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Musical Merchandise Section of The Music Trade Review
Fretted Instrument Trade
Reports Improved Business
The regular monthly dinner and meeting of
the Western regional group of the Association
of Musical Merchandise Manufacturers was held
at the Auditorium Hotel March 6. President
Jay Kraus was in the chair and L. A. Gidley,
of Armour & Co., acted as secretary. In addi-
tion, members present were F. W. Miller and
C. R. Larson of Ludwig & Ludwig, R. B. Dick
of American Plating Mfg. Co., A. E. Hunter of
the Regal Musical Instrument Co., Walter
Gotsch of the Walter Gotsch Co., F. R. Johnson
and W. D. Woodburn of the Globe Music Co.,
St. Charles, H. Kuhrmeyer of Stromberg-Voisi-
net, T. Werner of the Harmony Co., and J. I).
Baldwin of the American Gut String Co.
At the business meeting following the dinner,
much interest was aroused by a letter from
C. M. Tremain-e of the National Bureau for the
Advancement of Music, announcing that he \v;is
sending Miss Mason, a group piano instruction
expert from New York, to attend the regional
meeting of the music supervisors at the Hotel
Stevens, March 24 to 28. Miss Mason will give
demonstrations
of class piano instruction
methods and will also be provided with litera-
ture on the fretted instruments. It was decided
to co-operate with the Bureau, and members of
the local musical merchandise group will ar-
range to be present at those meetings to furnish
information to the music supervisors and stress
the importance of the fretted instruments in the
schools.
H. C. Lomb, president of the National Asso-
ciation of Musical Merchandise and Accessories
Manufacturers, forwarded a copy of the pro-
posed new constitution, and this is to be studied
and acted on at a later meeting.
President Kraus read the production report
of the fretted instrument group for January, and
compared it with the figures for January, 1929.
It showed a gratifying increase in the sales of
practically all the instruments of this type, the
guitar leading. In fact, with a gain of almost
one-third over the production and sale of last
year of the same month.
Ukuleles also
showed a marked gain. Banjo tikes were about
the same number in units. Mandolins displayed
some falling off in units, banjos also. But the
significant fact was brought out and caused
much favorable comment, that the dollar values
were, on the average, considerably higher than
last year.
The members were reminded of the trade
effort to further the sale of ukuleles and the
plan calls for what is believed to be very effec-
tive co-operation with the jobber and the dealer.
This method of increasing public interest in the
ukulele will run from April 1 to June 28.
Widespread gratitude to Frank Holton, the
head of the company and owner of ninety per
cent of its stock, is evident since it became
known that he refused an inviting offer of mer-
ger with another large band instrument concern
because it would mean the removal of the band
instrument manufacturing plant from Elkhorn.
Mr. Holton brought his plan here in 1917,
and the city raised $40,000 and built the fac-
tory as an inducement. About 1920, after the
factory had paid out about $500,000 in wages,
the deed to the factory was turned over to the
company with no strings attached. In a city
of 2,000 the Holton plant employs about 300 and
its removal would mean much to the village.
Weymann & Sons Take Part
in Harmonica Jubilee
PHILADELPHIA, P A — H . A. Weymann & Sons,
manufacturers of the Weymann string instru-
ments, local distributors of Hohner harmonicas
and accordions, were prominently identified with
the recent Harmonica Jubilee held at the Belle-
vue-Stratford Hotel. The company was repre-
sented by Herbert W. Wcymann, and much im-
portance was attached to the fact that the com-
pany had furnished a Victor Radio-Electrola as
a medium for assisting in the training of the
young harmonica players.
Nick Lucas Praises
Nicomede Books
Joseph W. Nicomede, head of the Nicomede
Music Co., Altoona, Pa., publishers of over
sixty new methods and folios for various in-
struments, recently received a letter from Nick
Lucas, the popular soloist and movie star, highly
recommending the Morris Modern Method for
tenor banjo, also praising the jazz folio of tenor
banjo solos. Mr. Nicomede states that the
Morris Modern Method continues to be the com-
pany's best seller.
Sell Them
What
They Want
Accordions
M
AYBE your customer won't
know it by name. But when
he says "Show me a Piano Accordion
with looks and tone and stamina,"
why, you'll know what he means.
That's just his way of saying "Show
me a LA TOSCA." Abundant sales
and interesting profits await the
dealer who features this dependable
line. LA TOSCA Piano Accordions
and 3,000 more Musical Instruments
and Accessories are shown in our
Catalog No. R27. If you haven't a
copy of this book write us today!
Holton Co. Introduces
New "Collegiate" Line
ELKHORN, WIS.—Good success is being reported
on the early sales of the "Collegiate" band in-
strument line, now being manufactured by the
Holton Band Instrument Co. The line has just
made its appearance, and it is announced that
within a short time the company will go into
a comprehensive advertising campaign.
For years the Holton company manufactured
only the highest grade of instruments, but in
line with popular demand for popular-priced
musical instruments, especially for school bands,
the new "Collegiate" line was designed to meet
these calls. The line is intended to fill the needs
of the beginner in band instrument study and
to form the entering wedge in dealing with
parents who are often loath to invest in high-
priced instruments until they have been con-
vinced that their child will make progress in
hi* study.
39
The Fred. Gretsch Mfg. Co.
Musical Instrument Makers Since 1883.
60 Broadway
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Address the Branch
Nearest You
226 So. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, 111.