Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY JELPSJ)ETROIT PIANO DEALERS
Workers in That Line Buying High Grade Instruments—Hudson Co. Secures A. B. Chase Line
—Talking Machine Men Meet—Chapman Inaugurate Semi-Weekly Recitals—Other News
DETROIT, MICH., October 17.—Someone asked the
other day whether the automobile industry had
resulted in any unusual business for local piano
dealers. The answer to such a question could
only be an affirmative one. The motor car
business has created a lot of piano sales nat-
urally; workmen in motor factories get big
wages from $5 to $10 per day, week in and
week out; this condition has created a lot of
medium-priced sales of pianos and players.
Another thing, the motor car industry has cre-
ated a lot of important and high-priced ex-
ecutive positions, such as sales manager, ad-
vertising manager, purchasing agent, engineers,
etc.
These men live in expensive homes and
apartments, and naturally when do they buy
a piano or player it is of the high-grade kind.
In the past five years, Detroit dealers have
taken more special orders for pianos and play-
ers specially designed than ever before in the
history of the city. Yes, the motor car busi-
ness has been a great thing in Detroit for the
piano business, and there is still a lot of good
business ahead for those dealers who go after
it properly. Contrary to predictions year in
and year out, the motor car industry in De-
troit is getting bigger and bigger, and the de-
mand for skilled labor and persons of executive
ability is greater than ever.
The J. L. Hudson Co., Detroit, has added
the A. B. Chase line of pianos, both uprights
and grands. The Hudson will still handle the
Chickering, Haines Bros., Hazelton and Mc-
Phail instruments. The first shipments of the
A. B. Chase pianos arrived last week, and are
now on exhibition.
This is the second new
line to be added within the past twelve months,
the other being the Haines Bros. line.
How many piano dealers are there that pass
along their copy of The Review to their em-
ployes after they have completed reading it?
The writer knows of several Detroit sub-
scribers who not only pass their copy to their
salesmen, but who demand and insist that they
read it, even going so far as to check off spe-
cial items of interest on salesmanship, advertis-
ing and articles showing what other success-
ful dealers are doing. "I believe the trade
journal, such as The Review, offers unlimited
possibilities for advancement to the sales peo-
ple of piano stores," remarked J. Henry Ling,
:
78 Library avenue, Detroit. "1 have a scrap
E
book that is something like twenty-five years
old, which is full of good ideas and suggestions
that were clipped from The Review.
It's
mighty valuable to me, and I take great pleas-
ure in going through it very frequently."
The Detroit Talking Machine Dealers' Asso-
ciation held a meeting at the Hotel Charlevoix
on Monday evening, October 16, and discussed
a proposed schedule for allowances on used
talking machines.
October 16 started the third week of Grinnell
Bros, annual summer resort sale of pianos and
players. It is still "going like wildfire" if we
can judge from the crowds on the third and
fourth floors, as well as the instruments that
are hourly being taken out of the back door
and loaded on to delivery trucks.
John T. Bowers has assumed charge of the
player-piano department of Grinnell Bros.,
succeeding C. H. Kesler, who resigned Septem-
ber 1.
Gustave Behning, of the Behning Piano Co.,
was a visitor last week.
Hallett Chapman, manager of the piano de-
partment of the Peoples Outfitting Co., De-
troit, has inaugurated a series of twice-weekly
recitals, which are proving immensely popular.
These recitals are for the purpose of stimulat-
ing interest in the player-pianos; some well-
known singer or violinist is featured at each
recital, and all accompaniments are played on
the player-pianos. Mr. Chapman says business
is picking up, and holiday buying has already
started.
J. A. Coffin, president of Ernest Gabler &
Bro., New York, and Otto Heinzman, of the
Mansfield Piano Co., were late visitors in De-
troit. A large corps of bench and scarf sales-
men have been calling on trade in Detroit for
the past four weeks.
