Music Trade Review

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64
Musical Merchandise Section of The Music Trade Review
Popularity of Playasax
Proven by Heavy Demand
Among the visitors to Sales Manager George
L. Ames, of the music division of the QRS-
DeVry Corp., recently was H. O. Drotning, a
well-known specialist and technician on acous-
tics. Mr. Arnes, who discussed with The Review
the great popuarity which the QRS Playasax
has already attained as shown by the steady
flow of contracts for present and future delivery,
credited Mr. Drotning with being responsible
for the musical and mechanical excellence of
the Playasax and its efficiency as a musical toy.
Out of that generous tribute by Mr. Ames
came the story of the creation of the Playasax.
Some months ago Mr. Ames, having in mind
the musical possibilities of the great player roll
catalog of the QRS Co., conceived the idea of
creating a new musical instrument which could
be played by rolls. He talked over the matter
with Mr. Drotning, who is a laboratory spe-
cialist in New York who has done a great deal
of development work for the QRS Co. in its
various divisions. The first thought was to
have a player roll flute, but bearing in mind the
fact that the saxophone was so widely used in
small and large orchestras, and had already
made such a profound appeal to the youth of
the United States, the creative trend of the two
men turned to making a small saxophone which
any child can play and which can use rolls easily
inserted and replaced. Gradually the name
Playasax was evolved.
The first type used a small roll three inches
wide, but Mr. Ames' musical knowledge soon
developed the idea of using a sixteen-note QRS
special roll so as to include the sharps and flats
and get a wider range.
Already over 300,000 of these Playasaxes
have been ordered and the season has just
begun. The rolls retail for 15 cents each, and
hundreds of compositions are already available.
Stross Demonstrates Conn
Band Instruments in Ohio
CANTON, O.—Richard Stross, formerly cornet
and trumpet soloist with Sousa's band, dem-
onstrated band instruments in the store of the
D. W. Lerch Music Co., here, recently. The
demonstration was of two days' duration and
executives of the firm report that it attracted
many prospective buyers.
Unusually Busy Season for
York Band Instrument Co.
One of the busiest band instrument factories
in the industry is that of the York Band Instru-
ment Co. at Grand Rapids, Mich., which is run-
ning on an unusually heavy production schedule
and has been so doing through July, August and
September.
As Vice-President Karl B. Shinkman told a
representative of The Review: "Since July fifth
the York Band Instrument Co. has continuously
had on hand more unfilled orders than it has
had in any previous Summer in its history.
"We have been getting some unusually attrac-
tive business and it continues to come in. In
fact I have every reason to believe that this
condition will continue right through to the hol-
idays, and I am very much inclined to believe
that the last half of 1929 is going to establish
some new sales records in the musical merchan-
dise field.
"Prospects in every section of the country
are unusually rosy, and I think this is the time
for dealers to dig in as they have never dug
in before. I am convinced that the business
is there and can be had by any live merchant
who goes out after it."
Wolf Issues Booklet
Describing Music Emblems
John S. Martin Joins
Gibson, Inc., Sales Staff
The field sales promotion staff of Gibson, Inc.,
Kalamazoo, Mich., continues to grow steadily.
John S. Martin of New York City is the latest
appointment to be announced by Guy Hart,
general manager, and Frank Campbell, sales
manager.
Mr. Martin brings to Gibson a wide expe-
rience in musical merchandising from both re-
tail and manufacturing angles in the fretted in-
strument field. While his past work has been
centered largely in the Eastern section of the
country, he is quite well known among the
music trade from coast to coast.
His appointment is strictly in line with the
Gibson policy of sending out promotional men
who have had actual retail experience as well
as wholesale selling. This combination, accord-
ing to Mr. Campbell, has proven ideal for secur-
ing maximum results, because the musician of
to-day appreciates service. The man who has
been actually on the job is naturally better fitted
to understand and interpret what really con-
stitutes satisfactory service for the player.
Mr. Martin is credited with being one of the
organizers of the original Roger Wolfe Kahn
orchestra, New York, and was also a member
of the orchestra at the 45th street Rendezvous,
when the now famous Rudy Vallee was a mem-
ber of that organization.
His retail experience was gained as a member
of the sales staff of H. & A. Selmer music
stores, New York City, a background that
should make him particularly valuable in assist-
ing the musical merchandiser.
Milton G. Wolf, who recently added a series
of music emblems for lapel wear to his line of
musical merchandise, has sent out to dealers a
small folder illustrating the emblems in actual
size together with a letter setting forth the
profits that may be enjoyed from their sale, not
only in direct returns, but in developing pros-
pects and encouraging trade. The emblems of
gold represent fifteen different instruments in-
cluding harp, piano, banjo, violin, saxophone,
etc. In many cases dealers report that contacts
developed through the sale of the emblems have
led to musical instrument sales. Mr. Wolf is at
present conducting a special demonstration and
display of the Vega trumpets.
New Design Piano Key Accordion Case
Patent applied for
New Features — Split Top
Masterkraft construction.
Laminated Bass wood. Fab-
rikoid covering. Boar grain.
Top and end leather handles.
Heavy metal trimmings. Lin-
ings in duvetyn, corduroy,
cotton plush, silk plush.
SOLD
THROUGH
LEADING
JOBBERS
Pull
Saxophone Sales #
Out of the Rough/
T X HERE'S only one shot that will do it —the
Holton-Wiedoeft Saxophone. The only Saxo-
phone that can meet the ACID TEST OF A
SAXOPHONE.
The Acid Test, comprising eight thematics writ-
ten by Rudy Wiedoeft, will demonstrate to you
in a minute why Holton Saxophone Sales are
constantly mounting — why Holton dealers are
making money.
We'll gladly send you the thematics. Try and
play them on the saxes you now handle — then
hop on the Holton Band-wagon and make
money.
FRANK HOLTON «SL COMPANY
364 Church Street
GEIB & SCHAEFER COMPANY
1751-59 N. Central Park Avenue
Established 1899
CHICAGO
Elkhorn, Wis.
Neut Holton
aWi/WIEDOEFT