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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVILW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
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373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
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J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
p
a r e dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concern-
ing which will be cheerfully given upon request
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NEW Y O R K ,
FEBRUARY
9, 1918
EDITORIAL
WO piano merchants from St. Louis, one from Milwaukee,
one from Richmond, Va., and another from New Hampshire,
were among those who attended the midwinter meeting of the
Board of Control of the National Association of Piano Merchants
last week. Under present conditions of travel, it meant that to
attend that one-day session these men had to take from three
days to a week from their business and make considerable per-
sonal sacrifice. This fact should stimulate interest on the part
of other merchants in association work.
Surely no piano man can deny that through the association,
in co-operation with other trade organizations, work has been
accomplished that has meant a tangible saving of a large amount
of real money for every piano man in the country, and indirectly
the protection of his interests in the present fuel crisis; but the
fact that busy men will leave their business and journey thou-
sands of miles to attend a trade conference for the sake of the
association and the trade as a whole should be accepted as final
proof of the value of association membership. The type of men
who are active in association work to-day do not waste their time.
When they give up several days taken from their business they
must, and do, see some return for it.
T
The Review last week John R. Deike, a piano tuner of wide
I to N experience,
made the interesting claim that through the failure
recognize the importance of piano tuning many merchants
permitted their stock of high-grade instruments to fall into a con-
dition where even to the practiced ear there was no distinction
between the tone of the really good instrument and that of its
cheaper counterpart. In other words, the opportunity to impress
the prospect with the superior qualities of the better instrument
was ignored, and that fact is largely responsible for the many
sales of cheaper pianos, as the prospect cannot see why $100 or
more extra should be paid for an instrument where there is no
apparent superiority in tone.
FEBRUARY 9, 1918
Many dealers have been prone to regard the protest of the
tuner as simply a means to gain a selfish end, but if, as Mr. Deike
points out, this neglect of the tuner and of tuning is responsible
for the loss of many sales of high class instruments, then it is time
to regard the tuning question with more seriousness.
Merchants in every line of trade regard it as the first rule
of business to see that their goods are in first-class shape. An
automobile demonstrator would not think of taking a prospective
customer on a trial run in a car in which half the cylinders were
missing fire. Me would see to it that the repair man removed the
fault before it "queered" the sale. Why, therefore, should the
piawo merchant offer to his prospect a high-class piano out of tune-
and risk the sale for the sake of saving a couple of dollars in
tuning expense? It is holding no brief for the tuner to say that
neglect of this sort is false economy and bad business.
T
HE announcement made during the course of the executive
meetings of the National Piano Manufacturers' and Piano
Merchants' Associations last week to the effect that arrangements
had been made to utilize the door receipts of the coming National
Music Show for the purchase of musical instruments for the sol-
diers and sailors is a step in the right direction, and one to be
commended and endorsed by the trade as a w r hole.
It is, of course, a patriotic thing to do, but there is also a
psychological effect that will do no harm to the cause of the
industry as a whole. These are times when anything that will
aid in placing the music industry in a favorable light before the
Government and the public, and keep it there, is worthy of more
than casual interest and support. The fact that the gate receipts
of the National Music wShow will go to provide entertainment for
the boys in the service will mean a much larger attendance and
a larger volume of press matter in the daily papers, provided the
publicity department is handled in a proper manner.
It will not do for the manufacturers to make this sacrifice
and then have the effect spoiled by having their action regarded
as so much advertising. It is a patriotic move but can be made
to react directly to the benefit of the trade, while still accomplish-
ing its worthy object.
point to the fact that manufacturers in all
A LL lines indications
of trade, if they contemplate financing their business
through the banks, will be forced to adopt the trade acceptance
in some measure at least in the conduct of their business.
The trade acceptance has been strongly advocated for sev-
eral years in the piano trade, but to-day has not been generally
adopted, though some few manufacturers use that system in
certain cases.
At a recent dinner of the New York Piano Merchants' Asso-
ciation, C. W. H. Koelsch, vice-president of the Bank of the
United States, warned the piano men that the open account and
the one name paper must soon go by the board, as a result of
the present financial situation of the country and the control over
banks and business exercised by the Federal Reserve Board.
Now the American Trade Acceptance Council plans to
hasten the adoption of the trade acceptances by having the
War Credits Board refuse advances to manufacturers doing
Government work unless the applicant has availed himself of
his own credit by resorting to the trade acceptance in purchasing
raw materials.
From the credit men's viewpoint these are strenuous days,
and the piano man might do well to give the question of trade
acceptances some genuine thought as a matter of protection,
whether or not he should plan to adopt that system in the near
future. Leading trade associations in the United States are on
record as approving the trade acceptance.
strong stand taken by the Federal Reserve Board against
T HE
the rediscounting of notes, in its annual report, cannot but
prove of interest to the piano trade as a whole.
The Board holds that the discounting of paper which is
based upon an agreement for repeated renewals is contrary to
sound banking practice, and announces that it will direct its
efforts towards eliminating that evil as far as possible.
A great many piano manufacturers have had all too much
experience with the type of merchant who makes a practice of
renewing his notes time after time. It may be said that the