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MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
MILWAUKEE THEATRES TO
REINSTALL ORCHESTRAS
NEW KAYKRAFT INSTRUMENTS
WELL RECEIVED BY TRADE
F. A. HOLTZ HEADS MARTIN
BAND INSTRUMENT CO.
'Proof that music by living music is a
big drawing card in a theatre is seen in
the trend in Milwaukee theatres with an-
other one of the largest downtown theatres
announcing it will install an orchestra and
stage show shortly after the first of the year.
This announcement was made for the new
Warner theatre recently completed here
which has been featuring moving pictures
and an organ accompaniment to community
singing.
A sixteen-piece orchestra is to be estab-
lished, according to this announcement.
Music dealers pointed out that the living
orchestra is a real drawing card and cited
the success of another large theatre with
its orchestral presentations which has be-
come such a popular feature that they are in
themselves a big drawing card.
An outstanding development of 1931 was
the introduction of the notable Kaykraft line
of fretted instruments, which made a highly
favorable impression immediately. So well
did the new Kaykraft instruments sell as
quality goods that it kept the Kay Musical
Instrument Co.'s factory going to capacity,
and the new year opened with many Kay-
kraft orders on the books, with the prospect
of some other makers, showing that "imitation
is the sincerest form of flattery."
Talking with THE REVIEW representative
about business, President H. Kay Kuhrmeyer
said: "We are greatly appreciative of the
trade enthusiasm about the Kay line and
are gratified to find that the trade as well
as professional musicians endorse our efforts
to build fretted instruments of the highest
tone quality, material and workmanship. To
me, a poorly made or weak-toned instru-
ment defeats its own purposes, for you can-
not get the interest or enthusiasm of the
public, which is our market, unless the tone
of the instruments, in beauty and volume,
keeps them in constant use.
"Look at the growth of fretted instru-
ment orchestras in schools, colleges, and
other groups. For orchestral groups we re-
cently added a Kaykraft Mandola and a
Mandola-Cello, making now seventeen in-
struments in this line, equipping a large
and well-balanced orchestra when wanted,
or a complete solo group.
"From the repeat orders we have and the
comments we receive, we know it does pay
to make quality goods, and that the Ameri-
can public will buy such goods when they
can be had."
I
In succession to the late O. P. Bassett, the
directors of the Martin Band Instrument Co.
have promoted Vice-President F. A. Holtz
to the position of president and general man-
ager of the company and its subsidiaries,
the Indiana Band Instrument Co. and H.
Pedlar & Co. He also becomes a member
of the board of directors. J. O. Thompson,
his assistant, now becomes sales manager of
the Martini Band Instrument Co. and Louis
H. Hombs continues in charge of the Pedlar
interests.
Mr. Holtz, the new president, is particu-
larly well qualified as a successor to Mr.
Bassett, having been associated with the late
head of the company since he secured con-
trol twelve years ago. For the past year,
during Mr. Bassett's illness, Mr. Holtz took
charge of the various company's details, ad-
hering closely to the policies laid down by
the head of the business, and carrying on
with great success.
PHILADELPHIA HARMONICA
BAND VISITS NEW YORK
The radio unit of the famous Philadelphia
Harmonica Band, made up of sixteen of the
more talented members of this organization,
visited New York early in September as the
guests of a prominent banker and gave a con-
cert at a special luncheon held at the Bankers'
Club and attended by a number of promi-
nent financiers. In the afternoon the band
played a short concert in one of the local
savings bank and in the evening presented
an elaborate program of twelve difficult
numbers in the Little Theatre of the West
Side Y. M. C. A.
THANK YOU
We wish all our jobbers
and distributors a prosperous
New Year, and we assure
the trade that the RICHTER
standard of quality will al-
ways be maintained, and will
be improved whenever pos-
sible.
RICHTER reputation for
prompt shipment as well as
quality will continue to be
our fixed purpose.
Richter Manufacturing Co.
GRATZ CO. TO FEATURE
WESTERMANN END PINS
The Win. Gratz Import Co., New York,
has recently taken the agency in the United
States for the Westerrnann End Pins for
violins, violas, double basses, guitars, etc. It
is plain that the pins, being hollow, form a
second exterior sound box for the instrument
and improve the tone. It has been endorsed
by prominent musicians and orchestra leaders
including William Mengelberg, Dr. Karl
Muck, Richard Strauss, and others.
The Stark Piano Co., Bellingham, Wash.,
originally arranged with a harmonica expert,
F. G. Kelley, to give free lessons on that
instrument in their store, and the offer at-
tracted wide attention and brought in a host
of kids. Kelley also went among the schools
of the counties giving lessons at the rate of
five cents per lesson per pupil. He has also
organized a harmonica band of 100 players
which broadcast over station KVOS regu-
larly. As a result of this harmonica interest,
the Stark Piano Co. sold over $150 worth
of harmonicas in a single month.
FINDS GROWING DEMAND
FOR MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
Samuel Buegeleisen, of Buegeleisen &
Jacobson, New York, reported that there was
some improvement noted in the demand for
musical merchandise and that an encouraging
volume of orders had been received from
dealers immediately after Christmas. The
orders were small but there was an increase
in their number.
We thank our jobbers and their dealers for their enthusi-
asm over our Kaykraft line of fretted instruments, which
have made 1931 one of our most prosperous years.
KAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CO.
316 Union Park Court
CHICAGO
2532 Irving Park Blvd.
CHICAGO
24
FREE HARMONICA LESSONS
HELP STIMULATE SALES
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
January,
1932