Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1920 1773

Page 5 Text:

r
PRESTO
July 17, 1920.
It is certain that every piano merchant who has not installed a
sheet music department will find this suggestion a good one. Stress
has been placed upon the smaller store because the larger ones usually
have sheet music departments, many of them carrying also all, or
nearly all, of the lesser musical instruments. And there are few com-
munities so small that a line of small instruments may not profitably
be made a part of the sheet music department.
If you have not tried the sheet music counter, get in touch with
some wide-awake music publishing house like the McKinley Music
Co. of Chicago and New York, and see how easy it may be done, and
upon how profitable a basis.
TINKERS AND TUNERS
It isn't often that a piano dealer is a practical piano tuner. But
all of them are sufficiently versed in the details of their business to
know when a piano is out of tune. And few of them fail to recognize
the fact that pianos in stock that are not in good tune are not, for the
time being, salable pianos.
Piano tuning is a matter of importance in the store no less, and
perhaps no more, than in the home. Many piano _stores can not em-
ploy their own special tuners. Among the so-called "small" dealers,
there are some who can themselves tune. They are fortunate, for
they not only save the expense, but keep themselves in trim by look-
ing after their stock. Better still, is it to have an arrangement with
some thoroughly competent local tuner who will go over the stock at
intervals and attend to outside tuning on order.
In some places, where the business doesn't justify a staff of regu-
lar tuners, local tuners may be arranged with to call daily for orders,
and to attend to store tuning within a stated time after notification.
Usually small town tuners have their own routes, which they "cover"
at stated intervals; their services may be secured for times between
trips.
Of course if the business is sufficiently large to justify it, the
better plan is to have a regular store tuner. And in most communities
his services can be made so valuable that the wage is a small item, as
compared with the results of his work in both money and the satis-
faction of having him ready to "go over" new arrivals and before the
instruments go out from the store.
A good tuner and repair man is always an advantage, and. today
it is even more essential that he have an intimate knowledge of player
piano construction. In New York there is a large player piano school,
attendance at which costs nothing, and the instructions are invaluable.
Other schools exist, one of them centrally located at Valparaiso,
Indiana, where pupils are taught in a few months to become expert
in player piano repairs. It often pays the dealer well to send trusted
employes to the schools for such equipment of skill as must add
greatly to the efficiency of the store.
It is well known that there are nearly 10,000 separate pieces to
• an ordinary piano, and nearly three times as many in a player piano.
The piano's strings have a combined tension of more than fifteen tons,
and the ever changing temperature and humidity of air causes con-
traction and expansion of all the parts of the instrument. It is not
necessarily playing upon the piano that "puts it out of tune." On the
contrary, an instrument that is properly used will retain its beauty
of tone longer than one that is neglected. So that it is clear that the
tuner is a very important factor in the piano business.
As in all professions, there are all kinds and qualities of tuners.
Some of them, unworthy of the name, may more properly be called
tinkers. No piano merchant can be so blind or deaf, as to permit the
tinkers to put hammer to the instruments in his store or to commend
them, without investigation, and so possibly cause havoc with the
instruments in the homes of his neighbors and customers.
ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS
Having decided upon a location the most vital consideration,
after the inherent energies of the man, is the selection of the right line
of instruments. There are pianos in which the selling power is fixed
and so forceful that they draw trade to whatever store may represent
them.
Of course not all piano dealers can secure those instruments at
the start. They are probably already represented in most of the prom-
ising localities. Consequently the next best thing is to find instru-
ments in which are similar characteristics, and which may in time
become, locally at least, just as salable and profitable.
Most piano dealers do not begin business for themselves until
they have acquired some knowledge of pianos and the piano business.
It is often spoken of as "the game." There is no more "game" to it
than to other high class lines of trade. But there is more to learn
than in some other lines of business.
The successful music store is conducted by hard working, alert
and resourceful business men, who realize that music is essential to
human happiness and is a part of every community's everyday life.
The well conducted music store is made the center of the kind of
community refinement that counts for the intellectual advancement
of the people. It draws the best people in the place. Its manager
must be correspondingly ambitious to see that his part in the general
uplift is of the right kind. And the "new" dealer's beginning will
largely settle his ultimate success and progress. That is why it is
essential to start with good instruments, in which the commenda-
tion will be hearty, and the character of the merchant fixed in a large .
sense by the character of the goods he offers for sale.
