Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MARCH 5, 1927
M. G. Wolf Receives
Tribute on Selling
Manager of Wm. Lewis & Son's Banjo Depart-
ment Praised in "Frets" of Ludwig & Ludwig
CHICAGO, 111., February 28.—A tribute has been
paid Milton G. Wolf, head of the banjo depart-
ment of Wm. Lewis & Son, Chicago, whose
methods of merchandising and selling banjos
were outlined some time ago in The Review.
In the current issue of "Frets" Mr. Wolf's
photograph adorns the front cover and he is
referred to as "Chicago's Banjo Man" in the
following article which appears in that issue:
"To begin with, Mr. Wolf is one of the great-
est 'boosters' the banjo has this side of the pro-
verbial gate guarded by St. Peter. What he has
done to further the interest of the banjo com-
pares with the promotional work which is done
by every accomplished player. As a non-pro-
fessional player he cannot arouse, as the ban-
joist can, a desire among the public to imitate
his playing, but he is marvelously effective in
"following up" the interest which the profes-
sional player creates by his playing.
"In that sphere of activity Mr. Wolf has been
extraordinarily successful. In his daily work he
has sold thousands and thousands of banjos to
the 'average man' and he has, therefore, 'created'
an equal number of students for fretted instru-
ment teachers. Wolf will talk banjos to any-
body at any hour of the day or night and there
are few, indeed, who leave him without becom-
ing real banjo enthusiasts. The number of con-
verts he has won over to the instrument would
make an impressive figure.
"Even before the development of the tenor-
banjo to any great extent in the scheme of or-
chestra work, he began his pioneer work by
slowly and quietly converting professional
violinists to doubling on the banjo-mandolin in
its days and on the tenor banjo. At first he
met with considerable opposition as it was an
extremely hard task to convert the violinists,
cellists, etc., to these instruments because so
little was known about them and principally be-
cause of a sorry lack, at that time, of competent
teachers. This did not discourage Mr. Wolf and
he promptly went about lining up the best in-
structors then to be had and selling them on
his faith in the future of the tenor-banjo.
"He appreciated the fact that if we were to
GRET5CH
realize his idea it necessarily depended upon the Music Lovers Military
facility of good teachers and the success of their
teaching. As a result at least a half-dozen
Band in Rochester, N. Y.
now well-known teachers of both banjo and
harmony in Chicago feel indebted to Mr. Wolf New Organization, Formed Under Auspices of
for their first classes of students, and his work Music Lovers Shoppe, Holds First Rehearsal
in contributing to the developing of the banjo
is acknowledged.
ROCHESTER, N. Y., February 28.—The first re-
"Little wonder he has become known as 'Chi- hearsal of the Music Lovers Military Band, or-
cago's Banjo Man'!"
ganized by the Music Lovers Shoppe, 31 East
avenue, was held last week at the store. The
band has been organized under the direction of
Fischer Monarch Cabinet
the Music Lovers Shoppe and M. C. Miller, oi
Carl Fischer, Inc., the Cooper Square, New the store. Mr. Miller will act as leader. Thirty-
York, wholesale house, finds that its Monarch five boys have signed for the band and it is ex-
string cabinet is making many friends for the pected that the number will be increased to
house among the dealers because this handy one hundred.
Any boy who is a member of either grade
cabinet is stimulating sales to a wonderful de-
gree. Henry Gerson, general manager of the or high schools in the city who has a musical
musical merchandise division of the Fischer instrument, a music rack and the will to prac-
establishment, calls this cabinet "an efficient tice is eligible to membership, Mr. Miller says.
"It doesn't make any difference whether the
silent salesman, because all the dealer needs to
do is to place it on the counter and the mer- boys purchase their instruments from our store
chandise sells itself rapidly." The case, which or not," said Mr. Miller. "We want all school
is substantially built and glass covered, pre- boys who can play and who are willing to prac-
sents an attractive appearance, keeps the stock tice to come out and try for the band. The or-
in good condition, holds twenty-seven dozen of ganization is shaping up fine and we have a
the most popular and best-selling Monarch number of excellent young musicians registered.
brand strings and pays the dealer one hundred When we are organized we will play concerts
free at various institutions both in town and
per cent on his investment.
out."
R. G. Poyser in the East
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The
Review. In it advertisements are inserted
Russell C. Poyser, sales manager of the Pan-
American Band Instrument & Case Co., Elk- free of charge for men who desire worth-while
hart, Ind., was a visitor to the New York trade positions.
this week. Mr. Poyser visited several of the
big jobbing houses in New York and Boston
and left for Philadelphia. In an interview with
a representative of The Review, he outlined the
aims of his company for 1927 as follows:
"1. To create greater interest in music among
young people. 2. To provide instruments of
[hOLTOPrt
quality with the price range for young people.
tledricOil
3. To help the dealer make a bigger profit. Be-
J N o 1 'in
cause Pan-Americans are reasonable, boys and
girls are organizing bands throughout the
B**Etcii
country, and some organizations run as high
J
as sixty and eighty pieces. With the advertis-
ing of the company behind it and good distribu-
T^ic Slipperiest
tion, dealers can profit by handling this line
Combination Eve.r
this year."
sMade by Hand oj
T
oltons
Electric
New Gretsch Banjo
The Gretsch Fifty banjo is a new instrument
of the Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co., Brooklyn, which
is meeting favor throughout the trade. In spite
of the fact that a falling off in sales of banjo
instruments has been generally reported, Emer-
son E. Strong, secretary of the big Brooklyn
wholesale house, observes that the Gretsch
Fifty banjo has acted as a genuine interest re-
viver. It is a professional banjo that retails at
the price indicated by the name and the trend
of the trade seems to be toward banjos at that
price, according to Mr. Strong.
Opens the Melody Mart
42*48 EAST 20™5T, MEW YORK
Black Diamond
Strings
THE WORLD'S BEST
National Musical String Co.
New Brunswick, N. J.
25
The Music Trade Review
The Melody Mart has been opened by John
Daly, Jr., in Gillette, Wyo., handling small
goods, phonographs, sheet music and records.
G ' NAZARETH, PA X )
list,,1,1 islv.'J Itii^
(Itnuino MARTIN Cuiiars.
Mandolin*, Ukulrles. Tiples
C
NAZARETH,PA
Holt on oil ha* more d u n a
SUCCCM in it* favor and if more popular with musician* t o .
day than ever before.
A staple all-year-round article in constant demand.
Sanitary and clean.. N o . 1 for Trombone* and Saxophones.
Holton Clarke for valve*. N o . i for Clarinets. Retail* at
$.25 a bottle. Write for information on our term* to dealer*.
The Holton Agency Franchise become* more valuable each
year. Write about it.
•thtt 300,000 BottUt SM Y«w/ T "
FRANK HOLTON & CO
.
L
Hmtmfmtfutn of Holtom't—AmtrUs't Crtmtnt BandInstwrnnU
56? CHURCH ST., ELKHORN, WIS.