Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1923 1919

Page 4 Text:

PRESTO
The American Music Trade Weekly
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT 407 SOUTH DEAR-
BORN STREET, OLD COLONY BUILDING, CHICAGO, ILL.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
Editors
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234. Private Phones to all De-
partments. Cable Address (Commercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29. 18%, at the Post Office, Chicago. Illinois.
under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1; Foreign. $4. Payable in advance. No extra
charge in United States possessions, Cuba and Mexico.
Address all communications for the editorial oi" business departments to PRESTO
PUBLISHING CO., 407 So. Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
Advertising Rates:—Five dollars per inch (13 ems pica) for single insertions.
Complete schedule of rates for standing cards and special displays will be furnished
on request. The Presto does not sell its editorial space. Payment is not accepted for
articles of descriptive character or other matter appearing in the news columns. Busi-
ness notices will be indicated by the word "advertisement" In accordance with the
Act cf August 24, 1912.
Photographs of general trade interest are always welcome, and when used, if of
special concern, a charge will be made to cover cost of the engravings.
Rates tor advertising in Presto Year Book Issue and Export Supplements of
Presto will be made known upon application. Presto Year Book and Export issues
have tlie most extensive circulation of any periodicals devoted to the musical in-
strument trades and industries in all parts of the world, and reach completely and
effectually all Lhe houses handling musical instruments of both the Eastern and West-
ern hemispheres.
Presto Buyers' Guide is the only reliable index to the American Pianos and
Player-Pianos, it analyzes all instruments, classifies them, gives accurate estimates
if their value and contains a directory of their manufacturers.
Items of news and other matter of general interest to the music trades are in-
cited and when accepted will be paid for. All communications should be addressed to
Presto Publishing Co., 407 So. Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, MAY 5. 1923
PRESTO CORRESPONDENCE
IT IS NOT CUSTOMARY WITH THIS PAPER TO PUBLISH REGU-
LAR CORRESPONDENCE FROM ANY POINTS. WE, HOWEVER.
HAVE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN NEW YORK, BOSTON.
SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS, MIL-
WAUKEE AND OTHER LEADING MUSIC TRADE CENTERS, WHO
KEEP THIS PAPER INFORMED OF TRADE EVENTS AS THEY HAP-
PEN. AND PRESTO IS ALWAYS GLAD TO RECEIVE REAL NEWS
OF THE TRADE FROM WHATEVER SOURCES ANYWHERE AND
MATTER FROM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS, IF USED, WILL BE
PAID FOR AT SPACE RATES. USUALLY PIANO MERCHANTS OR
SALESMEN IN THE SMALLER CITIES, ARE THE BEST OCCA-
SIONAL CORRESPONDENTS. AND THEIR ASSISTANCE IS INVITED.
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
Forms close promptly at noon every Thursday. News matter for
publication should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the same
day. Advertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, five p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy should be in
hand by Monday noon preceding publication day. Want advs. for cur-
rent week, to insure classification, must be at office of publication not
later than Wednesday noon.
CONVENTION ENTERPRISE
Extraordinary "stunts" are being formulated and put into oper-
ation to awaken interest in the "Prosperity Convention" in Chicago
June 4-7. Similar effort has been put forth in advance of earlier
meetings of the music trade associations. But some of the most
successful of the meetings have followed a quieter and more realistic
pronouncement and promise. /Phis time the great features will have
to do with externals rather than the original purposes of the associ-
ations. Thev seem to belong more directly to the Bureau of Music
Advancement than to the organizations which in earlier years accom-
plished so much for the piano industry and trade, and other music
industries and supply organizations.
Of course, no one will find any fault with the effort to make the
Chicago meeting famous because of a grand band tournament. That
is not expected to promise the sale of many pianos or other instru-
ments. It is presumably designed to attract attention, and to adver-
tise and so draw crowds to the meeting. So, too, with much of the
other special promotion which is being given to the approaching
convention. The aim is to draw as large a crowd as possible, and
whether the end will justify the means remains to be determined.
There are prominent men in the industry and trade who do not
believe that the engagement of aspiring artists, or even artists whose
aspirations have already been crowned with results, is conducive to
the best progress of the trade conventions. Tt has been made clear
by the presidents of both the manufacturers' and dealers' associ-
May 5, 1923
ations that "commercialism" is not to obscure the real purposes of
the meeting. The displays at the Drake will be fine, but the request
has been officially made that first heed be paid to the deliberations
of the organizations. The brass band tournament, coming within
the days of the convention, may not detract too much from the
serious purposes of the week. And perhaps the plan of grand con-
certs and eloquent speeches by orators of note may prove sufficiently
instructive and entertaining to justify the risk.
Anyway, it is to be hoped that all who may attend the conven-
tion will pay heed to the suggestions of Presidents Chickering and
Butler, to devote as much time and attention as possible to the actual
purposes of the convention, and not permit extraneous entertain-
ment to divert their interests from the regular sessions of the mer-
chants and manufacturers.
