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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
What a Tuner Thinks of Player-Salesmen, and How a Retail Sales Manager
Regards Tuners, Is Set Forth in Two Very Interesting Letters Which Con-
tain Much Food for Thought for Those Engaged in Selling or Tuning Players
The hot season is regarded by the daily news-
papers as a fit time for the discussion of any
topics too trivial for serious attention during
nine months of the year. It is not exactly our
notion to initiate a silly season discussion in this
section, for the simple reason that we don't
know of any pertinent subject matter that falls
within the necessary limits of pleasantness and
unimportance. That is to say, we do not know
of any in the piano and player trade; for these
in most ways are altogether desperately serious
in summer." But there is a way of striking a
happy medium. We need not be silly, but we
can perhaps be entertaining. ,
Publication of their matured opinions by
gentlemen of the trade, whose names are sup-
pressed, the better that their ideas may be
studied for what they are worth, has been car-
ried out for some time past in this department
of the Player Section, and has been in the
nature of a positively new idea. It works on
the notion that an idea which is constructive
should be studied apart from the personality of
its creator, since otherwise the prejudices, emo-
tions and bigotries which we all bring uncon-
sciously to bear as 'soon as we know that a
given opinion is the opinion of So-and-So, are
completely and effectively eliminated to the
general improvement of the whole discussion.
We do not always have to ask people to ex-
press views for us. Some times they tell us
unsolicited. As it happens, we have received
via the mails during the last few days two gems
of opinion, bearing on almost directly opposite
sides of a question which is extremely impor-
tant, and while, at the same time, the present-
ment is of a kind in each case that will tend
to promote good humor in these torrid days.
One correspondent is a tuner. One is a re-
tail store manager. Neither one knows the
other or that the other was writing on the sub-
ject. That subject is an eternal thorn in the
side of every retail business, as will now be
seen.
The First Letter
"ST. LOUIS, MO., August 15, 1916.
"Will you tell me, through 'Our Technical
Department/ or some other way, what you
think of player salesmen. I am beginning to
think that I don't think much of them.
"'I have, been working for five years now in
the store where 1 now am, doing both inside
and outside work. We have four other tuners
and we do a large outside trade. The outside
tuner in a big store is the one who comes in
contact with the people in their homes after
they have bought a piano or player, and all the
l'ixing up of complaints, all the making good of
troubles, must be done by him. Now, I want
to say that it is time some one began to in-
struct salesmen and managers that the tuner's
work is made much harder and consequently
costs the house more money, because the sales-
men won't lower themselves to learn something
about the piano or the player mechanically, and
because they make promises which we fellows
have to make good afterwards or else take the
risk of having the piano come back, and stand-
ing for a stiff calling-down in consequence.
Let me give you one or two instances.
"About a mo-nth ago I went out on a com-
plaint. It was a player and the slip said 'player
refuses to play.' Of course you get that sort of
order from the tuning clerk often enough and
it means something different each time. When
I got out to the place the lady of the house
was in a very bad temper. The player had
only been delivered the day before and while stores and in the homes. Ever since the player
they were all trying it out the same evening it came in we have been having that trouble and
stopped playing and had remained silent ever things are not much better to-day than they
since. Was it going to do this all the time? ever were. We have sent a tuner to New York
How much good is your guarantee? Etc., etc. to the Danquard School, and had to pay his ex-
"What was the matter? Why, the fool sales- penses; but this cost a great deal. And while he
man had forgotten to explain the use of the is away we had to have another man in his
silent button, for one thing, and then when the place. Even so, that does not alter the fact that
player got out to the house, the button stuck a outside of stores like ours, where we can man-
little in its socket and let in air constantly un- age to give our men some practical knowledge,
derneath its valve seat. Had the silencer been the general run of the tuners in the Middle
explained, the sticking of the button the first West, as far as I can see, are simply quite
time it was pressed down would have been ignorant of the player and especially of its
noticed and the button probably pulled back up principles, so that they are as likely to get
to its right position instinctively. As it was, that things wrong as to get them right. We are
button was never noticed, but at that, to ease it constantly having to send our own good man
up took some time and made the player look out long distances to fix up troubles that are
to the purchaser all wrong, and gave the house really almost nothing but which the local men
a black eye. Now, if that player goes wrong either did not dare to touch or else that the
again it will come back without a doubt, and owners would not let them touch, being afraid
the salesman, of course, will blame me.
