Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1923 Vol. 76 N. 5

Page 4 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
FEBRUARY 3,
1923
"gyp" banks on the lure of the so-called bargain, and, as a result,
where he is permitted to operate he proves nasty competition.
As his business is built on misrepresentation his methods are
usually misrepresentative as well. The unwary customer is sold a
piano out of its grade, with the result that the entire industry suffers.
And that is the worst damage the "gyp" dealer does. He destroys
the confidence of the public in the piano industry and breaks down
the good will which legitimate merchants so laboriously build up.
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
J. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Win. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WM. H. McCLEARY, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Stall
E. B. MUNCH, ARTHUR NEALY, V. D. WALSH, EDWARD VAN HAKLINGEN, LEE ROBINSON,
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WESTERN DIVISION:
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NEWS SERVICE 18 SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN THE LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, rates on request.
REMITTANCES, should be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill, Inc.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal... Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma .Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
TELEPHONES—MADISON SQUARE 5982-5983-5984-9458-7898-0620
Cable Address: "Elbill, New York"
Vol. LXXVI
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 3, 1923
No. 5
LABOR TURNOVER AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
HE shortage of skilled labor in the piano factories is of serious
T
importance. Labor shortages were at the bottom of the lack of
stock which confronted the trade during the holiday period, for they
interfered seriously with the manufacturers' forwarding processes,
especially in those important departments which require labor of the
highly skilled type. This problem still continues and is likely to
confront the industry until active steps are taken to find its solution.
On another page of this issue of The Review is outlined a plan
of an apprenticeship s.ystem, based on successful experience with
a similar plan now used by the New York Building Congress. It is
presented for consideration to the industry because the chance
methods now used by many individual factories no longer meet the
situation. They are not sufficient to attract young men to the in-
dustry nor likely to draw a type which possesses the natural intelli-
gence and aptitude necessary to make a piano-worker of the highest
type. They lead to a heavy labor turnover, a condition which is a
real factor in raising the manufacturer's overhead and consequently
the prices he is compelled to charge for his finished instrument.
In a product such as the piano, one in which the ultimate quality
is dependent largely upon the craftsmanship of the men who make
it, there is no more important object to be achieved than a continu-
ous flow of skilled craftsmen, but that cannot be accomplished unless
the industry as a unit provides a means whereby these men may be
trained to the necessary standard of skill.
CHECKING THE RAVAGES OF THE "GYP" DEALER
LOUIS has just passed a municipal ordinance which, if
S T. enforced,
will do away with the activities of the "gyp" dealer
in that city. All music merchants are familiar with the ravages
of this type—in fact, at one time they seriously threatened the sta-
bility of the average legitimate dealer in large cities. The "gyp''
dealer's business is built fundamentally upon misrepresentation. If
he. advertised himself as what he actually is—a dealer operating
without the overhead involved in maintaining a wareroom and the
other expenses incident to legitimate methods of selling—-he would
make but few sales, for the average person prefers to deal with an
established merchant in whom they can have confidence. But the
I
WORTH-WHILE SALES FORCE CONFERENCES
P
RESIDENT B. H. Janssen, of the New York Piano Manufac-
turers' Association, in speaking.before the last meeting of the
New York Merchants' Association, strongly advocated regular
meetings of retail sales forces, addressed whenever possible by a
sales manager from an outside organization. The suggestion is
good. The man from the outside brings a fresh viewpoint to the
piano salesman's problems and often illuminates them so that a solu-
tion is easily found.
The average man lives too closely to the business of which he is
a part and so gradually comes to accept his difficulties as evils for
which there is no remedy. But place a fresh viewpoint before him,
give him the benefit of experience gained in other lines of selling
which are similar in their fundamentals to piano selling, and in a
majority of cases the way out becomes clear. If Mr. Janssen's sug-
gestions were followed sales conferences which are now common in
retail organizations would become more valuable to the salesman,
for the piano trade, like most other trades, lives too much within
itself.
A GOOD YEAR IN MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
of The Review has just returned from
A a REPRESENTATIVE
trip through the Central States where he interviewed a large
number of band and string instrument manufacturers and jobbers,
as well as dealers in musical merchandise. Without exception, he
found all these highly enthusiastic over the present year's prospects,
a condition already reflected in the dealers' after-inventory orders.
Band and string instruments continue to increase in popularity, a
trend for which at the present time there appears to be no limits.
The merchant who handles instruments of this type, but who
has heretofore more or less neglected this department, should find
food for thought in the summary of conditions in this field which
appears in another part of The Review. This neglect, if such a
condition exists in his small goods department, simply means that
he is missing an opportunity for profit, a profit that is certain and
sure, and one that represents a considerable margin on the invest-
ment. There is probably no department in his store which can
widen his field of prospective customers to such a degree, for
there is surely none which is so broad in its appeal. And broadness
of appeal is the basis of volume of sales, the great essential factor
in the aim of everv man in business.
HOW MUCH SHOULD THE PUBLIC KNOW?
J
UST how much should the public know about piano construc-
tion and the "innards" of the instrument to make that knowl-
edge an advantage rather than a disadvantage to the trade?
