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and there the instrument's mechanism
is again throughly gone over, and ev-
ery detail inspected finally and ready
to be sold at retail.
By ALEXANDER HART
No wonder the manager felt a cer-
Instructor in Piano Tuning,
tain uneasiness. Well, a few questions
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
had to be put to the new purchaser,
Registered Member of the National Association of Piano Tuners
and here they are.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Dealers and tuners can pick up some
Ques. How do you like the instru-
extra practical training by addressing Mr. Hart, c/o
ment, Mrs. Conway?
Music TRADE REVIEW, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York 20, N.Y.
Ans. Just fine.
Ques. Do you like the tone?
Ans. Yes, very much.
Ques. Do you play the piano any?
The Manufacturers and the Dealers
wise he finds himself losing the good
Ans.
Enough for my own personal
Outstanding piano makers rarely
will of his customers which is vital to
enjoyment.
ask anyone to sell their goods in vari-
future sales—that he must have.
Ques. Do you find anything wrong
ous localities, they usually appoint the
So it is, morally speaking, consistent
in
any way that you can think of to
representative, and in return expect on the part of each person involved
tell me?
one real reward, that is, loyalty.
in the sale of a piano or any other
Ans. 1 really have no complaint to
A A A
instrument to be able to make adjust-
make,
it's my fnend who tried it, and
Character also stands out very strong ments one way or another, i.e., try to
she
said
the touch was too heavy for
and honesty helps to estimate a deal-
make a call as soon as you can on the
her.
er's worth for disposing of their goods. one who complains about the piano
Ques. How about the touch in your
A A A
they have just purchased.
own case?
Some of our piano distributors start-
A A A
Ans. It suits me very well. I want-
ed out as piano tuners, then by obser-
Dampness getting into the piano
ed to know whether there was any-
vation and experience became salesmen
action creates a cause, and we know
who have been privileged to handle by experience the keys do not respond
thing to be done about it.
high grade products, internationally effectively. Another reason is the in-
A A A
known.
strument is too near windows that
Explaining diplomatically the folly
A A A
must be kept open during the night.
of mechanical interference, as no two
There are many angles to selling
It should be suggested to the cus- persons touch the keys the same way,
pianos and these must be learned by tomer indirectly about this after the
some people like a heavy touch, others
experience, each salesman develops his
sale is made because some of the living
very light and so on.
own talents.
rooms have but one large window and
Mrs. Conway was convinced that she
the only space that is going to show
They are not always born, hard
was the one to be satisfied.
off the instrument, and give them nice
____ A
.
work, or sitting at a desk, waiting for
light for reading music and practicing.
prospects.
Who Can Help This Tuner?
FIRST AID IN PIANO REPAIRS
Information About Pianos
Not everyone can sell pianos.
At this point it should be of interest
to every dealer entering into the piano
business to know (if ever so little)
something about the instrument he sells
and represents, in a practical sense;
by this I mean, to be able to jump in
at short notice and try and adjust an
honest call, especially when the cus-
tomer places reliance on every word
that has been said to make the sale.
This is not a talk to an old estab-
lished firm who has a number of tun-
ers they can send out on short notice,
and take care of the most vital happen-
ings, such as the moving men accident-
ally letting an instrument fall and
bruising the case—; and again when
instruments must be taken all apart
and put together and very often by
incompetent persons.
Value of Dealers Repair Shop
Old established dealers fortunately
are wise enough to build an up-to-date
repair shop, to be always ready for
things like the ones mentioned.
The small dealer is in the same
plight, but unable perhaps to take care
of such an occurrence, and is in more
ways than one held responsible, other-
Therefore the best way out—as I
see it—is to follow up the sale and
advise the new purchaser what is best
to do in order to keep it in good play-
able condition.
Self Aid
Taking care of minor adjustments
does not always mean taking along a
set of tools. Adjustments can be made
verbally in many instances.
I recall a case where a piano had
been delivered only a few days when
the head salesman, or should have I
said general sales manager, asked a
service man to call on Mrs. Conway
and see what the trouble is. "I can't
imagine why there should be anything
wrong, it does not seem possible!"
His Tools Were Stolen
E. J. Chamberlain, tuner with the
Hockett & Cowan Music Co., Fresno,
Cal., was recently the victim of a theft.
All his tools except a hammer and a
few wedges were stolen.
As piano tuning tools are scarce Mr.
Chamberlain is appealing to his brother
tuners in the hope of locating some
surplus tools or the possibility of a
tuner who has an extra set he may be
willing to sell. His address is 1254
Fulton Street, Fresno, Calif.
Harmony School Now Has
25 Students Enrolled
Latest report from the Harmony
School of Piano Tuning, Harrisburg,
Let me pass on this recalled experi-
Pa., disclose the enrollment of 25
ence (which is a good many years old)
students.
to those who might find one to com-
"Everything is progressing nicely
pare with it.
with us and at the present time we
Of course the manager wanted a
have an enrollment of twenty-five
report right away. "Well," he asked,
which I believe compares favorably with
"what did you find wrong with the
any other school in the country. We
instrument?"
have as fine a set of boys as you ever
This particular piano-forte was in
saw. They are all genuinely interested
perfect condition. I say this because
in thear work and will, I believe, be-
after the factory examination it is sent
come a credit to the profession," said
over to the wareroom—or showroom—
John Collins Cake, head of the school.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, FEBRUARY, 1946
29