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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 19W
"It has been most gratifying to know
that
many dealers have become aware
{Continued from Page 9)
pianos particularly this fall and be pre- of this situation and are anticipating their
pared for the holiday buying. Pianos in requirements this year more so than ever.
the higher priced brackets are again sell- With world-wide conditions being what
ing readily. The purchaser who seeks a they are it has become more and more
difficult for piano manufacturers to re-
piano naturally desires
ceive
prompt shipments of raw material.
to see it and hear it.
After all the manufacturer is guided in
It is practically impos-
placing his requirements by the amount
sible to consummate
of business he has on hand. Of course,
a sale from a catalog
we
must anticipate our advance require-
never mind how im-
ments,
but in this we can be greatly
pressive the illustra-
aided
when
we are getting the coopera-
tion of a piano may
tion of our dealers.
be. The retail pur-
"Again I want to take the occasion to
chase of a quality
commend you on your splendid foresight
piano entails the out-
in writing an editorial of this nature. I
lay of a considerable
amount of money. If Roman De Majewski am certain that when this editorial is read
by the large number of dealers who read
it happens to be pur-
chased as a gift at holiday time the donor THE REVIEW, the result will be most
must naturally see and hear it. Sometimes gratifying and ever so helpful to us
it is one of the last minute sales which pro- manufacturers."
duce additional profit for the dealer. To
G. LAURENCE MILLER,
be caught with an inadequate stock President, Lester Piano Mfg. Co., Philadelphia
means the possible loss of a sale. With
UR National Defense Program which
the steady increase in retail sales which
has already proved such a stimu-
has been taking place this year it is natural
lant to business, has taxed some indus-
to suppose that many persons yet to be
tries and parts of
heard from, many more than in previous
the
Nation's
years, are planning to buy during the
transportation
forthcoming holiday season when the
system to capa-
peak in piano business always occurs.
city. With this
Manufacturers have been endeavoring to
condition preva-
plan for this as much as possible but the
lent and the pros-
steady increase in demand aside from
pects of a record-
that which will come later has taxed
breaking fourth
factories to the utmost. In my opinion
quarter in view
every dealer should place his orders now
for the piano in-
for his requirements for the rest of this
dustry, it would
year."
G>
be wise to anti-
Laurence Miller
E. P. WILLIAMS,
cipate all requirements as early as pos-
Sales-Manager of The Gulbransen Corp.,
sible and order accordingly, to avoid a
Chicago, III.
last minute shortage."
"HP HE Gulbransen plant has been oper-
W. S. BOND,
J. ating on a basis all summer which
President, Weaver Piano Co., York, Pa.
should give us an opportunity to take
LL indications point to a demand
care of the requirements of our dealers
for pianos in the next few months
if they will cooperate now by anticipating
that
will
far exceed the supply. All through
their needs. The factory will go all the
1940
we
have been increasing our pro-
way to take care of
duction
to
provide a surplus for the Holi-
orders received, but
day
trade,
but orders have increased all
those dealers who are
through
the
year
dilatory in placing
and
the
surplus
their orders at this
planned for is
time may be subject
very limited.
to late disappoint-
"With the pub-
ments that it will be a
lic fully aware of
physical impossibility
the beauty and
to avoid. Every deal-
the
fine tone and
er should take heed to E. P. Williams
performance
of
these warnings which
the
better
new
are highly important to their welfare."
type
console
WILLIAM PERLMAN,
pianos, and with
President, National Piano Corp., New York still more dealers
W. S. Bond
" T BELIEVE I spoke to you some time and salesmen
J. ago concerning the necessity of deal- seeing the increased opportunities for
ers placing their orders in advance and profit in piano selling, the capacity for
attempting to anticipate their fall and production will be much overtaxed in the
holiday requirements at the earliest pos- next few months.
"We have been particularly impressed
sible time. This has indeed become a
very acute problem to the manufacturers. by the growing demand for the Weaver
Shortage
11
Verti-Mignon Pianos which are the finest
in the Weaver Line. Wise dealers will
anticipate their requirements."
GUSTAVE BEHNING,
Vice-President, Kohler & Campbell, Inc.,
New York
M
TATE have had the best July and
VY August since the piano business
came back, and so far our orders for
September are considerably ahead of last
September. Our main
worry at the present
time, with business
increasing
every
month, is our ability
to supply pianos as
there is a scarcity of
material, and we are
advising our dealers ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
to place their orders Gustave Behnmg
with us as early as
possible so as to insure shipment in time
for their holiday trade. The situation is
more acute this year than it has been at
any time in the past five years."
O
A 1
H. EDGAR FRENCH,
President, Jessie French Corp.,
New Castle, Ind.
xx
l~PHE facts are we have been about
-L stymied as orders have come in at
a rate which has built up the largest
back-log of unfilled orders that we have
seen in this place for the last ten years.
There is no doubt that there will be a
shortage of pianos this fall and dealers
will be wise in making their commitments
now if they want to protect themselves
later."
A. E. NOLDER,
Secretary, Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind.
W
E have always advocated in our
correspondence with the trade a
policy of placing orders as far ahead as
possible of the dates on which delivery
is wanted. We believe it is unusually
important to emphasize the desirability
of such a policy this year. The demand
is already extrerrfely heavy and continu-
ally increasing so it is evident if disap-
pointments in deliveries are to be avoided
that orders for holiday goods must be
placed promptly. If given sufficient notice
a manufacturer can arrange for increased
output, but when the placing orders is
deferred to the eleventh hour it is practi-
cally impossible to produce such mer-
chandise in time to take care of the big
holiday rush of business."
Piano Prices Raised Oct. 1st
According to a letter sent to dealers on
September 30th a western piano manufac-
turer states that due to circumstances be-
yond their control it was necessary to in-
crease piano prices as of that date. "What
the future holds we cannot predict," the
letter continues," but we know that there
is a severe scarcity of all grades of lum-
ber, piano wire and other essentials,
which our suppliers insist 'will mean in-
creasing prices."