There are a number of those who are inclined to call attention
to the fact that the great bulk of the public—even those who do
not own automobiles—are more or less familiar with the details of
motor car construction and operation; who talk learnedly of the
carbureter adjustment, proper sparking, carbon in the cylinders,
etc., and the best ways of handling these problems, while only a very
small proportion of piano owners have any real idea of the interior
construction and modus operandi of their instruments.
Instead of carrying on a campaign to instruct the public re-
garding the mechanical and structural features of the piano or
player-piano, beyond those points that are worthy of emphasis as
sales arguments, it would be well for the music men generally to
concentrate on the spreading of the propaganda advocated by the
Tuners' Association and other trade bodies to the effect that pianos
be inspected and tuned frequently by competent mechanics in order
that they may function to the greatest advantage.
If the piano owner is ever taught enough regarding the struc-
tural features of his instrument to induce him to do his own tinker-
ing, repairmen are going to make more money, but the merchant's
life will be made miserable.

Page 5 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
FEBRUARY 3,
1923
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Association Executives Meet in Chicago
Directors of Music Industries Chamber of Commerce and Merchants', Manufacturers' and Supply Organizations
Annual Mid-Year Meetings—Full Program for June Conventions Adopted— 1923 Gathering to Be
Known as "Prosperity Convention"—Meetings Marked With Fair Attendance
Evening—National Association of Music Mer-
chants' banquet.
Thursday, June 7
Morning—Meeting of delegates to the Cham-
ber and election of officers. Open day for bal-
ance of Associations.
Noon—Piano Club luncheon.
Afternoon—Band tournament.
Evening—National Piano Travelers' Associa-
tion banquet and business session. Piano Club
frolic at 11 p. m.
The same schedule as used at the last con-
vention for the sessions to apply, except the
travelers will have their business sessions at
their banquet.
Exhibits at the Drake to be confined to Asso-
CHAMBER DIRECTORS' MEETING
ciation members and those who contribute to
The meeting of the board of directors of the the Chamber.
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, held
The Hotel Drake has set aside reservations
at the Hotel Drake, Chicago, on Friday morn- which will accommodate a total of 510 dele-
ing, January 26, dealt with a number of the gates, 170 in 170 single rooms and 340 in 170
Chamber's activities since the last gathering. double rooms.
Three important reports concerning activities of , Band Instrument Manufacturers' Contribution
the Chamber's Trade Service Bureau which are
Supplementing the report of the committee
of particular interest to the merchants and the President C. D. Greenleaf, of the Band Instru-
approval of the convention details as reported ment Manufacturers' Association, announced
by the Chamber's convention committee were that his Association had underwritten the band
the outstanding results of the meeting.
tournament on Thursday, June 7, to the extent
Report of Convention Committee
of $10,000 and proposed that it be open to all
The report of the convention committee, grammar and high school bands throughout the
which was acted upon favorably after having United States. It is expected that this will
first been submitted to the favorable considera- prove to be the great publicity function of the
tion also of the Piano Manufacturers' and convention, and will assist materially in the
Merchants' Associations in their sessions, fol- campaign of the National Bureau for the Ad-
vancement of Music for school musical organ-
lows:
At a meeting of the convention committee izations.
held at the Drake at 8 p. m., Thursday, Janu-
Income Taxes on Instalment Sales
ary 11, 1923, Chicago, the following members
By action of the Board a pamphlet will soon
were present: J. Edwin Butler, C. D. Greenleaf, be distributed to the trade embodying income
John McKenna, R. E. Davis, K. W. Curtis, tax regulations on instalment sales. The Trade
M. J. Kennedy, Harry Bibb, W. S. Jenkins, C. Service Committee, which recommended this,
C. Chickering, T. Hindley, Eugene Whelan, A. lias practically completed the proposed pam-
phlet, which has been put together after a very
L. Smith, Fred Lehman and J. T. Bristol.
The following recommendations for the next careful and exhaustive analysis of all income
convention were agreed upon: Place, the Drake, lax regulations bearing on instalment sales and
which, before publication, will be subject to
Chicago, 111.; time, June 4, 5, 6, 7, 1923.
THE PROGRAM OF THE CONVENTION the systems for music merchants. It has had the
co-operation of the Amos Tuck School of Ad-
Monday, June 4
ministration and Finance of Dartmouth College,
Morning—Registration.
Noon—Piano Club Luncheon. Entertainment. through its Department of Accounting, and also
Immediately following the luncheon and before a committee of the trade consisting of men fa-
the people have left the tables R. W. Lawrence, miliar with the. retail situation, under the chair-
president of the Music Industries Chamber of manship of C. J. Roberts, of Charles M. Stieff,
Commerce, will open the first session of the Inc. After receiving the report of the commit-
Chamber. No reading of reports. All reports tee the Board voted to publish a treatise written
by M. W. Newcomb, formerly of the Amos
to be printed and distributed.
Tuck
School, with an appendix prepared by the
Tuesday, June 5
Chamber
with the advice of the members of the
Morning—Opening sessions: National Piano
committee.