A great band tournament may be a good thing if the purpose
is to attract a miscellaneous crowd. A regular June music festival,
after the manner of the Cincinnati May Festivals, would be fine for
the advancement of general interest in good music. The Bureau of
Musical Advancement, of which Mr. Tremaine is the official sponsor,
might easily convert the Annual Music Week into a great gathering
such as the band tournament and the artist recitals promise to be.
But a purely trade convention, such as the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce seems to stand for, may not have its best interests
furthered by enterprises of that kind. In this we agree with what
Mr. Tom Pletcher said at this week's meeting of the Chicago Piano
Cub as reported in this issue of Presto. But the June experiment
will be instructive and may help in the readjustments of future con-
ventions.
PLAYER ROLL PROBLEMS
The music roll industry has developed many perplexities. At first
it seemed simple enough. There seemed nothing necessary but to
manufacture and meet the growing demand. A little time served
to show that it was not so easy.
<
Today the player roll industry is conducted by about the shrewd-
est talent associated with the music business. Scores of enterprises
in the line have started, made considerable fuss, invested a little money
in advertising, and then slumped out of sight. There have been a
few notable instances of the kind. And in the end the endurance
contest of the music rolls promises to leave but very few in the field.
Unlike sheet music publishing, the roll business demands a great deal
ol capital and a vast amount of determination and stick-to-itiveness.
The average man cannot make it pay, and the man who writes the
songs cannot "put it over" in the rolls as he might in the printed
sheet.
Vice-President Geo. Ames of the United States Music Co.,
makes a suggestion in which there is good sense and much promise.
He says that the plan of the automobile men, who advertise the ne-
cessity, on the part of owners of cars, buying only the best of sup-
plies, is the right one for player roll people to follow. He believes
that every plaverpiano manufacturer should make it a point, in cata-
logues and advertising, to impress upon the dealers the advantages
of pushing the music rolls. And that the dealers, in turn, should give
more—much more—attention to selling the rolls to owners of player-
pianos.
If every manufacturer .would adopt Mr. Ames' suggestion, and
even -place a notice of some kind somewhere upon the player-piano
itself, it would help. It would carry the proposition straight to the
dealer and his salesmen, and then on to the ultimate buyer of the
instrument. It is certain that not enough music rolls are sold. The
demand for them is not adequate. As compared with the sale of sheet
music and phonograph records, it is almost inconsequential. Think
that over and, having found the reason, get busy and correct it.
Another of the perplexities just now has to do with the demand
of the Association of Authors and Publishers for copyright taxes
upon all music controlled by members of that "trust." And, as long
as the Association pushes and advertises and subsidizes, as it has been
doing, the "hits" are likely to be there controlled. And that means
trouble for the music roll makers.
The time will come when the order of things will be reversed.
Instead of the sheet music men holding all the copyrights, the player
roll makers will have them. The roll"" makers will cut the songs and
pieces first—not from the mills of genius from which the "hits" must
come. The music roll studios will be as active as are today those of
Tin Pan Alley. And this will be in conformity with the fast advanc-
ing majority of playerpianos over the older hand-played instruments.
That is, unless, as a few believe, the "straight" piano performs a
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 5 Text:

PRESTO
May 5, 1923
"come-back" and again proves its supremacy in point of popularity and
sale. A remote possibility as things look at this time.
In any event, the music roll business is reducing" itself to a few
industries. Unlike sheet music publishing, it is a complicated system
of production. And the prospect now seems to be that eventually
there will be actual competition between the old way and the new.
The music roll makers and the sheet music publishers will be in oppo-
sition. One will be independent of the other, and possibly people with
playerpianos will sound forth quite different "pieces" and perhaps
better, than those who sing- songs to hand-played accompaniment
and produce their own effects by caressing the ivories.
WHOLESALE BARGAINS
The piano "bargains" are not always to be found by means of
newspaper advertising. Bargains are sometimes more important to
the merchants than to the buying public, which is always on the
look-out for something for nothing. Xor are all the bargains talked
about in the advertising columns. In the wholesale sense the best
of them are not often announced in big type at all. And here is
where the trade paper may and sometimes does prove its usefulness
and its real place in the world.
There are sometimes reasons for bargains, in all industries,
in which the ordinary causes are not the propelling, or compelling,
bases. In the piano industry this may seem especially so. For, while
pianos are usually so made as to lie practically indestructible, they
are, nevertheless, fragile in the sense that they do not long remain
new—fresh and of their pristine beauty. For this reason it is cus-
tomary for the manufacturers to sell them and ship as soon as pos-
sible after the final work is done. There are not many articles man-
ufactured of substantial, almost imperishable, materials, that more
quickly bear evidence of time's passing than pianos. Nor are there
many that seem open to a greater degree of danger by small acci-
dents. The fine surface and polish of a piano may be blemished by
a careless passer, with buttons on garments doing even a slight
scratching. The first care of the factory superintendent, after the
instrument is rolled into the show room, or shipping room, is to see
that the paper covering is placed over it. In the retail store the
concern of the dealer is that the instruments be protected against
careless customers, or their children who like to place their hands
upon the shining cases.