The first thing, then, for the new piano merchant is to secure a
fine instrument for his leader. It must be an instrument that will sus-
tain, his best enthusiasm and move forward side by side with his own
name, or the name that appears on his signs and letter-heads. Next,
he must have a good "second"—one that will also sustain his best
efforts. And he must have at least one reliable instrument of the
so-called popular grade. It will not matter much how many makes
he carries, but it is usually well not to overdo in that respect. The
manufacturers are more apt to value the business of a dealer who
places a good share of his faith and his efforts in their own products,
and refuses to scatter over too wide a field in the choice of the instru-
ments he sells.
Don't handle "stencil pianos." They hurt the dealer often, and
even if the profit at first seems large, in the end the depreciation is
great and the net results do not justify the effort which is too often
misdirected. Stick loyally to the manufacturers whose instruments
you represent, and build up a local trade which in time will prove
valuable to you because you control, in your territory, the instru-
ments whose names you have made known upon a foundation of their
substantial beauty and quality.
What has been said in this editorial may serve as a reply to let-
ters which frequently come to this paper from active men who are
considering the piano business. It is a common event for the trade
papers to have prospective dealers, or salesmen in other lines, ask
about the prospects and possibilities of this line of merchandising. It
is easy to make answer. There is no other business in which energy,
persistency and correct principles more surely meet with liberal re-
ward or in which success comes with a greater sense of satisfaction
of doing and overcoming in the peaceful battle of life.
Primarily, inspiration is the well-spring of many an idea, but
the faculty upon which imagination and business plan are built is
observation. The observing reporter holds his position, the unob-
serving reporter does not; nor does the unobserving traveling man
last long. A man is on the road to losing his job when he can find
in the world before him only a dull blank, with nothing left remark-
able in it.
The twist of time and the force of genius in promotion have
brought some of the small pianos of a few years back to the forefront.
The same forces, in reverse ratio, have left some of the one-time,
great pianos high and dry on the shoals of doubt and decay. But
there are not many of the latter kind, and there will be still fewer cf
them.
* * *
It's a safe bet that the next President of the U. S. A. will be a
small-town newspaper editor. And equally safe that he will be an
Ohioan. It was once the popular idea that only lawyers made first
class law-makers. But with an editor following a school teacher,
what may we not expect next? Possibly a piano maker!
There are many educated persons who have little better pro-
tection against delusions and sophisms than the uneducated; for the
simple reason that their education, though prolonged and elaborate,
was still not of a kind to train their judgment and reasoning powers.
Close attention to business, care in the use of money, ability to
estimate rightly demand and supply, prudence in making investments,
good executive ability—all these are recognized as elements of busi-
ness success.
* * *
Better order more instruments while you are about it; as it is
you may have to wait a few days longer for them. By that time you
will have sold what stock you have, and the customers will be wanting
more.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

Page 6 Text:

PRESTO
PLAIN DUTY OF RETAILER
By Following Course Suggested by Geo. W. Gittins; Dealer Can Help
Manufacturer and Himself.
"Help Your Manufacturer Help You" is the
thought-arousing heading to an announcement
signed.by Geo. W. Gittins, treasurer of the Estey
Piano Co., New York, and mailed to the retail
trade. The conditions at the present time and the
plain duty of dealers under the circumstances are
clear to readers:
Considered as a whole, no class of manufacturers
in the country does more, or is willing to do more
for its dealers, than piano manufacturers.
But just now the retail trade is in a position to do
something of tremendous advantage for itself and I
am sure I can speak for all manufacturers, that they
will exert themselves to respond to every effort the
dealer makes to accumulate some surplus stock
this summer.
The dealer that can now get one piano ahead, in
excess of his summer's requirements, will make
money by doing so. Manufacturers are not working
more than 80 per cent of last year's capacity.
If piano manufacturers could be assured of work-
ing straight through from now until Christmas at
full capacity and could be assured of making ship-
ments when they were ready to ship, there still
would not be enough instruments to meet require-
ments.
The Merchants' Association of this city is raising
funds at this minute to engage in the trucking busi-
ness to offset as much as possible the effort of the
union to paralyze traffic by sympathetic strike of
the Horse & Motor Truck Drivers' Union.
And when coal, cotton and the food crops begin
to move this fall, manufacturers will not be able to
get supplies into their factories nor the finished
product out.
I look to see the tightest embargoes and worst
freight congestion this fall, this country has ever
known. But the dealer can escape at least a part
of this great hindrance if he will co-operate with
his manufacturers this summer and get what surplus
stock he can, ahead.
