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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
RMEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
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V. D. WALSH, W M . BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, L. M. ROBINSON,
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tions of a technical _ nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
are dealt with, will be found in another section of
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Player-Piano and
Technical Departments
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Vol. LXXI
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TELEPHONES—NUMBERS
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NEW YORK, OCTOBER 23, 1920
T H E T R U T H ABOUT PIANO
M
MADISON
SQ.
No. 17
PRICES
ANY piano manufacturers are making it quite evident that they
cannot legitimately, and therefore will not, participate in any
general move for price reduction at this time because of the fact that
there has not been, and apparently will not be for some time, any
noticeable reduction in production costs. A number of manufac-
turers have issued official statements to their dealers setting forth
their position and announcing that wholesale prices will be main-
tained, while others back up their stand by guaranteeing retailers
against lower prices for stipulated periods, generally until after the
first of the year.
We do not agree with the opinion that some manufacturers
have in the past taken advantage of the situation and have been
lacking in conservatism when advancing prices, for figures regarding
production costs of pianos at the present time, as compared with the
costs in 1914, just gathered by the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, indicate a general increase totaling 113 per cent. In
other words, a piano that cost $100 to produce in 1914 costs over
$213 to the manufacturer to-day, and the retailers can gauge for
themselves whether the increases demanded by the manufacturer, in
turn, are just or not.
The statements issued by the manufacturers are, for the most
part, convincing, and that just sent out by the Baldwin Co., under
the caption: "Are Prices Coming Down?", is typical. In its state-
ment the Baldwin Co. takes occasion to say:
"At this time, when the sensational announcements of price
reductions in many lines of trade are disturbing the minds of your
prospective customers, we feel you should know the true facts as
they relate to our business.
"When commodity prices- began to rise, food, clothing, etc.,
went up, up, up, from the very start, and their percentage of increase
was several times higher than the increase on pianos. Also, increases
on our pianos were much slower in coming, as they were only made
by reason of actual increases in the cost of material and labor. Our
dealers and the public have benefited accordingly. The present
OCTOBER 23, 1920
shaking out of excess profits is what you see in these sensational
statements of reductions and should not divert you from the fact
that these very people still have their normal profits in their new
prices.
"With the ever-present desire to make available to our dealers
and the public every saving possible, our policy with reference to
price reduction will be to give our customers every possible advan-
tage in any reduction of the price of materials and labor as rapidly
as it may occur. It must be noted, though, that in the manufacture
of a piano compilations of the costs show that from the time the
raw materials are taken from nature u..til they are turned out as
the completed piano, 82 per cent of the cost of production is labor,
and only the remaining 18 per cent the cost of materials. Hence,
the largely controlling factor in the cost of a piano is tie cost of
wages. We, therefore, deem it proper to advise you that we do not
foresee any appreciable lowering in our selling prices until wages
are reduced or production per man increased."
The Baldwin Co. emphasizes, as have other manufacturers, that
labor is the expensive element in piano production to-day, and until
there is a reduction in labor costs, not perhaps through lower pay, but
through the medium of increased efficiency, there can be no material
cutting in piano-making costs. The human element enters more
largely into piano making than it does into the majority of products,
and, therefore, labor costs assume increased importance.
It is, of course, true that business emergencies demand drastic
moves and that business houses were called upon to do things that
under ordinary circumstances would be unwarranted, but the so-
called price adjustment campaign has thus far presented no such
emergency. An understanding by the dealer of the manufacturer's
actual position will go far to keep the trade firm and sound.
AN I D E A W H I C H S H O U L D B E D E V E L O P E D
T
H E trade learns with regret of the temporary abandonment of
the plans for National Player-Piano Week, which was to have
been held this Fall, and it is to be hoped that some way will be found
to arrange such a week before many months have passed. Various
reasons, official and unofficial, are given for the postponement of
the celebration, but it appears that lack of co-operation is the real
cause for letting the matter drop.
To carry on a National Player-Piano Week of any kind will
require the earnest support of all manufacturers and the great ma-
jority of the retailers. Partial support on the part of manufacturers
particularly is not only unsatisfactory in achieving desired results,
but is unfair to those who are really earnest in helping the movement,
for the effects of such a campaign are general and are not confined
to those who participate.
Probably before another move to inaugurate a Player-Piano
Week, or a similar celebration, is put under way it will be well to
carry on a campaign of education so that those whose support is
desired may understand fully just what is the object of the move-
ment, what is expected of them as individuals and what results may
be anticipated.
TWO
T
HONORED
VETERANS
OF T H E TRADE
H E trade in New York has, during the past two weeks, been
greeting and honoring two prominent old-time members of the
industry in the persons of Alfred Dolge and Geo. P. Bent. Both
these gentlemen have been identified with the industry in a most
important way for the past thirty-five years. Now, in the flower of
their life, they are laying aside the "cares of state" and making
extended trips around the world.
Previous to sailing for Europe last week, Mr. Dolge revisited
the center of his old-time activities in northern New York, where
his name is perpetuated in the very thriving town of Dolgeville, and
was greeted by many old-time associates and a newer generation,
while Mr. Bent was honored by a group of old friends in the trade
at a great send-off at the Hotel Belmont in New York on Satur-
day night prior to his leaving for the Pacific Coast, enroute to
the Far East on a round-the-world trip.
The best wishes accompany these two honored members of the
trade on their tour of the world. May they discover the secret of
perpetual youth and come back invigorated and refreshed, ready to
give, when needed, their counsel and co-operation to the industry
of which they have so long been distinguished members.