Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1920 1791

Page 5 Text:

F
PRESTO
November 20, 1920.
"union" rules, even in established industries where the owners and
managers have been successful because of their instinct, experience
and expertness in making- and selling pianos. Doesn't seem reason-
able does it? Can't think of being forbidden to employ the men you
want and know can do the work well, can you? But here is an ex-
tract from the report of a bill for injunction filed last week by a
labor union against a Chicago piano manufacturer:
"That the company has refused to carry out the terms and con-
ditions of a contract drawn up between them Oct 1, 1916. The union
charges that the company has been trying to deal direct with its em-
ployes instead of through agents of the union."
That is a condition which we believe a large proportion of the
workers themselves do not understand. The thought of an employer
being absolutely prohibited from treating with his employes, and hav-
ing to deal with his workers only "through agents of the union," sug-
gests a species of interference so obstructive as to be impossible.
It is a ruling that can not be enforced in some lines of industry with-
out disastrous results. And to realize that it has arrived at the point
where the unions openly appeal to the courts to support them in in-
terfering with the first principles of equity and right, seems to sug-
gest the need of better reasoning somewhere. For if the undeniable
sympathy of industry with the interests of labor and its betterment is
not to be broken, the unions must begin to display more sympathy
with the employers. Certainly no successful business—in any event,
no successful piano industry—can be conducted on the basis of every-
man's business.
SOMETHING ELSE
Just now the subject of business ethics, of "toting fair," in selling
the goods is having its place in the spot-light of trade discussion.
Of course, if any business is not done fairly it becomes discredited and
losses public confidence. The piano business has suffered in that way.
It has been brought within the shadow of suspicion by the coupon
schemes, the near-check dodgers, the count-the-dots and picture-
puzzle follies, and the bad advertising in general. The public had be-
gun to look askance at any store window in which pianos were dis-
played. The signs stuck up in the windows were considered as lures
for the unwary and the average citizen had become afraid to even
mention pianos in the presence of the music teacher, lest the local
music merchant set a special and all-too-high price on his instruments.
Of course that state of things did not help the piano business any.
For a time it may have brought a lot of seeming customers to the
stores and it proved profitable for the ingenious puzzle-inventors who
devised the little schemes and sold them to the piano dealers. And
then came the change. The more dignified and serious members of
the industry and trade recognized the dangers ahead, and they began
to fix standards of trade and set going the discussion of ethics and
better business leagues.
But in all the discussion of the ills of the piano trade, and their
remedies, there is an evil that has not been touched upon. It belongs
to the general subject, it is true, and it remedies itself as the other
evils are regulated and overcome. It is the habit of substitution on
the part of the salesman who, refusing to recognize the rights of
a customer who calls for a certain instrument, adroitly directs at-
tention to some other piano, and this with no further explanation than
that "this is a better one though we sell it for a little less." The cus-
tom has been a common one—almost an expression of a rule and not
an exception. And it is a custom that may as well have a share of
the attention that various leagues and "vigilance committees" are
devoting to other and often lesser trade evils.
In a discussion of the tipping habit as applied to business in the
bribing of purchasing agents. Printers Ink says : "What is the use of
building up good will on behalf of your products through advertising,
if your competitor can secretly "slip something to" an employe of
the man you are trying to sell and block your efforts? Advertising
presupposes the power on the part of the purchaser to make free
choice among the products offered."
And the same question applies equally, or more, to the habit of
ignoring the customer's request for an advertised piano, and being
"switched" to some instrument, perhaps even as good or, worse, of
inferior quality. The time has come when quite a number of fine
pianos are being largely advertised. Their manufacturers are invest-
ing heavily in publicity of a kind that implies character and quality.
Would it, or would it not, be well if those advertisers were to suggest
—perhaps in their advertising—the necessity, on the part of the pub-
lic, of insisting upon seeing and hearing the piano advertised ? Of
what good is it to build up a name for a good piano and permit the
custom of substitution to reap a harvest for dealers who prefer to
sell cheaper instruments for all they can get for them?
FRICTION
The best things in life were secured through friction or by efforts
to overcome it. The efforts of player and piano action experts have
been exerted for years along the line of eliminating friction. Friction
in an office or a factory is not wholly an evil, because it acts as a
stimulus to new exertions and improved methods. There is no place
in the world where there is more friction to the square mile or square
inch than in a great city, yet read this from the pen of a New York
City writer:
"Even the frictions of life here—the subway jamming, the in-
teresting problems of milk and coal, the high cost of diversion—fur-
nish their quota of stimulation, for friction begets warmth, and
warmth is ardor."