George W. Gittins, Estey Piano Company.
TWO MORE CONVENTIONS
IN TRADE SUPPLY LINES
before the war. Transportation and production are
too uncertain today to risk "hand to mouth" buying.
Piano merchants should always carry as large a
stock as possible.
You know the shipping situation. At the factory
things are humming. We are filling orders in ro-
tation. For these reasons NOW is the time to order
pianos. This message is not sent as a sales talk—it
is simply one of facts, sent in the friendly interest I
feel toward you in our business association which I
trust will be one of many years and of mutual con-
fidence.
I will call on you soon, but travel takes time. I
feel this message is due you TODAY!
HENRY P. VEATCH,
Manager of Packard's Chicago Office.
If There Is No Harmony in the Factory, There Will
Be None in the Piano.—Copyright.
Manager Smith, of the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce, Will Visit Chicago.
A. L. Smith, General Manager for Music Indus-
tries, Chamber of Commerce, will make two trips
shortly on business of the Chamber. He was plan-
ning to be in Boston on July 15-I6th to attend the
convention of the National Association of Piano
Bench Manufacturers. At this convention there
was taken up the matter of best method of affi-
liation of the Piano Bench Manufacturers with the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
The question came up at the recent convention of
the Musical Supply Association of America, which
was attended by F. A. Merriam, of the A. Merriam
Company, South Acton, Mass., who is Secretary of
the Bench Association. It was expected that at the
convention there would be a definite decision by the
bench manufacturers to individually join the Sup-
ply Association, or possibly request the Chamber for
membership as a Division Member Association.
On July 19th, Mr. Smith will leave for Chicago
to be there all week. Mr. Smith will spend one day
in Milwaukee conferring with merchants and with
A. Wangerin, secretary of the Organ Builders' As-
sociation of America, particularly about the plans
for the Organ Builders' convention, which will be
held in New York City on July 26-27th.
HENRY P. VEATCH, PEPTIMIST,
WRITES TRADE A LETTER
Chicago Manager of Packard Piano Co., Advises
Dealers to Order Promptly.
A pessimist is one who wrinkles up his face and
says a thing can not be done. An optimist says it
can be done and proceeds to "let George do it."
But a peptimist believes that the thing can be done
and forthwith rolls up his sleeves and does it.
Henry P. Veatch, manager of the Chicago office
of the Packard Piano Company, of Fort Wayne,
Ind., is a living example of the peptimist. He trav-
els a good deal for the company besides managing
the Chicago office. Here is his latest letter to his
trade:
Chicago, July, 12, 1920.
TODAY AND TOMORROW?
Mr. J. F. Townsend, representing more than a
score of steel manufacturers before the Inter-State
Commerce Commission on July 10th, stated, "Ap-
proximately 1,500,000 tons of steel products requir-
ing 28,300 cars to move them are piled up at the
mills awaiting transportation. Over 20 blast fur-
naces are idle in the great steel producing sections.
All are ready to be put in operation as soon as
transportation will warrant."
Today there are grave fears of impending fuel
famine next winter. Railroad equipment is in bad
shape. It is impossible either to make repairs or to
get new cars for fall demands. When fall comes
fuel and food will be given shipping preference.
You live in the heart of the most prosperous sec-
tion in the United States, a section supported by
rich farms. Business in this great section is good—
it will be better.
Prices are NOT coming down on pianos. We are
living on an entirely different economic plane than
NORTH DAKOTA COMPANY
PLANS FOR BIG FUTURE
Success, of Bismarck Music Co. Justifies Faith of Its
Founder in Bismarck.
The Bismarck Music Co., Bismarck, N. D., is for-
tunate in the enjoyment of many advantages. And
perhaps the thought of these advantages influenced
J. H. Allerding, the proprietor, when he established
his business a few years ago in a North Dakota city
which plainly had a future of great promise. It is
the state capital, has mammoth flour mills and every
year other industrial plants are added to its activi-
ties.
There are no doubts about the bright future of the
state capital and the success of the Bismarck Music
Company justifies Mr. Allerding's beliefs when he
established it. It is safe to say the Bismarck Music
Company will keep pace in growth with the city.
The store of the company today would do credit to
a city of considerably greater size. The secret of
Mr. Allerding's triumphs is that he plans and or-
ganizes to take care of the biggest business South
Dakota prosperity many bring. His motto is "Aim
High: Strive for the Best." That slogan is his in-
spiration. In addition to a fine line of pianos, in
which the Packard is a leader, the firm carries a well
assorted stock of organs, talking machines and small
music goods.
