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THE
MUJIC TKADE
VOL. LXXXIII. No. 6
P,blisbed Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Aye., New York, N. Y., Aug. 7, 1926
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Philip T. Clay Elected President of
the Western Music Trades
E. H. Uhl, of Los Angeles, Elected First Vice-President; G. F. Johnson, of Portland, Elected Second Vice-
President, and James J. Black, of San Francisco, Treasurer—Next Convention to Be Held in
San Francisco — Commissioners Appointed for Northern and Southern California
EATTLE, WASH., July 29.—The final ses-
sion of the convention of the Western
Music Trades Association, held here in
the Junior ballroom of the Hotel Olympic to-
day, drew a larger attendance than any of those
in previous two days. President Kelly intro-
duced the first speaker of the session, who was
E. H. Uhl, of the Southern California Music
Co., Los Angeles, his topic being the relative
advantages of the carrying charge and straight
interest on retail instalment contracts.
Mr. Uhl went into this subject in great de-
tail, describing how the Southern California
Music Co. had adopted a system termed an
accommodation charge some time ago as an
experiment over a six months' period. At the
end of that time, he stated, so great had been
the success of the new system that the old plan
of charging 8 per cent interest on instalment
contracts had only been used three times, and
S
one-half of 1 per cent per month, which works
out to the benefit of the dealer, no matter how
long the contract has to run. He said there
had been no complaints on the part of the cus-
tomers because the system is clear and easy
to explain and they understand it immediately.
address was printed in full in the July 31 issue
of The Review.
F. L. Grannis, of the Southern California
Music Co., whose subject was the reproducing
piano, was the next speaker. He pointed out in
some detail the many selling points and claims
to the prospective customers' interest which this
instrument possesses for the use of salesmen,
declaring it to be one of the marvels of the
century and only to be compared with the new
talking machines and radio. In his opinion, he
said, people are inclined to take wonders of
mechanical achievement such as are represented
in the reproducing piano too much for granted,
and it is the task of the retail piano salesman
to overcome this apathy and to drive them home
by efficient selling work.
Mr. Grannis declared that the four funda-
mentals of reproducing piano salesmanship are
Philip T. Clay
E. H. Uhl
that because customers made a direct request
for it.
The speaker declared that at the present time
no contracts at all are being written under the
old interest system as customers are better sat-
isfied by far with the accommodation charge of
Mr. Uhl declared the principal music houses
of Los Angeles are now using this plan and
would not consider going back to the old system
of interest charges. He invited any retail music
dealer interested in its working out to get in
touch with the Southern California Music Co.,
of which he is the head, and it would be glad to
furnish him with full particulars. In conclusion
he said that when adopting the system it is
advisable to explain it to the retail salesman
in detail, with blackboard illustrations so that
they may have a thorough understanding of it
and be completely sold upon the plan them-
selves.
The next speaker, James J. Black, of the
Wiley B. Allen Co., San Francisco, discussed
the question as to whether the present per-
centage of mark-up on pianos is commensurate
with the dealers' overhead expense. Mr. Black's
James J. Black
the four E's—enjoyment, entertainment, esteem
and education. The last of these is the most
important of all. The reproducing piano should
be presented from the standpoint of being a
great aid to the piano pupil, this being illus-
(Continued on page 4)