The Greasy Groove factory

We moved from our Alberta location when we purchased our building in Amherst Nova Scotia.  We have 30,000 of space dedicated to the love of our business and are equipped with an impressive array of manufacturing equipment.  Our second floor is dedicated to old vintage instruments and we are in the process of building a museum collection that will eventually be opened for public viewing.

Historical point of interest - The Amherst Piano Factory

The following article is written by Davey Lee Goode

Pre 1930 Pianos

I am fascinated by history and how life changes throughout the ages and Have a love of old musical instruments.  We have long moved on from the times when every household dreamt of owning or was lucky enough to own a piano.  At the turn of the last century, entertainment within the home came from the people within it and the piano was a popular contender for livening up the home with music

No TV, no Radio, no HiFi equipment to fill the rooms with music and no real means of producing music other than by human performance. These times can be hard to imagine in today’s techno hungry and gadget reliant environment.  

Canada had a history of piano building through the 1800’s but it would be the early 1900’s that would see the industry boom!  Imported instruments were common but there was a major problem transporting them in damp cargo holds across the ocean and they were notorious for their problems associated with the change in climate after transportation.  The early 20th century seemed to be a time when the piano switched from being a instrument of the wealthy to being an instrument for everyone.  Much of the marketing was aimed at the average household, making a piano part of everyday life with slogans like "A piano for every Parlour".

1900 to 1930

Piano parts (keys, strings, action) were imported from other suppliers  for some of the builders but as time progressed many Canadian builders utilized all Canadian parts.

When looking at the timelines, I have identified a cut off at around 1930 where many manufacturers went out of business or were bought up by larger manufactures.

There are some piano builders that continued to operate long after 1930 but only the very strong survived.  The great depression of the 30’s saw the further demise of the industry and the piano market would never be the same again.  It is important to note that the demise of the Canadian Piano manufactures up to and around 1930 was not only due to the onset of the depression years, a major contributor was to advent of the Gramophone and then of course Radio, the popularity of these was enormous and the piano was almost forgotten overnight.

As an indication of the growing market, statistics show that piano production more than doubled between 1900 (12,000 units) and 1912 (30,000 units).

World war 1 saw a challenge for the industry with materials such as Woods, metals and fuel being held back from anything that was not part of the war effort.  With the problems in Europe, much of the import and export from the European community was hindered and this opened up some trade potential from Canada to such destinations as the UK.

The Amherst Piano Company 1908 to 1928

The piano building story in Amherst seems to start with the H.A.Hillcoat Pianos, a small company that had been manufacturing for some time.  In the illustrations you will see reference to Hillcoat pianos in publications from the 1890’s

While Hillcoat was building his instruments there was a music store mogul by the name of J.A.McDonald who resided in Amherst. 

The Mcdonald Piano And Music Company was the largest music retailer in Atlantic Canada at the time It seemed that Mr. McDonald was enjoying high levels of growth and expansion, opening up stores all across the Canadian Maritimes.  Piano’s were sold from many builders through the chain of stores and “The Macdonald Piano And Music Company” was the largest music retailer in Atlantic Canada at the time.    Some pianos were sold under the Amherst name but I have not found how to identify the original manufacturer of those.  Around 1911, sales were limited only by the speed at which pianos could be acquired from the manufacturers.  J A McDonald decided to go into production himself and rallied up the enthusiasm of some keen businessmen and investors.  I have found reference while digging through museum records (Cumberland Museum, Amherst NS) that the sum of money raised was $500,000.

Amherst at that time was the home of an unprecedented amount of wealthy, successful and influential people and business just could not have been better.  There do not seem to be many references to Hillcoat and McDonald working together but in the small Amherst Community it seems unlikely that they did not collaborate throughout the early Amherst Piano years.  In 1912 McDonald bought up the Hillcoat Company and the Amherst Piano Company was truly born. 

Production from the Amherst plant was quick to expand as skilled workers and industry specialists were scooped up from other companies.

