Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The t/Uusic jf/iaJe
REVIEW
due to the fact that the piano business throughout the
country, generally speaking, is very good, even at this
time of year, and with the usual fall demand dealers'
stocks will be depleted faster than manufacturers can
replenish them.
Anent the Small Music Merchant
T
HE value of the small music merchant was
manifested recently when we were talking with
a manufacturer. He pointed out that he had made
the habit of establishing small dealers throughout the
Established 1879
country, and found that if he got behind them with a
reliable product, as well as promotion matter, every
CARLETON CHACE, Editor
opportunity was offered for that dealer to build for
Alex H. Kolbe, Publisher
himself a very fine reputation in his home community,
V. T. Costello
Alexander Hart and profitable business. It was the opinion of this manu-
Associate Editor
facturer that a small dealer who felt that he couldn't get
Technical Editor
along without a piano which perhaps had an outstand-
Mary Louise Kauffman
ing national reputation was just standing in his own
Circulation Manager
light, because there are many pianos which are being
manufactured which are good, substantial instruments,
Published monthly at 510 RKO Building, Radio
well-built, well-designed, will stand up for years and
City, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y.
can be confidently sold by a dealer in his home com-
Telephones: Circle 7-5842-5843-5844
munity with the result that he will establish himself and
build an enviable reputation for providing a reliable
Vol. 109
AUGUST, 1950
No. 8
product and excellent service. Many large dealers today
were small dealers at one time. It was through the
efforts that they put forth in the early days of their career
that established for themselves the highest reputation for
UGUST 1st saw a slight increase in the whole- square dealing that has brought them continued success.
sale price of pianos, due generally to the in- There seems to be no doubt that the exploitation of a
crease in the price of supplies, which has been well-built piano in a reputable manner in the dealer's
piling up somewhat since the early part of the year. community, whether it has a tremendous national repu-
The increase on the average, however, has only amount- tation or not, can lead to ultimate success for the dealer.
ed to about 3 % and there has been It is not always possible to get the one piano the dealer
little if any evidence of business would like to have, and although name value is a tre-
slacking up at all. All the factories mendous asset, at the same time the dealer builds up
are very busy and the wholesale confidence of the public in himself when the piano that
business is much better at this time he handles gives the proper service. There seems no
of the year than it has been in many reason for him to stint his efforts until such time as it
years. As usual, it is always "a becomes possible for him to be able to get the instru-
feast or a famine" in the piano ments that he thinks he would like to handle. One thing
industry, and as one manufacturer that proves that this can be so is the success of many
put it—"If we could have the steady dealers who started out in the beginning to sell recon-
flow of orders in the spring like we ditioned pianos and nothing else, until such time as they
have at the present time and con- were able to get a line of new instruments to handle
CARLETON CHACE
tinue throughout the year, it would worthy of representation. Many, many have had this
certainly help matters considerably and put all the man- experience and are successful piano merchants today.
ufacturers on a basis where they could have an even
flow of production as well as stabilize their prices."
Many believe that in spite of the steady production
which is now coming through the factories there will
still be a shortage of pianos this fall for the dealers,
Editor
Business—As We See It
10
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, AUGUST, 1950