PRESTO
WHERE DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED
Under This Head Presto Will Answer Any Question Pertaining to Pianos, or
Other Subjects of Direct Interest to the Trade and Musical Public
Inquiries must bear the signature and address of
writer in order to receive attention. Answers thought
to be of general trade interest will be published. If an
answer is not of general interest it will be mailed pro-
vided stamp is inclosed.
NOT MAKING ORGANS.
Chicago, 111., April 12, 1920.
Editor Presto: I have noticed in several issues
of late the names of organ manufacturing concerns
given by you in the department of "Where Doubts
Are Dispelled." It may be of interest to note that
Williams Piano & Organ Co., also the Putnam Co.,
and the Hilstrom Co., have discontinued the manu-
facture of organs. It would be less confusing to
your inquirer if they were not given names of con-
cerns which have discontinued the manufacture of
organs.
Yours very truly,
,
A. L. WHITE MFG. CO.,
A. L. WHITE.
* * *
AMERICAN PHONOGRAPH PARTS CO.
Topeka, Kan., April 8, 1920.
Editor Presto: Can you give me the address of
the American Phonograph Co.? I got the name off
the motor in a talking machine called "Vitanola,"
which is made in Chicago, or used to be made there,
if you can't give me the information, likely you
could give me address of the Vitanola Talking Ma-
chine Co., as I purchased the machine from them
and I wish to get parts to the motor in same.
Respectfully yours,
J. F. BROUGHTON.
The address of the concern for which you ask is
The American Phonograph Parts Co. It is asso-
ciated with the Vitanola Talking Machine Co., 503 W.
Thirty-fifth street, Chicago.
* * *
SIMPLEX PLAYER ACTION CO.
Harrisburg, Pa., April 12, 1920.
Editor Presto: I fail to find in Presto Buyers'
Guide any mention or address of the Simplex Player
Action Co., Worcester, Mass. This is an old firm
and advertise very extensively in the trade papers.
I would like to know whether this is merely an
oversight on the part of Presto, or if the firm is not
reliable. I will thank you for any information in
regard to this company.
Yours very truly,
WM. W. LOTT.
If you will refer again to Presto Buyers' Guide
you will find that it applies only to completed in-
struments and not to actions, or other parts, how-
ever important they may be.
It is a pleasure, however, to say that the Simplex
Player Action Co., of Worcester, Mass., is distinctly
a high grade industry and one of utmost reliablity.
If Presto Buyers' Guide treated piano actions, sepa-
rate from the completed instrument, you may be
sure that the Simplex Player Action Co. would be
accorded all the space necessary and only words of
highest commendation would be used in connection
with it. The Simplex Player Action Co. is also one
of Presto's advertisers, as regular readers of this
paper know.
* * *
A PHONOGRAPH GUIDE.
Baudette, Minn., April 10, 1920.
Editor Presto: I understand you have a book out
on phonographs, or talking machines. If so, please
send me one, and I will pay the bill.
I am, respectfully,
A. E. BROOKS.
The Phonograph Directory & Guide is now in
press. It is one of a series of three Presto Trade
Lists, all of which will soon appear. The price of
the Phonograph Directory & Guide will be 25 cents.
It will probably pay you well to have all three of the
booklets, the cost of which would be 75 cents.
* * *
ELECTRIC PIANO.
Crystal, N. D., April 5, 1920.
Editor Presto: Will you please inform me how
many in Chicago are making electric pianos and
slot pianos?
I have sold two of these pianos but don't know
where to get them.
Sincerely yours,
E. D. VICKRE.
All of the following industries are producing elec-
tically operated instruments: The Cable Co., Jack-
son boulevard and Wabash avenue; The Operators'
Piano Co., 16 S. Peoria street; Price & Teeple Piano
April 17, 1920.
KANSAS A BIG BUYER
OF PLAYERPIANOS
Progressive Southwest State Also Is Achiev-
ing a Leading Position as a Buyer
of Grands.
Co., 218 S. Wabash avenue; J. P. Seeberg Co., 413-19
W. Erie street.
In all sections of the Southwest "the player's the
All of the industries named are of the utmost re-
sponsibility and their instruments are admirable and thing," but the piano travelers who know that sec-
tion of which Kansas City is the center is aware
in every way of dependable character.
of the insistent call by dealers there for the instru-
* * *
ment. Every dealer knew for the past year that
AUTO GRAND AND OTHERS.
the demand for instruments could not be satisfied
Lamar, Neb., April 4, 1920.
to the full but the call for playerpianos was insistent.
Editor Presto:: I am writing you to ask about Accompanying this call for playerpianos was one
the Krell Auto Grand piano. I want to know if it for grands, particularly of the smaller styles. The
is a good piano or not; and give me a few names of demands for these instruments continue, although
good ones; also the Royal pianos.
considerable has been done to satisfy the earlier
Yours truly,
orders of the dealers.
H. E. WINTER.
A good slice of the trade of Kansas City conies
The Auto Grand is a thoroughly well made player- from Kansas and it is not surprising that the favor
piano which is manufactured by the Auto Grand shown the player and the grand in the latter city
Piano Co., at Connersville, Ind. The industry is should be duplicated in Wichita, Leavenworth. Hutch-
quite an old one, which was established by Albert inson. Pittsburg, Parsons, Topeka and Emporia.
Krell, of Cincinnati, who is now out of the business. The growth of the trade in grand pianos in these
The company is owned and controlled by a well last named cities is amazing and more noticeable
known Cincinnati capitalist.
than that of Kansas City, where a fine grand trade
There are a great many good playerpianos now in has been a standard condition for many years. Fort
the market and we suggest that you will find all of Scott has inadvertently been omitted in typing the
them; described and clasified in Pre&to Buyers' list above. The omission would bring a quick pro-
Guide, the 1920 edition of which is now ready. The test from the Fort Scott dealers and other dealers
who do business in that section of the state. It is
price of the book is 50 cents.
