The highest priced types, in the popular-priced field, were the new spinets, consoles as many called them at the time. At that time the lowest priced types made for the mass markets were studio uprights, approximately 3 feet 9 inches high. All these types were shown side-by-side in a wide variety of prices, and of course in different grades or qualities. When the piano known as the spinet type came into the market in 1935, with new engineering and styling, the public had its choice of conventional upright pianos, grand pianos of all sizes and new spinets. The Mathushek Piano Company went out of business in the late 1950s after a spectacular century of history, innovation and success. The Spinet Grand piano enjoyed moderate success during the 1930s and 1940s, but was never a substantial seller. These contemporary instruments were based on the same general design of Mathushek’s 19th Century square grand pianos, but they were redesigned in style and appearance so that they would fit well with modern décor. In size, it was much deeper (from front to back) than the regular spinets, the Spinet Grand ranged in price from $845 to $1,125 until 1941, depending on the design and finish of the case. Its strings were stretched almost horizontally to the keyboard its tone quality and sonority are much like those of a small grand. The Spinet Grand is not a vertical piano like the regular spinets, but rather a grand piano made like the old fashioned square grand piano. Appearing about 1931, it started the craze for the spinet-type piano. Something of a cross between a spinet and a grand piano was the Mathushek Spinet Grand. In 1936 Baldwin introduced the Acrosonic Spinet piano which was to become the largest selling piano of all time. Almost all pianos manufactured today use either the compact direct action or the drop action both of which were invented in 1935. To make pianos smaller new actions had to be devised. high pianos were as small as could be built with existing actions and even these had cramped knee room. Soon more different styles were available to the piano buying public than ever before. All piano manufacturers followed with similar and widely divergent designs. This new style immediately caught the public's fancy immediately. This became known as the spinet and was very dainty looking compared to the old bulky upright. upright piano was put into a new style case. THE GREAT DEPRESSION to THE ASIAN INVASION GREAT DEPRESSION TO THE ASIAN INVASION 1930 - 1959
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