Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1891 — ART OF PIANO-MAKING. [ARTICLE]

ART OF PIANO-MAKING.

I Nearly Six Years Necessary for Perfect Construction. | Few people are aware of the amount of time and labor-required to produce |-a piano. From the time the first log is sawed in the forest until the fin(ishing touches and final overhauling are given to the completed piano i from four to six years must pass. /That is, every piano turned out from * the factory or store to-day was be- ; gun four or five years ago, and ever since that time has been going through the various stages of prep-' aration and construction. One of the large manufacturers when asked by a Brooklyn Eagle reporter as to the process of construction cheerfully gave the desired information, at the | same time leading the way through I the manufactory. “This is in reality the second facjtory,” said he, “for all the material , comes here in partially completed [state. In the first place, an experi- ! enced lumberman is to be employed by every manufacturer to select the logs ■ and see that the grains of the different woods are straight and true. After these have been sawed the Lumber is piled under weather proof shed, where it remains from three to five years, according to thickness, untill it has become thoroughly air dried. “When the case has been cut out in the Massachusetts factory it is shipped here and comes first into the varnishing department, where it remains from three to four months in order that the pores of the wood may be thoroughly filled. That is really the secret of the fine polish on a finished piano. While this work is progressing in the varnishing room, other and-important work is being done on the interior of the piano. The sounding board, which is also seasoned and tested in the first factory- is again thoroughly tested here. ■Every grain of wood and every joint is thoroughly investigated before it is put into the case. Here the skill of the piano maker begins and only the most careful and competent workmen are intrusted wjith the responsibility of this department. Numerous mechanical and scientific arrangements are neeessary to obtain satisfactory results with the sounding boards. “Then the actions, keys and levers

are attended to in another room. These portions of the piano are of the most vital importance, as it is upon the exact adjustment of the many levers and center points that the power and delicacy of the touch depends. Unless great care and attention is bestowed upon the details in this department the piano must prove a failure. The next stage reached is where the hammers, keys and actions are placed in their proper positions in the frame, when the piano fii-st gives forth sound as a musical instrument. The principal object sought here is a powei-ful blow of the hammer upon the strings, to be produced by a light touch of the perfoi’mer. The workmen in this depax’tment must-have skill and experience, for the delicate and costly materials and mechanisms they haridle and place in proper working positions make this branch one of great trust. “In still another department the carvers are at work, chiseling out legs and other oxmamental portions of the piano. These, too, have to go thi-ough a course of sprouts in tne varnish room. After the keys, levers, hammers, sounding board and case have been pi'operly put together the piano goes to tlie fly finishing department, where all those parts which have been finished separately are placed in their respective positions. This is, the top, lockboard, legs, pedals and music rack are here adjusted. “Now that the piano has been put together, it remains in the fly finishing department from three to five weeks and receives a preparatory course of tuning before going into the hands of the action and tone regulators. These first tunings are of great importance, and on them much of the future excellence of the piano depends.” “Then the instrument goes to the tone regulating department, probably the most important branch of all.' Failure here is fatal, and must result disastrously as far as the production of a true musical instrument is concerned.

“Ofcoui'se you think this is the finishing point, but it isn’t. Before it goes to the ware-rooms thfe piano goes into the hands of workmen of the very highest grade, who minutely examine every portion of the instrument. Every string and hammer, every center lever and spring, every screw and pin must undergo a l-igid inspection, and not until all these have been ascertained to be adjusted properly and the instrument is found to be in a perfect condition is it passed over to receive it final polish and be placed in the wai*eroom.”