Manufacturers' Association of America, National
As a result of action of the Board the Cham-
Association of Music Merchants, Musical Sup-
ply Association of America and Organ Builders' ber will become a member of the Association
of Wood Using Industries. The Chamber has
Association.
Noon—Piano Club luncheon. Entertainment. for some time been co-operating with this Asso-
Short talk by C. C. Chickering, president of the ciation, particularly in the work done through
the Government wood testing laboratory at
National Piano Manufacturers' Association.
Madison, Wis. Emil Wolff, of the M. Schulz
Afternoon—Same sessions as morning.
Co., luis been actively representing the Chamber
Wednesday, June 6
Morning—Sessions: National .Association of in this matter.
The Board approved and voted to place all
Music Merchants, National Piano Manufacr
turers' Association, Organ -Builders' Association, the facilities of the Chamber behind a campaign
Band Instrument Manufacturers' Association to bring about, if possible, uniform conditional
and National Musical Merchandise Association. sales laws and laws compelling draymen to re-
Noon—Piano Club luncheon. Entertainment. port moving musical instruments in the various
Short talk by J. Edwin Butler, president of the States.
Affiliates With Arbitration Society
National Association of Music Merchants.
The Board voted to affiliate with the Arbitra-
Afternoon—Same sessions as morning, ex-
cept National Piano Manufacturers' Association. tion Society of America and adopted the fol-
Executive committee meeting of the National lowing resolution at the request of the New
Association of Music Merchants, following York State Chamber of Commerce:
"Resolved: That we approve the draft of the
election of officers.
CHICAGO, III.,
January 26.—The mid-year
meetings of the executive groups of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce and several
of the trade associations affiliated with that
body, Jield at the Drake Hotel yesterday and
to-day, proved routine affairs in spite of the
rumors to the effect th;at"' jome unusually in-
teresting developments Tmglit be expected. The
meetings brought out a fair sprinkling of trade
members' from both East and West and when
gathered together at'the dinner of the Chicago
Piano and Organ; Association last night it
seemed as though a national convention was in
town.
Hold
Federal Arbitration Law, and the draft of the
Commercial Arbitration Treaty, adopted by the
Chamber of Commerce of the State of New
York, both of which were unanimously ap-
proved by the American Bar Association at its
conference in San Francisco, August, 1922."
The vote of the Chamber on Referendum No.
40 of the Chamber of Commerce of the United
States was negative to all of the three questions.
"1. Do you favor the creation of a Federal
Department of Education with a Secretary .in
the President's Cabinet?
;
"2. Do you favor enlarging the present Fed-
eral Bureau of Education?
"3. Do you favor the principle of -Federal
aid to education in the States on the basis ,pf
the States appropriating sums equal,to, those
given by the Federal Government?"
Representation at Chickering Centennial
President Richard W. Lawrence was author-
ized to represent the Chamber at the coming
centennial celebration at Boston during April
of the founding of the old Boston house of
Chickering & Sons by Jonas Chickering.
The following directors were in attendance:
R. W. Lawrence, president; James T. Bristol, J.
Edwin Butler, C. C. Chickering, M. V. De-
Foreest, Charles Deutschmann, C. D. Greenleaf,
C. A. Grinnell, E. Paul Hamilton, Herman Irion,
E. R. Jacobson, Paul B. Klugh, James T. Rose
and Alfred L. Smith.
The following officers, executive committee
members and members of constituent associa-
tions were in attendance by request: D. D.
Luxton, C. A. Wagner, A. G. Gulbransen, Max
DeRochemont, Jerome Murphy, Edmund Gram,
Arthur L. Wessell, Herbert W. Hill, E. C.
Johnson, A. W. Johnston and M. J. Kennedy.
MERCHANTS' ASS'N MEETING
The meeting of the officers, executive com-
mittee and advisory board of the National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants, held at the Drake
January 25, gave much attention to matters con-
nected with the annual convention of that body
to be held in June, the dates selected for the
various sessions being June 4, 5, 6 and 7.
The annual discussion regarding exhibits at
the convention headquarters was taken up at
the meeting and it was decided that manufac-
turers be invited to display their products at
the Drake during the period of the convention,
as was the case in 1921. That this move met
with the approval of a number of the manufac-
turers was indicated by the fact that they had
anticipated it and already made reservations at
the Drake Hotel. It was the consensus of opin-
ion among the merchants that exhibits would
tend to increase the attendance at the sessions
of the Association conventions proper.
The 1923 convention will be known as the
"Prosperity Convention," signifying that the
prosperity in the industry so long anticipated
has actually developed and plans under way by
the convention committee are such as will in-
sure the convention sessions and activities con-
nected therewith receiving national attention.
During the course of the meeting various mat-
ters of Association interest were handled. The
treasurer reported the financial condition to be
satisfactory and the secretary, Matt J. Ken-
nedy, announced that the membership now ex-
ceeded 1,200. It is hoped that the membership
roll will be materially increased before the next
convention through the efforts of the merchants
themselves and those in other divisions of the
trade. It was decided to offer a series of prizes
for those bringing in the greatest number of
(Continued on page 7)

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