He makes his climax on the word "ardor." The arduous task, for
instance, is the one with the greatest appeal in it to the aspirant. To
attempt the seemingly impossible task of making pianos play them-
selves ; of "canning" songs and instrumental performances and turn-
ing on the "canned music" at will in the home years afterward; to
make men's and women's voices audible and distinct years after their
death; and now Thomas A. Edison's new task of attempting to com-
municate with the dead—are certainly arduous tasks. Just now Mr.
Edison is encountering world-wide friction from his critics, who are
guessing where, perhaps, he knows.
But if you want to know more about real friction in the piano
business, interview any live, aggressive and successful retailer in any
western town where sales are not made as candy is sold; where the
front door is still the point of attack and where two or three of the
same kind of piano salesmen are liable to gather together as soon as
it is whispered that the woman behind the door is thinking about buy-
ing a piano. There the friction becomes acute. The metal is heated
to a white heat. The adventure is a real one and each of the sales-
men is so determined that his piano shall gain admission that it even
approaches a fight for vantage ground. That is friction of the real-
for-sure kind. It means a good deal, and the victor goes back to his
store crowned as never man was crowned since the days of Caesar.
Friction is the motor that drives the car of trade. It is only another
word for competition, and if competition is the life of trade, then fric-
tion is the generator of power that makes competition worth while.
Of late the movement for better business methods has largely
eliminated the offensive, or objectionable, features of the friction
which is accentuated in the piano business. But friction itself, in a
refined sense, and modified voltage, remains and will continue as long
as piano selling is worth while—forever, probably.
A young man asked a Presto representative one day this week
what branch of the piano business paid the best, as he was thinking of
engaging in that line of work. His question was a stumper, simple
as it seems when an answer is not required. And the reply was cau-
tiously given as follows : "Well, that depends both on your talent and
tendencies. At your age it is probably difficult for you to determine
what you know best. If you know what you know best work along
that line. If mechanically inclined, the opportunity was never better
than now. A few years will develop you. If inclined toward sales-
manship, the road is long and arduous, unless the desire to sell things
and the 'pep' come natural to you. Probably not over tea per. cent of
the persons who engage in the piano business ever quit it for some-
thing else."
* * *
The story of the encounter of the Holland Piano Co. with the
Federal Trade Commission is both interesting and instructive. No
one who knows Mr. Geo. B. Norris, president of the Minneapolis in-
dustry, will believe that gentleman deliberately exceeded the ethical
bounds, and his manly disclaimer of the manner in which prices had
been placed upon Holland pianos, at the instigation of retailers, re-
flects credit upon the banker-manufacturer's sense of business probity.
We do not believe that the encounter has hurt the Holland Piano Com-
pany at all.
Business rests upon a complicated interdependence, in which the
tones of command have small place. Business men know that all their
intercourse is constant receiving as well as giving. And what big
business is not too proud to take account of small private relations
would do well to remember, since interdependence is the law of life.
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
EASILY INSTALLED;
READY FOR SERVICE
Electora Motor Can Be Installed in Any Make
of Playerpiafno in the Home by Man
Who Can Handle Simple Tools.
The Motor Player Corporation, 536 Lake Shore
Drive, Chicago, reports that it is having great call
for its Electora, the electric motor for playerpianos
which it manufactures at that number.
The Electora is adaptable to any playerpiano, due
to the accomplishment of a regulating spring valve
at the top of the intake valve. The tightening of
this spring gives the full power the motor is capable
of developing. Where this abundance is not re-
quired by the player action, the loosening of the
spring will decrease the amount of vacuum developed
by the motor in connection with the player action
by bleeding in outside air at the valve. By means
of this adjustment the exact amount of vacuum re-
quired by the player action may be obtained and
set by means of a set screw provided for that pur-
pose.
This means that the Electora can be harmonized
to the condition of any player or reproducing piano.
This invention furnishes a supply of outside air at
all times, making the motor absolutely air cool,
while with the modern lubricating system installed,
the possibility of motor trouble is reduced to an
absolute minimum. Another feature is the system
for making the motor quiet. This is accomplished
by means of metal mufflers, insulated with an ex-
cellent resilient quality of rubber, so that in the
construction there is no place where metal touches
metal. This also makes the unit vibrationless.
