cash.
The courteous offer was declined but Nell
toned with appreciation subsequently to a man
who las been connected with the piano trade
His scOrn was immense.
wv ny come to me-" said he. ''and will nct
you the same piano for $3.50 on easy terms
There Is more nonsense talked IN that business
than In any other have overheard Of The cash
price OF q piano to any one vino is i'm any way
Ia.
cent lower than the catalogue price Now rlI
just give you a few figures to show that the
manufacture is not such a very costly affair after
all Mind you. too am speaking of tirst-class
Instruments Wages vary from SIP to $50 q
week. or in the case Of a good regulator to S35
Lumber is dear, but there is not very much
used after all in q piano. White wood costs
nom $50 TO $50 LOCO feet and spruce for backs
from S22JG to $50 a .000 feet The best sprucf.
taken from the sunny sides OF the tree for
sounding boards is 545 q LOCO feet set
OF keys costs about Sl7 ready for use The
castings necessary come to about sI2
The strings = s;g about thirty covered
strngs-are $3.50. Cases when made bv tie
piece. as Is generally the case are put i'm at
about S420 dozen tor the very best though
they are often contracted for in good shops at
ABOUT $50 Il dozen. Altogether the average
price OF q lirst class Instrument TO the manufac-
turer Is about $3.50 all told which leaves fair
margin OF profit for agents and retailers when
the customer pays his $500 to 81 600 for it.
Yet piano manufacturers do not make fortunes
rapidly. There Is immense competition: cheap
instruments are got up which sell tor $50. and
are worth not so NAV cents. A large capital
has TO be Invested, about 5000 for each piano
turned out each week. and sales even in good
years are slow compared with the stock that
must be kept on hand. Altogether the life Of a
plano manufacturer is not altogether a haDpy
one, but ell the same when they tell YOU of the
enormous cost of making pianos, sprinkle q
lie" grains u salt over the statement"