Did you ever stop to think when was the
best time to send out a catalog to prospective
purchasers? A Detroit dealer says he finds the
best time to be about a week before Thanks-
giving, as many of these prospects may be
planning house parties or social entertainment
for visiting friends, and in many cases will be
apt to buy at once in order to have the in-
strument in their homes for Thanksgiving, the
catalog proving an effective reminder.
Detroit dealers report quite a demand for
brown mahogany pianos and players of late.
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Cross - Section
Unit Valve
Player Action
Note in upper left hand
corner, screws for regulating
stroke, and for taking up lost
motion. (Figs. 1 and 2).
Examine closely the two
interchangeable valve units—
the valve screws and bleed
screws (Figs. 3 and 4). These parts and every other part of the
Ludwig Player Action are accessible from the front without
removing action.
Easiest action to adjust. Easiest Action to maintain
Ludwig & Co.
Willow Ave. & 136th St.
New York
The W. W. Kimball Co. will be ready to open
their new store on Broadway, Detroit, by the
latter part of October. The Broadway store
is going to be a 100 per cent, improvement over
their Bates street store. It will be more
attractive looking in every respect, and will
be much larger.
A. L. Bretzfelder, representative for Krakauer
Bros., was a recent visitor. From Detroit he
went to Jackson, Saginaw and Holland, Mich.
He reported that his firm was bringing out
several new case designs.
Two Baldwin grand pianos, dark cases, are
being used in connection with the Billy Sun-
day revival meetings held in the tabernacle at
Woodward and Cantield avenues, Detroit, which
accommodates 16,000 people. The Baldwin in-
strument is used exclusively at all of the Billy
Sunday meetings.
G. M. SOULEOPTIMISTIC
General Manager of DeRivas & Harris Mfg.
Co. Had Much Success on Recent Trip
G. M. Soule, general manager of the DeRivas
& Harris Manufacturing Co., 135th street and
Willow avenue, New York City, recently re-
turned from an extended business trip, and when
seen by a representative of The Review this
week was enthusiastic not only over the pres-
ent business, but what he foresees for the
future.
"We are about as busy as we can be," he
said, "and have enough orders ahead to keep us
going for several months. I found a most
optimistic feeling throughout tfie country on
my recent trip and feel that the piano business
will be exceptionally good during the winter."
Mr. Soule will not take another long trip for
some time, but will devote his energies to
territory near to New York, making short jour-
neys of two or three days each in going into
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other nearby
States.
SHOULD SALESMEN BE MUSICIANS?
Necessary Accomplishment in Selling Grands
Declares Geo. O. Weitz, of Christman Sons
"Should a piano salesman be a musician as
well?" This is an old, old question in the
trade. Manager Geo. L. Weitz, of Christman
Sons, answers it in this wise: "A floor sales-
man certainly should be a player to properly
demonstrate a piano. This is especially true
if he is selling grand pianos. Buyers of grands
are more cultured, better educated musically!
They usually visit several warerooms before
making a decision so they know quite a little
about the construction as well as the tonal
qualities of a piano. If a salesman can't play
he is at a decided disadvantage in selling pianos
to this class of trade.
"Player-pianos, of course, demonstrate them-
selves, more or less, and uprights are often
purchased by people who lack education or
experience along musical lines, so it doesn't
make so much difference whether the salesman
can play or not.
"Outside piano salesmen, the bell ringers of
the trade, need not be able to play a note.
First of all they should be salesmen, men well
versed in the science and psychology of sales-
manship. Preferentially, of course, they should
have had considerable experience in selling
merchandise. Nowhere does good salesmanship
count as much as it does in the piano business.
Temperamental, erratic, oversensitive musicians
do not often succeed as salesmen. Fortunately
most musicians nowadays are well balanced in-
dividuals, and good business men, so we oc-
casionally come in contact with salesmen-mu-
sicians who make good from the word 'go.' "
DENVER PIANO EXCHANGE OPENED
The Piano Exchange has been opened in the
Charles Building, Fifteenth and Curtis streets,
Denver, Colo., for the purpose of dealing in
used pianos. H. H. Triggs, head of the H. H.
Triggs Music Co., Pueblo, Colo , is manager.