BALDWIN TRAVELERS MEET.
A meeting of the Baldwin Piano Company's trav-
elers for the states of Illinois, South Dakota, Iowa,
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska was held at the
Chicago Baldwin offices this week. The men had
been assembled to discuss selling problems for the
next six months, and it is needless to say that the
discussions were both interesting and profitable.
The Baldwin travelers in attendance were W. S.
Rice, J. T. Gormly, E. C. Fantham, T. R. Huston,
C. E. Peterson, H. G. Austin and L. E. Huston.
AN AEOLIAN CONVENTION.
Daniel Stephens and Edward F. Koper of the
sales force of the Aeolian Piano Company, Cincin-
nati, are in New York attending the convention of
the Aeolian Company in that city. William J.
Street of the sales force of the Aeolian Piaoo Com-
pany, Cincinnati, is spending his vacation on a tour
of the middle states.
July 17, 1920.
THE APOLLO CHANGES
ITS AGENCY AT BUFFALO
Robt. L. Loud Music Co. Now Has Repre-
sentation in Place of the Rudolph
Wurlitzer Co.
Announcement is made by the Apollo Piano Co.,
that their agency at Buffalo has been changed from
the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company to the Robert L.
Loud Music Company, 569 Main street.
This change has aroused considerable interest in
trade circles in Buffalo, as the Apollo agency is
looked upon as being one of the most important
ones being represented in this city. Eugene R.
Farny is the manager of the Robert L. Loud store,
which now handles the Apollo. Through the activ-
ities of this agency it is expected that a large and
wide distribution of Apollos will be made.
The prominence of the Robert L. Loud Music Co.
in Buffalo is everywhere recognized in the trade.
Mr. Loud himself is a force in the business life of
the city. The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, also
a strong force in Buffalo's business life, has done a
large trade with the Apollo and the transfer to the
Loud establishment insures to that store an instan-
taneous advantage, as all who know the Apollo will
at once understand.
UNIVERSAL CONTRACT FOR
SALES OF PIPE ORGANS
Geo. W. Pound Prepares Contracts in Response to
Request of Organ Builders' Association.
Proposed forms of universal contracts for sale of
pipe organs have just been mailed to the members
of the Organ Builders' Association of America.
The preparation of these contracts for the Organ
Builders' Association is a part of the service which
the Chamber offers its Division Member Associa-
tions. These contracts were prepared by the Cham-
ber's counsel, Geo. W. Pound, in accordance with a
request of the Organ Builders' Association made
at their convention last year in Pittsburgh, and will
be discussed at the coming convention of the Or-
gan Builders which will be held in New York City
on July 26-27th.
There are two forms of contracts, one so-called
theatre contract, and the other so-called church
contract. In so far as has been possible these con-
tracts have been drawn to meet the laws of all
states.
MUSIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FINDS EXPORT MANAGER
A. M. Lawrence Engaged to Take Charge of Im-
portant Branch of the Organization's Work.
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce an-
nounces the engagement of A. M. Lawrence as
manager of its new Export Bureau. Mr. Lawrence
will assume his new duties on August 1st. A. M.
Lawrence is fifty-four years of age. He was born in
London, and spent the first few years of his life
in various parts of the world, including this coun-
try, and has lived in the United States continuously
since 1880. Twenty-five years ago, after several
years' experience as a salesman of jewelry, office
appliances and other products, Mr. Lawrence ent-
ered the employment of Arkall & Douglas of New
York City, one of the largest and best known ex-
port and import commission houses in this country.
For three years, he was employed in the shipping
department, where he gained experience in all the
technicalities and details connected with the actual
shipment of goods abroad. He has been brought
in touch with manufacturers of all types. His ex-
perience will, it is believed, make him valuable to
manufacturers in developing an export business.
In Mr. Lawrence the Chamber feels it has found
the very man for the position of export manager.
ANOTHER CINCINNATI STORE.
Opening of a second music store at 532 Walnut
street. Cincinnati, has been announced by E. M.
Abbott, president of the E. M. Abbott Piano Com-
pany. The new store which is located in the
heart of the business district will be fitted up and
stocked with a complete line of phonographs, Co-
lumbia records, pianos and playerpianos and up to
the minute playerpiano rolls and will be open for
business about August 15. The Abbott company's
main store at Seventh and Elm streets, is one of the
finest and busiest music stores in the city.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

Download Page 5: PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.