Pianotech

  • 1.  "The Tuners' Magazine" and "The Tuners Journal"

    Posted 10-16-2021 10:01

    Is anyone interested in getting copies of the old piano tuner's journal called The Tuners' Magazine? I have seven of the monthly issues from 1916 and two from 1917 that I have scanned into pdf files.

    I also have a lot of the old (paper) issues of the NAPT's The Tuners Journal from 1921 through 1929. I'm not a PTG member – I would appreciate it if someone would confirm my understanding that at least all the NAPT journals, if not both journals, are already available to members on the Web site. If they are not, or if any are missing, I am happy to give PTG what I have.

    I find it interesting to look over the journal content of 100 years ago!  Regards, Norman



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    Norman Brickman
    Potomac Piano Service
    Potomac, Maryland
    potomacpiano@verizon.net
    https://potomacpiano.com
    (301) 983.9321
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  • 2.  RE: "The Tuners' Magazine" and "The Tuners Journal"

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-16-2021 21:08
    I appreciate your willingness to help, Norman.

    Here is the latest list of missing magazines:

    • September 1923
    • Aug, Sept, Oct, & Dec 1931
    • Oct, Nov and Dec 1932
    • Jan, Feb, Mar, April, May, June, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec 1933
    • Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, July, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec 1934
    • Mar, Apr, May, Jun, July, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec 1935
    • Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov 1936
    • Feb, Mar, Apr, Sep, Nov 1937
    • Feb 1941 – Page 3&4
    • Nov, Dec 1943
    • Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug, Nov 1944
    • Jan, Feb, Mar (incomplete) Apr, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct (incomplete), Nov, Dec 1945
    • Sep 1946
    • July 1949
    In my opinion, many of the missing magazines should be available in libraries in major cities, if someone has the time to look. As time goes by, these magazines will be discarded and lost forever.

    Paul.

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    Paul Brown, RPT
    Past President
    Piano Technicians Guild
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Email: ipp@ptg.org
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  • 3.  RE: "The Tuners' Magazine" and "The Tuners Journal"

    Posted 10-17-2021 10:26

    Paul, thanks for posting the list of missing issues and of course I am happy to help. Yes, if anyone has or locates any of the missing issues, please contact Paul. (I just contributed the September, 1923 and the July, 1949, issues.)

    My goal now is to get the United States' Library of Congress to accept the preservation task of all our old piano tuner journals. There is quite a lot of history involved here, both US and worldwide. Assuming a favorable reaction when I contact the PTG home office, are there any volunteers to help with this? Anyone have a contact at the LOC? I can't say I am getting the warmest (highest-priority) reception there so far! I used to be the editor for the MPT Journal and I will also be pushing for inclusion of those journals.

    The PTG Web site has most all the old journals for your access. Take a look – you will also find them quite interesting. If for some reason you still want access to issues (those before 1926) that I have scanned, I have them in the cloud and have already given the access link out to a few people via email. Regards, Norman.



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    Norman Brickman
    Potomac Piano Service
    Potomac, Maryland
    potomacpiano@verizon.net
    https://potomacpiano.com
    (301) 983.9321
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  • 4.  RE: "The Tuners' Magazine" and "The Tuners Journal"

    Posted 11-09-2021 13:08
      |   view attached
    Latest status:  I brought a set of over 100 of these old journals to the Library of Congress today, ranging from the years 1916 to 1948.  See the attached file for the full list.  Special thank you for assistance from James Kelly, Paul Brown, and Vince Mrykalo. And thank you posthumously to William (Bill) J. Kelleher (Cleveland) for the original donation – if anyone knew Bill, who I think was both a PTG and MPT member, please drop me a note.
    
    As already explained, copies of all the journals are available on the PTG Web site as pdf files, or you can email me for access to the limited set that I have.  One hundred years ago was certainly a very dynamic time in the music industry, particularly for pianos.  For example, there were multiple manufacturers of player piano mechanisms, and just one of them, the Standard Pneumatic Action Company, lists the 102 piano manufacturers who used theirs in 1921.   
    
    Meanwhile, I asked and the LoC might be interested in also obtaining old copies of the PTG Journal and the MPT Journal.  If anyone wants my contact information at the LoC, or wants to work with me on this possible follow-up, let me know.  Norman


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    Norman Brickman
    Potomac Piano Service
    Potomac, Maryland
    potomacpiano@verizon.net
    https://potomacpiano.com
    (301) 983.9321
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  • 5.  RE: "The Tuners' Magazine" and "The Tuners Journal"

    Member
    Posted 11-09-2021 14:01
    Norman  -- that is absolutely an awesome thing you did. Every time that Paul has posted a scanned journal I have read it. There is a rich history worthy of preserving. Places such as the Library of Congress and the American Museum of Natural History are great repositories and goldmines for research. I spent a full day at the Smithsonian and actually had my hands on the original Chickering Shipping Logs. It is a pretty amazing experience to look through the hand written logs that are in beautiful cursive writing. Your copies are in good hands. I am very willing to help you out. One of the problems most libraries and museums have is help cataloging and scanning documents, pictures etc.  There is a very useful site called History Hub that can help anyone with research.


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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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