New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-20
now PIAY0S arr MADE.
THE VARIOUS PROCESSES AND MATERIALS

A
PACTUEER.
A visit to n Piano factory gives nm opportunity
for aoring much that il Of interest There il ascina
ton in watching the processes by which from rough
nile. of .,nbcr and coils of wire the instrument which
can become ono either Of torture pleasure Is fash
loncd
A piano may in the making be divided into four
parts the case tho framing and sounding board INC
arinrng the koya aud action. The caso IA the n'oet
etponayo part Of tho instrument though upon u nc
ponds none of tho value of tho piano ~ mn'ioa IN
.rinont Unul within few years, oaaea were almost
invariably made Of rosewood but now oYcfy variety ~
wood from mahogany to holly Ia u7cd VI must MOI
bc .upposod howo,of that oa,o VI rosewood or any
other Aort Of inoy wood IA mlo ol that natoih en-
foiy Tho real eA,o IA of wlo wood, aud the appear
,nce of the most expensive wood gwen by thin w
ncerine nppod With extreme care. Tho framing h't'
for the n. sixty years been formed ia part or whole OF
iron This il ncce ssnry account of the immen'o
strain produced by tho strings, the sum of whose ten
ton amounts to from seven TO ten tons The sounding
board il of thin spruce The strings are OF iron ware
covered with either copper steel wire or else plain
The action and keys formed OF ivory, white wood
and 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
the why and wherefore of everything
This Is the polishing rom" said he, " aud an inn
portan room it a. too. The polishing Of piano ls a
long laborious business The varnish is laid on first
in four or five successive which each OF them
rubbed down when dry with Iumice stone and water
Then other finishing coats are applied when are SAM
papercd until the final polishing coat Is aPpHeI'
Altogether there nine or ten coats OF VaIhSh OF POI
The next floor was reached.
bf.l linz nm he 81
Guide "Thoy are held together by wooden clamps,
and when finished taken apart, numbered and sent
upstairs to be polished. That man IL yenecrlng
min uapcrlie Sheet of rosewood j. glued to that inch
thick piece Of white wood. and both are then subjected
to enormous pressure at high temperature me glue
pour5 the sides. aud the veneer Il almost part of
The humber wood 1t masks. II will never blister or
crack That oddly shaped piece of iron l. the frame
We do not cast those ourselves. ~ il would not paw
Stcinwly is thc only manufacturer who doe In That
little room are the regulators who after The piano *
made tone IL by carefully tightening or oo-culng the
string. ne regulator j. the highest paid workman IN
the tory. Il take, him lit,c over day to tone
piano if hc !, working by time. If ha Is plece-WorNng
hc g't- % d"nc "hih ulc u'J' pri''' ,"Hl'~ ~ "''
however, the instrument passes through many hlnd~'
for each hls his line, and never Departs from
H. There are kcgmakcrs. hammer makers, hammer
lclthcrri4 -trug.r- case makers and unl-hcs. sound
board .u'lor-, and 80 The keys are mace q. rlc
outside tu, factory a- il would not be worth while to
have the necessary machinery for ivory working lin.
room was r.a hcd aud after th1t the warcroon,
where rows Of shining instruments stood c'ch care,
fully tfHi tO project ~ liil l' 'i-l ii''' ''it
said the guide. that is whore piano finds Ms way SIX
months or -o after it- ma luftcturc is begun
~ hat IL the ayCrag" price of piano =
Well. that's n difficult question to answer You
can buy piano a. retail for 500. or rather what
for want of a better is called piano. fon can
a.o think yourself lucky If You get one Tor $50" rs
special favor from the manufacturer Ouf instruments
sell for 500. but 10 you would put i in ut S6oO
cash" The courteous offer declined, but men
toned with approbation subsequently to man who
has been connected with the piano trade Ills Scorn
Was immense.
"Why come 70 me-" said he and will get you the
nonsense talked in that business than in any other
have ever heard Of The cash price Of piano to any
one who il in any way connected with the business -
invariably % per cent lower than the catalogue plce
Now III lust give you few figures b. sh0" that the
manufacture l. not such very costly affair after alt
Sind YOU too am speaking Of first class instruments
Wages vary from - O $50 week, or m the case 81
a GOOD regulator ~ $50 Lumber is dear, bt there -
not very much nsed after all In piano. WHIT" Wpod
coats from $50 ~ 500 900 feet, and sprnc" for
hacks from S22 30 b. $50 900 feet Inc Do,t
spruce taken from the sunny side Of the tree or s"ud
inc boards il iJa 600 feet set ot Bcys Costs
como 10 about 40 The strnRs-sny apont thirty
covered strings-arc - % Cases, when made ny thn
pece ns s generally the case are PIT IN ut about t'HV
. dozen for tho very best though they arc often CON
trncrd for IN good shops at about HBDO - dphch ~
together tho average prize Of first class instrument W
tbr manufacturer f. about 500 ell told wuch leaves
% fair margin of profit fot agents nnd iethl'f9 W'h
tho customer pays his $500 ~ ~ OOO inf y lr l"u"
Manufacturers do not mako fortunes rapidly lhoiH ~
imuonao competition, choap inaitumehta aio got uP
which cell fnf 30. aud M0 worth not 40 many tnn7
A largo capital bna ~ be- invested. about fDooo ior
etrh Piano turned out rnoh Wfrki hhh Hnl'9 oven ~
good years 40 slow compared With Tho alooh Tint hi7t
Er kopt un hand Altogether tho lfo ~ - piano mann
fnrfnirf h not altogether happy one but all tho sin
whom thoy tell you NJ The enorm0bH cost 81 making
pianos sprinkle few grains 81 salt over tho statement