they would 'ruin' the instrument. We have that
"Another case, this time a piano: A salesman year in and year out; and I am getting very
sold a second-hand piano to a party in a small sick of it.
town who was learning to play clarinet and used
"It seems to me that the situation gets worse.
a high pitch instrument. Salesman knew this Certainly the supply of competent tuners is not
and told party he would have tuner call and improving out here in this territory, and as
raise pitch to suit clarinet after the piano got players get more frequent, what are we going
out to its destination. Tuner goes out and sees to do? I recognize what the Danquard School
that piano ought not to have pitch raised. Pur- is doing in New York, but it is the plain truth
chaser insists that it be done, as otherwise piano that distance is a big feature and not all the
will be no good to him. Tuner, to save spoiling tuners can or will go there.
a sale, raises pitch, breaks half a dozen strings
"We are having more trouble in player sales
and finally cracks plate at middle brace! Re- from lack of men versed in player construction
sult: sale lost and tuner's job nearly lost too!
than from any other cause that I know of.
"If the salesman had only taken the trouble There are dealers in this section who don't try
to inquire first from the tuning department to push the player at all, simply because there
about raising pitch there would have been no are no competent player men in reach. And
then, on account of expense, player repair men
trouble.
"I could tell you lots more. For instance, of the must be tuners too. I say that it is a serious
salesman who always says that the tuners can matter and you ought to take it up.
'voice' the piano to suit the purchaser's wishes.
"RETAIL MANAGER."
Nine times in ten a piano should not be 'voiced'
at all, and manufacturers ought not to stand for
What We Say—To Both of Them
good pianos being spoiled by tinkering with the
We have been "taking it up" for a long time
hammers. And these are only a few instances. past, in both senses of the term. Technical edu-
"My idea is that in every retail store the cation of tuners is a big and important ques-
salesman ought to be forced to consult with the tion. Every dealer who can send his tuners to
tuning department on all matters referring to the Danquard School is a short-sighted man if
tone, touch, pitch or regulating player action or he does not do so.
changes of any kind "whatever, before making
Also our tuner friend is quite right as to the
any promises. If this were done, ever so much sins of the salesmen. It is so easy to say that
trouble would be avoided. As for players, I a player or piano can be adjusted in the home
think that a practical player man ought to go to suit any whim; even so far as to promise
out to each home where a player is being de- alterations in the spring resistance of the tread-
livered and explain the whole works to the fam- les! And it is so hard to make those promises
ily before anyone tries to play it.
good.
Tuners are good fellows, and get little credit
"Salesmen think that they have done their
duty when they have the signature to a contract. for their usually good work in a most difficult
They forget that it is the tuner who makes the art. True, they, as a body, still lag behind in
doubtful sales stick; and the tuner gets no credit. player knowledge; but that is not their fault.
And player work in many ways is lots of trouble The player is new, many of them were tuning
before it was heard of anywhere East of the
and little or no satisfaction.
"To sum it all up, if the sales department Mississippi, and facilities for learning all about
would condescend to treat the tuners like fel- it are still meagre. Salesmen themselves have
low workers and not like inferiors, and would little right to say anything, because they are no-
take their advice on all practical points, how toriously careless about the make-up of the
much better the whole store would work! I goods they sell, often seeming to think practical
.wish the Guild would take this up. If they knowledge beneath them or not worth while.
would, I would apply to join the next day.
We ourselves have no patent remedy for the
tuner education difficulty. That is after all a
"OLD TUNER."
thing to be worked out; and the American Guild
of Piano Tuners are the people to do it. They
The Second Letter
have power, let them accept this grave respon-
"KANSAS CITY, MO., August 17, 1916.
"Dear Sir—I don't want my name mentioned sibility, which belongs to them only.
The Tuner and the Salesman
in this, but I write to ask you why your paper
Retail stores will always work unevenly and
does not take up the question of getting com-
(Continued on page 8)
petent tuners to look after player-pianos in the