The Electora can be installed in any playerpiano.
With each motor the company supplies instructions
for the installation. The only tools required are bit,
screwdriver, pliers and knife. The installation makes
no change in the action of the playerpiano. The
motor connects directly with the air-chest, creates
a vacuum and thus supplies the power to operate
the player.
The Electora weighs twelve pounds. It is self-
lubricating and air-cooled. It gives perfect control
of expression, automatically shuts itself off, and re-
winds roll.
The following are wholesale distributors of the
Electora: Motor Player Corporation, 535 Lake
Shore Drive, Chicago; Hallet & Davis, Lansing
Sales Co., Boston; Lyon & Healy, Chicago; Knight-
Campbell Music Co., Denver; W. R. Woodmansee,
Detroit; J. W. Jenkins Sons Music Co., Kansas City,
Mo.; Geo. G. Birkel & Co., Los Angeles; Waltham
Piano Co., Milwaukee; F. Radle, Inc., New York
City; A. Hospe Co., Omaha, Neb.; C. C. Mellor &
Co., Pittsburgh; Daynes-Beebe Music Co., Salt Lake
City; Geo. B. Clark & Co., Bridgeport, Conn.; C. C.
Baker, Columbus; F. A. North & Co., Philadelphia;
Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco; Electora Sales
Co., Erie, Pa. Foreign Distributors: Kellers, In-
corporated, London, Philadelphia, Chicago.
November 20, 1920.
AFTER THE THANKSGIVING DINNER
The latest of the Bill Green's Sales Letters pre-
sents a timely and interesting music appeal for
Thanksgiving- Day. Dealers who have adopted some
of Bill Green's suggestions have found them very
profitable. The letter follows:
Dear Jim: Do you remember as a boy, what a
wonderful event Thanksgiving Day used to be? And
when you stop to think, old man, it doesn't seem so
long ago when "our bunch" would get up early
Thanksgiving Day morning, and go for a ten-mile
hike before dinner—just to get our appetites in first
class working order.
And the turkey! What a marvelous bird it was!
Big enough to make one sorry for all the folks who
could not sit at our table that day. Because there
couldn't possibly be another turkey like ours.
Then that moment of suspense when Dad paused
for a moment before starting to carve the bird.
What if the turkey wasn't cooked enough so that
it could not be served for dinner? What if it were
cooked too much? What if that big, brown, "King
of Turkeys" should, on carving, turn out to be noth-
ing but an empty shell.
Getting Older.
But that was many years ago. We're getting
older, Jim, and our views have changed. A turkey
no longer makes Thanksgiving Day complete, but in
its place comes Music. Think, Jim, what a dull, void,
empty space Thanksgiving Day would be without
Music. I believe that such a day would hurt me
more now than a turkeyless Thanksgiving Day would
have, years ago.
Get this, Jim! Folks everywhere are pretty much
alike—if Music in my home on Thanksgiving 1 Day
will make the day more complete for me, it will do
likewise for many others. This is the thought that
I am injecting into my selling plan. "Thanksgiving
Day without Music would be like the dinner without
the turkey."
And at this time of the year when many people are
making their homes especially attractive for the
visits of relatives and friends, our appeal is mighty
strong. The business pessimist can say what he
pleases, Jim, but I know that the special sales plans
which we are putting in operation each month are
keeping our store busy while some dealers' business
is falling away. And judging from your letter, I as-
sume that you, too, have found that there is still
plenty of business for the dealer who is willing to go
after it in an aggressive manner. Yes, I know that
it takes a little hard work to get your selling force
back into fighting trim again, but man, it is the only
JZL
thing in the world which will keep our store sales
filled with a breeze of prosperity.
Ring Door Bells.
And by the way, I think that suggestion of yours
about having two or three of your men out pushing
door bells on a still hunt for business, excellent. An-
other cog in the wheel of success.
In brief, Jim, the writer believes that you're dead
right when you say that the future prosperity of our
business will take care of itself if we combine a lit-
tle selling aggressiveness with a few good ideas. At-
tached to this letter is a rough pencil sketch illustrat-
ing my Thanksgiving Day window display. We also
intend to use the slogan "Thanksgiving Day without
Music would be like the dinner without a turkey," for
our newspaper copy.
Enclosed is a copy of the letter which I have pre-
pared to accompany the third of the "Betty Letters"
issued by the Standard Pneumatic Action Company.