One of the most notable pianos was the Player piano which was somewhat of a craze in the first 20 years or so of the last century.  The Amherst player piano was a relatively well made instrument with a hefty price tag for the time of $750.

The 1917 Halifax Explosion

The Cumberland museum has a document advertisement for a scratch and dent sale to be held in Halifax after the explosion.  I would assume that this was for pianos that had been warehoused in Halifax awaiting shipment.

It seemed like the Company wanted to make it almost impossible to resist buying a piano with such deals as:

We will:

      Pay the freight on any piano. 

      Pay your railway fare to and from the sale. 

      Give you a stool.

1925

1925 was a good year and although piano sales had gone past their peak, the company felt that it would do well in the long run.  I found a quote from McDonald in 1925 (Late Summer) saying that he felt that the radio fad was over and people would start buying pianos again, he could not have been more off track.  1925 was still a good year though, Amherst pianos did not see the end coming at all.  

US reporter for the Music trade Review publication (Maurice Richmond) made a trip through Nova Scotia in 1925 and when he got to Amherst he was very impressed indeed he noted that "Amherst is a piano city".   he was given a tour of the Amherst factory and he wrote:

"We arrived at the plant and found it modern in every aspect.  Every apparatus that modern manufacturing efficiency can suggest has been adopted with the object of producing a good piano".

Business was good and the Amherst name held a great reputation.  The Princess Royal of 1925 (Princess Louise, later Duchess of Fife - 1867-1931, 3rd child of Edward VII (son Queen Victoria) and Queen Alexandra.) selected an Amherst piano for her household.  The princess had been offered many pianos to choose from but selected on of the regular Amherst built instruments. 

This is testimony to the fact that the Canadian piano was well respected as far away as the UK and the Amherst brand was a good proposition for any piano purchaser of the time.   The Amherst company's boast was "The Best In The World", this statement was proudly displayed on the name plaque for each instrument.

The end of the good times

            The popularity of the Gramophone

            The Gramophone Market

            The Advent of Radio

            The growing Movie industry and motion pictures with sound

            The automobile now allowing people to have the freedom of travel

The roll off on piano sales took only a couple of years to have a tremendous impact. 

It must have been a long battle with sales over 1926 and 1927 but in reality the 2 year span would be a downward slope for the company's profits and production.  The Amherst piano company tried to battle against the loss in sales through incorporating diversity.  Organ repair was one of the new tact’s as well as production of the Cremonaphone (Amherst Gramophone), but sadly it was not enough and was pitched a little too late.

    Deluxe Cremonaphone

Even with aggressive sales campaigns the good tomes had now gone and only the strongest most competitive piano builders could survive.  The Amherst Piano Company closed its doors in 1928.

References to Amherst Piano ltd. and The Amherst Piano Company refer to the same company.

As the company shut down, a group of employees acquired some of the parts and set up the Cumberland Piano Company.  This company operated for a few years and then also disappeared from the scene. 

  Spot the Amherst "Best in the world" motif under "Cumberland"

How do Amherst Pianos stand the test of time

In their time, the Amherst piano was a decent instrument but its construction lacked some of the design elements needed for longevity of life.  As a result, many pianos become difficult or impossible to tune.  I have seen pianos that have survived and they sound fine.  A good restored piano can be a good companion for many more years to come but the restoration process is costly and many people choose to buy newer instruments.

Some of the worse problems can be:

Loose tuning pegs.

The pinblock can separate from the piano frame – this can be seem as a crack that develops between the two.

Pinblocks can need replacing when there are a large number of loose tuning pegs/pins.

Pinblocks are made with the holes slightly undersized for the pin (transition fit) but this can wear or stress and become loose.

Piano Types

Spinet Piano

These are a budget piano with short strings and short keys.  The moving parts that create the striking action on the strings are mounted below the keys and the inefficient mechanism has an effect of losing the feel on the piano keys.  The short strings has an effect of losing tonal characteristics associated with better instruments and as such these pianos are not popular with serious students or teachers alike.  The main benefits of the spinet are its small size and its low price.

