Presto

25
RESXO
February 26, 1920.
THE
TALKING MACHINE
News of the Week in the Phonograph Field
COLLECTOR VOTES AYE
The merits, disadvantages and the justice of
prohibition have been stated and discussed
before and after the adoption of the famous
amendment and now individuals and groups
are beginning to make reports on the conse-
quences. We need no formal report that the
threatened nation-wide strike of labor against
enforced prohibition has not come to pass. Nor
is it likely to come to pass. It is true there
have been instances of unrest attributed to
denying the working man of his beer. There
are some who say the unrest in the labor ranks
is in part due to that cause.
But the reports informally gathered from
talking machine dealers in all parts of the
country are most important in showing the
beneficial effects of the enforced prohibition.
Collections are very good. That fact, it is
frankly admitted, is an accompanying one to
these officially stated by a financial journal:
"There is little or no drunkenness. Wage
earners are banking more money in the sav-
ings banks than ever before and are buying
more of the comforts and luxuries of life." The
satisfactory reports of the collectors suggest
the thought that the now-beerless and booze-
less head of the household is more thoughtful
about meeting the payments on the talking ma-
chine than he was in the wet old days beyond
recall.
There is a woeful waste of energy in spend-
ing half the time making promises and the
other half making excuses because the prom-
ises are not realized.
* * *
In a few swift jabs at the keys of the type-
writer there may be the force that sells a
hundred talking machines.
Sometimes the talking machine sale is
quickly effected because the salesman doesn't
know what to say.
* * *
Even the pessimist is apt to become opti-
mistic when he has an accumulation of sticker
records to sell.
* * *
Before giving a woman advice in the selec-
tion of records, find out the kind of music she
prefers.
* * *
Two are company; a talking machine and a
bunch of records makes the two a house party.
:!c
*
&
Many a crooked dealer occupies the commer-
cial grave he dug for an honest competitor.
* * *
Yes indeed, there's a vast difference be-
tween a new salesman and a fresh one.
*
*
-!<
Store rules are made for salesmen who do
not think.
BIGGER PUBLICITY PLANS.
The advertising plans of the Columbia Grapho-
phone Co., San Francisco, were recently announced
to Columbia dealers by O. F. Benz of the record
department of the company. Mr. Benz announced
big publicity preparations for 1920 and he called
upon the dealers to aid in making the advertising
efforts effective.
CONCERNING THE ALLIES
Old Views of the Antagonisms of the Talk-
ing Machine and the Playerpiano Have
Almost Entirely Disappeared.
Even at this day you once in a while meet a piano
dealer who is mentally perturbed over the present
and future of the playerpiano in comparison, con-
trast and competition with the talking machine. It
is surprising to hear men indulge in absurdities that
could be excused five or six years ago. When the
talking machine first began to take hold of the
fancy of the public and a frank acknowledgment
of the merits of the machine was freely expressed
a sort of panic manifested itself in the less thought-
ful dealers in pianos. At a trade convention one
man frantically proclaimed that the day of the
playerpiano was over. Time has proved how silly
were the fears.
The sensible dealer now realizes that the player-
piano and the talking machine are not competitors
in the strict sense. Wise dealers do not regard
them as competitors. Where a piano department
and a talking machine department are found under
one roof there are generally two staffs of sales-
men, one for each kind of goods.
The public is demanding talking machines. But
a great many people also want playerpianos. And
the circumstances prove that it takes more sales-
manship to sell a playerpiano. But they are not
competitors, naturally and rightly. If they arc
anything at all they are natural allies. And what
concerns the trade generally is that the dealer or
salesman who cannot show that the fields of tin.'
talking machine and the player lie parallel and not
on top of one another is a poor salesman.
In a great number of homes the talking machine
and the player are found comfortably side by side,
each complimenting the other. And the talking
machine leads many a player sale to the house to
which it goes. The talking machine is no menace
to the player. Indeed it is quite the contrary. The
two together are the strongest and best -upporters
of a modern music house.
SOME EXPORT CONDITIONS
Proportions of the Talking Machine Trade with
South America and Mexico.
It is not surprising to learn that in all of South
America there is a growing demand for American
phonographs. The best markets are Argentine,
Brazil, Chile and Venezuela. Tn 1917 almost $200,-
000 worth of machines were imported into these
countries. Statistics for later periods will show
much greater import figures, is the assured belief
of those who make a study of export and import
conditions. The medium and better grades of
talking machines are the ones getting the greatest
attention from the South American
customer.
These are bought by the well-to-do classes. That
the poorer classes and the cheaper talking machines
are not brought together more generally is due to
the important fact that the customs duties on talk-
ing machines are high.
Mexico bought $42,000 worth of talking machines
from the United States in 1918. The exports to
Mexico of talking machine records and accessories
for the same period amounted to $35,301.
American talking machine manufactures who
contemplate sooner or later seeking an outlet for
their machines in South America should bear in
mind the fact that registration of trade-marks is
imperative. In most of the republics these trade-
mark rights are based on registration. Therefore
the first person who registers a trade-mark be-
comes its absolute owner, regardless of whether or
not he has used it previously.
MORE SALES FACILITIES.
Possibly by the end of this week the new Haus-
childt Music Co.'s building, on O'Farrell street, San
Francisco, will be in shape for a proper estimate
of the facilities for doing a bigger music goods busi-
ness. The phonograph department on the first floor
has fourteen booths and a most modern arrange-
ment of record racks.
Mr. Dealer—
This Syndicate is a cure for dis-
advantages under which Music
Merchants have struggled, without
recourse, for years. It offers ad-
vantages in the way of purchasing
power, quick delivery of worth-
while merchandise, service, mer-
chandising counsel, financing of in-
stallment paper, etc.
Never before has so comprehen-
sive an organization for the mutual
benefit of Music Merchants been
proposed. The Syndicate is far
reaching, sound in plan and purpose,
and backed by men who know the
business from every angle of manu-
facturing and selling. For further
information write.
THE AMALGAMATED PHONOGRAPH
SYNDICATE of AMERICA
Grand Rapids, Mich.
"Hear That Tone"
A MOTTO JUSTIFIED BY
ACHIEVEMENT
The remarkable clarity of tone re-
production which characterizes all
FUEHR & STEMMER
PHONOGRAPHS
is due to the PERFECTED TONE
CHAMBER which, with the in-
genious TONE MODIFIER lifts
these instruments far above other
talking machines.
Write for particulars.
BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL CABI-
NETS WITH PIANO FINISH.
Make your Talking Machine De-
partment pay.
FUEHR & STEMMER PIANO CO.
Chicago, III.
Guesswork Won't Do"
—The ACME allows test with
the drag of the needle throughout
the length of the
record.
The
Acme Speed Indicator
—is precision made.
—clears the tone arm.
—1 o c a t e s
motor
troubles.
—registers 78 and 80
revolutions.
Made by
The Acme Engineering & Mfe. Co.
1622 Fulton ST.
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CHICAGO
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