This plan is working out splendidly, and I have al-
ready had a number of direct sales from each of the
two previous letters. Let me hear from you soon.
Very truly yours,
BILL GREEN,
Piano Salesman.
Suggestions for the Form Letter to Accompany the
Third "Betty" Folder.
November 7, 1920.
Mrs. M. R. Thompson, 760 Maple St., Fairview,
N. Y.
Dear Madam: Thanksgiving is now only a few
days away, and, no doubt, you are preparing for a
host of relatives and friends.
Because Thanksgiving is one of the most wonder-
ful days of the year, you will want to make your
home especially attractive. That is why we wish to
call your attention to music.
After the Thanksgiving dinner, picture the mem-
bers of your family gathered around the player-
piano singing. Not the popular music, but the sim-
ple melodies clear to us all.
The playerpiano encourages home singing, it
unites the family in a common interest, it gives a
fuller and deeper expression to every human emo-
tion, it makes the home life more complete. Music
supplies happiness for every member of the family.
Please read the accompanying folder, "Betty's
Third Letter"—then pay us a visit. We know that
when you learn how easily you can secure a player-
piano 'on YOUR OWN TERMS, you will want to
make this Thanksgiving Day the most complete
that you have ever known—with music.
Very truly yours,
T H E MUSIC SHOP.
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GEORGE F. KELLER QUITS
KELLER-DUNHAM COMPANY
Scranton, Pa., Piano Man to Manufacture the
George F. Keller Instrument and Open Warerooms.
George F. Keller, secretary-treasurer and general
manager of the Keller-Dunham Piano Company,
Scranton, Pa., has severed all connection with this
firm. Mr. Keller was one of the founders of the
Keller-Dunham Piano Company and was the only
original member of the firm left. Being the only
active member, he devoted his entire time and
energy to make it a success and, having accom-
plished this, he has sold out his interest to embark
for himself under the firm name of George F.
Keller.
Mr. Keller is a practical piano maker himself and
has had experiences in every branch of the business.
He learned piano making under his father, Joseph
Keller, who brought the Keller & Van Dyke fac-
tory to Scranton about twenty-five years ago.
George F. Keller is the fourth generation to take
up piano making and is known among piano men
all over the country for his ability in this line.
"The George F. Keller piano will not be some-
thing new, but something better," is the assurance of
Mr. Keller. "It will embody the finest workman-
ship and material, combined with all the latest im-
provements known to the art of piano making."
As well as being made under Mr. Keller's super-
vision, every piano will be fully guaranteed by him
personally. Thus the George F. Keller piano, sold
only by George F. Keller, will be a piano with an
individuality, says its ambitious maker.
Being unable at present to secure a desirable
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location, Mr. Keller will be compelled to sell direct
from the factory, but expects shortly to open up
one of the finest piano and talking machine ware-
rooms in the city of Scranton.
OPERATIC SINGER'S LETTER
PRAISES THE A. B. CHASE
DEALERS JOIN CHAMBER.
Chicago Representatives of the Famous Instrument
Feature Scotti's Commendation.
Keener interest in music affairs is to be expected
from the Chamber of Commerce, Cincinnati, with
the strengthening of the music trade representation
in the chamber. The following dealers were elected
members of the Chamber of Commerce at a recent
meeting: Roswell B. Bouchard, president of the
John Church Piano Co.; A. H. Bates, president of the
Ohio Talking Machine Co.; C. H. North, and Charles
A. Dougherty, vice-president and treasurer, respec-
tively of the same company.
HOW Q R S ROLLS ARE MADE.
At one of the Saturday evening concerts given by
the Gray-Maw Music Co., San Diego, Calif., Hans
Hanke demonstrated how playerpiano music rolls
are made, using Q R S music rolls in his demonstra-
tion. The event proved such an interesting feature
of the concert that a repetition has been promised.
The following letter from Antonio Scotti has been
featured in the advertising of Grosvenor, Lapham &
Company, Chicago, representatives of the A. B.
Chase pianos:
"Aug. 16, 1920.
"A. B. Chase Piano Co., Inc.,
"9 East 45th Street,
"New York City.
"Dear Sirs: We take much pleasure in informing
you that the A. B. Chase piano has been chosen as
the official piano of the Scotti Grand Opera Com-
pany.
Very truly yours,
"SCOTTI GRAND OPERA COMPANY,'
"By A. Scotti."
The Jones Music Company has opened a store
at North Main St., Washington, Pa.
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/

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