The Royal piano, about which you ask, is a popu- claimed by the dealers of Fort Scott that, through
lar instrument produced by the Werner Industries their activity : Bourbon county has more players and
Co., Ninth and Harriet streets, Cincinnati. You will grands according to population than any other
find that instrument also described in Presto Buy- county in Kansas.
ers' Guide.
Dealers in other places are not insistent on com-
parative figures although they are there with the
* * *
full-voiced good old claim about a healthy condi-
CONCERNING "CHOPIN" NAME.
tion of the playerpiano and grand business. Even
Lansing, Michigan, April 9, 1920.
Editor Presto: Kindly give us any additional in- smaller places like Eureka and Ellsworth have
formation, which may not be in Presto Buyers" earned prominence as distributing points for players
Guide concerning the Chopin Co., St. Louis, Mo., and grands. H. S. Dickey, a Newton dealer, says he
manufacturers of pianos and Chopin phonographs. has more player orders unfilled on his books than
he has of goods delivered. He says that when he
Yours very truly,
finally gets the full extent of his back orders from
A SALESMAN.
the manufacturers he will have beaten all his rec-
The Chopin Co., St. Louis,, is a concern of which ords for player sales.
we have no knowledge. If there is a piano factory
of that name in St. Louis, or anywhere else, the fact
GREAT MEETING AT WACO.
has been carefully concealed from the trade at large.
The State Music Merchants' Convention which is
We have known for a long time that instruments
bearing the name "Chopin" have been sold at re- to be held at Waco, Texas, on May 11 and 12. is
tail, but it is our understanding that they are not being exploited far and wide. The people of Texas
actually turn out in large numbers on occasions
the product of any St. Louis industry.
when music and the things of music are the attrac-
* * *
tions, so a very large attendance is expected. B.
PHONOGRAPH REPAIRS.
Heyer, manager of Thos. Goggan & Bros., of Dallas,
Cloquet, Minn., April 10, 1920.
is president of the association of Texas State Music
Editor Presto: Can you give us the names and Merchants, and he is doing all in his power to
addresses of talking machine firms who do repair- draw crowds. The Packard Piano Company, of
ing of motors? We have two machines that need Fort Wayne, Ind., will have a display of its pianos
repairing; motors do not work; springs loose or and players in a leading hotel of Waco on that
broken.
occasion, with Henry P. Veatch in charge.
A SUBSCRIBER.
There are many talking machine repair industries.
W. S. LANZ ON EASTERN TRIP.
We suggest that you write to the H. G. Saal Co.,
W. S. Lanz, traveler for the Brinkerhoff Piano
1810 Montrose avenue, Chicago; Andrew H. Doan, Company, is now on a successful selling trip through
176 Sixth avenue. New York City; Empire Phono. the eastern part of the United States. Mr. Lanz
Parts Co., 425 S. Wabash avenue, Chicago; Lake- was heard from at the Brinkerhoff offices in the Re-
side Supply Co., 416 S. Dearborn street, Chicago; public Building, Chicago, on Monday of this week
Utility Development Co., 1926 S. Wabash avenue; with a letter containing some good orders. He had
Widney Co., 320 S. Jefferson street.
written at Baltimore, Md. "Orders are coming in
We believe that all of the companies named make freely from many points," said W. T. Brinkerhoff,
a business of repairing phonograph parts, and any president of the company, to a Presto representative.
of them will probably be willing- to serve you.
* * *
NEW DEPARTMENT ACTIVE.
COIN-OPERATED PIANOS. ,
The artists' department, a new division in the
Bigheart, Okla., April 7, 1920.
activities of Philip Werlein, Ltd., New Orleans,
Editor Presto: We have a customer who wants has succeeded in securing a date from Enrico Ca-
a playerpiano such as is used in confectionery stores, ruso. The new department, headed by Harry B.
with a slot arrangement for coin.
Loeb, has been assigned to the task of encouraging
Would you kindly advise us where this kind of in- the visits of famous artists to that city and to the
strument can be secured, and what coin, i.e., 5, 10 encouragement of music events generally. The
or 25-cent piece, is generally used?
famous tenor will sing at the Atheneum May 4th.
Thanking you for similar favors in the past and
assuring you of our appreciation for your sugges-
FOR PITTSBURGH MUSIC WEEK.
tions, we are,
Efforts to promote a music week in Pittsburgh,
Yours respectfully,
Pa., are being made by the Pittsburgh Piano Mer-
BIGHEART MUSIC CO.
There are several manufacturers of slot player- chants' Association, headed by N. H. Hamilton, the
pianos in Chicago and elsewhere. One of the best, new president of the association. Mayor Babcock
so far as our knowledge goes, is produced by the has been asked to appoint a committee selected
J. P. Seeberg Piano Co., 413-19 W. Erie street. An- from business and professional ranks for the fur-
other fine instrument of this class is made by the therance of the proposed enterprise.
Operators' Piano Co., 16 South Peoria street.
HE'S LOST WITHOUT HIS PRESTO.
Electric pianos of very fine quality and attractive
attainments are produced by the Price & Teeple
M. M. Davis, who has charge of the piano depart-
Piano Co., 218 South Wabash avenue, and The Cable- ment of a business known as "Chain of Stores," op-
Co., Jackson boulevard and Wabash avenue, this erating in Central Georgia, has changed his head-
city, and some others which are described in Presto quarters from Sandersville, Ga., to Wrightsville, Ga.
Buyers' Guide. LTsually the coins used in slot- Mr. Davis says, in referring to the change of ad-
pianos are nickles and dimes.
dress, "I am lost without my Presto."
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