Console Piano (upright)

The console piano more resembles an upright but still has shorter strings.  The mechanism is above the keys so has a much better feel than that of the spinet.  With the strings being slightly longer than the spinet there is more tone and tuning is more viable.

Console pianos are between 40” to 46” in height.

Studio Piano (upright)

Player Piano (upright) (Self player piano).  

Basically an upright with a player mechanism that allows the piano to reproduce music by means of a mechanical mechanism.  The music is reproduced using suction and perforations in a paper roll normally located in the top front portion of the piano.  Generally, the piano may be played by conventional means and is basically a regular upright design with added player mechanism.  Player pianos were extremely popular in the early 1900’s just because they were excellent for home entertainment.

Full upright

This would be the uprights with a full length string frame (the upright grand), and they offer a full harmonic reproduction hence good tonal quality.   

Grand Piano (Upright or horizontal)

Full sized piano.  Can be of horizontal or vertical construction (upright grand),  A concert grand would be the larger piano up to 3m long  A parlor Grand would be smaller at around 2m long and a baby grand could be smaller.  Measurements are only a generalization since different manufacturers classify their own sizes for each piano.

An important note here would be not to assume that the size of the piano ultimately determine its tonal quality.  A high quality well constructed console piano can produce sounds that very closely resemble a full size grand.

The Square Piano

This piano has horizontal strings that are strung diagonally across the rectangular frame.  the look is very similar to that of the Clavichord.

The origins of the square piano can be traced directly to the clavichord, with which it shares a rectangular (not square) shape and basic layout of strings and soundboard. The keyboard is positioned along one of the broad sides, and the strings run horizontally at right angles to the keys

Research and History

I have gained a passion for old pianos and the industry from 1890 to 1930.  Our piano collection is expanding and I am also collecting all other older Canadian made instruments for a museum collection that will be made open to the public.  This is a non profit project and I would appreciate any info or leads that anyone could give me for research material or interesting instruments etc.  Sadly I hear so many people say, "Oh I had one of those and we threw it out", I am trying to give a home and a central point of reference for Canadian made instruments of all types.

"Thanks for reading and I hope that you found some of this article content to be of interest.  Davey lee Goode"

Email me if you would like to ad something

More Info on the Canadian Piano industry

1893 only 135 pianos left Canada - mostly for Great Britain, Australia, and the USA, whereas Canada imported nearly four times that number from the USA alone.

John Anthony McDonald (December 24, 1875 - December 12, 1948) was a manufacturer, financier and Canadian Senator.

Federal Political Experience

Years of Service: 10161 Days (27 years, 9 months, 26 days)

McDonald was born and educated in Shediac, New Brunswick. He was president of Amhert Pianos, Ltd., of Amherst, Nova Scotia and also served as vice-president of Sterling Securities of Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Trust as well as vice-president of the Colonial Brick Company of Amherst and Moncton Underwear of Moncton, New Brunswick.

In 1921, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Arthur Meighen. He sat as an independent until his death. He represented the province of New Brunswick in the upper house.

FISHLEIGH, William Peter, Assistant superintendent, Amherst Pianos Ltd. Born Port Hope, Ont, Can Dec 10^th, 1865, son of William and Maria Fishleigh.  Married Edith Maybee (deceased) and Mildred Clara Garfat, Oct 21, 1898: one son, three daughters.  Educated Bowmansville, Ont.  Mr Fishleigh has been in the piano business since 1881 holdind superintendencies in several of the largest piano factories in Canada:  one of the first player piano makers in Canada, having had charge of all the experimental work and also superintendent of the Otto Higel Player Piano Factory, Toronto, Ont. Also of the Pneumatic Player Co. of Toronto

Member Acacia Lodge A.F. & A.M. Amherst N.S. Anglican.  Address Amherst N.S.

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