Small matters, you say? Yes, but often also ven big ones.
And they, added to the value of floor space in factories, not infre-
quently provide the "bargain opportunities" in both wholesa 1 e and
retail trade. And where the well read trade paper may help is seen.
within the past two weeks, in a Presto item and its results. The in-
cident also illustrates what has been said about bargains, especially
in the wholesale trade, having nothing to do with financial require-
ments of the manufacturers, but resting altogether upon other con-
siderations of newness of the instruments and exigencies of floor
space.
One of the industries of the Middle-West found that because of
an over-stock of a certain finish, due to a large buying of fumed oak,
at a very tempting price, it was advisable to dispose of those instru-
ments. The demand for oak cases had in a large measure subsided
before the supply of cases had been finished. The instruments were
LARGE SCHILLER DEALER
PAYS CHICAGO A VISIT
Enterprising Head of Stranburg Music House, of
Jamestown, N. Y., With Many Branches.
Oscar Stranb'erg, head of the Stranburg Music
House, of Jamestown, N. Y., who operates a chain
of stores at Jamestown, N. Y., Hornell, X. Y., Brad-
ford, Penn., Oil City, Penn., Franklin, Penn.. Titus-
ville, Penn., Meadville, Penn., Warren, Penn., and
Conneaut, Ohio, was a visitor for a few days in
Chicago last week, making his headquarters at the
wholesale office of the Schiller Piano Company. 932
Republic Building.
Mr. Stranburg reports business improving every
day in his section, and looks forward to a very suc-
cessful year. My orders with the Schiller Piano
Company alone during April has been upwards of
200 pianos.
On this visit, I have concluded negotiations with
John Barnhart, head of the department of special
sales of the Schiller Piano Company, to promote a
series of special sales for me embracing all of my
stores." said Mr. Stranburg, who is filled with
enthusiasm c^' ?ernitig the outlook for business with
of admirable quality and the products of an industrv high in repu-
tation. The circle of the industry's dealers was not sufficient to con-
sume all of the fumed oak cases, and it was suggested that Presto
might help without making an announcement in the ordinary man-
ner of a displayed advertisement. The pianos were so good, and the
prices, in order to move them quickly, seemed to offer such advan-
tages to dealers, that an item appeared in this paper stating the facts.
Within a week the manufacturers received several calls for
particulars. The requests came from responsible dealers in different
parts of the country—from the Pacific Coast to the (ireat Lakes—
and, without doubt, there will be none of the beautiful fumed and
golden oak pianos left by the time the manufacturers finish putting
the last skilled "touches" to the cases and can ship them.
That may not be the best work of the trade paper. Of course,
it isn't. But it illustrates one source of usefulness—practical helps
to both manufacturer and dealer. For the manufacturer, being a
regular advertiser, is entitled to whatever assistance the trade paper
can render. The dealers, who sustain the trade paper because of the
help it may .be able to give, is entitled to all the opportunities for
profit-making possible. No doubt the readers who, reading Presto
regularly, saw the fumed oak item and followed the suggestion,
have or will profit by it; the manufacturers will relieve the pressure
upon their factory space, and the piano buying public to that extent
will receive fine instruments at unusual prices.
And Presto is almost always in possession of the same kind of
information by whichv its readers may profit and its advertisers be
quickly served. That's one of the best aims and purposes of the trade
paper—to help at both ends of the business—the factory and retail
store alike.
Mr. Tom Fletcher, of the (.) K S Company, doesn't believe that
a tournament of high school bands can create a greater demand tor
fine pianos, even if it does make a loud noise and si ir up the waves
of old Lake Mich, during the coming convention, lint it will draw
crowds.
:j;
*
*
There is a full page advertisement in this issue of Presto in which
some startling promises are made concerning the June convention.
But no one who reads will mistake fun for fact, and all that is said
about the advance arrangements is true even if a little highly co'ored.
* * *
Dealers who expect to attend the June conventions should dose
all sales possible before 'caving home. When they get back their
i 'ens of how to sell may have so changed as to make it impossible
to do business the old wav—the way sales were started.
* * *
For the first time in the history of the music trade conventions
professional advertising experts are doing their level best to
make the June meetings a success. And yet it is admitted that the
music "men themselves are great advertising experts.
* * *
The June convention will be so entertaining that the music man
who comes the longest distance will be fully repaid. There was
never a convention of the kind that was not filled with, interest and
this year will prove no exception.
his several houses. There is always a way by which
to awaken interest in pianos and to keep sales going,
and Mr. Stranburg understands the needs of his
trade. His selection of the Schiller line is one of
the evidences of this fact, says F. L. Jordan, the
Chicago sales manager of the big industry at
Oregon, 111.
SCHUBERT PIANO CO. INCRFASES.
The long-established and successful Schubert
Piano Co., of New York, has certified to increase of
capital stock from $3,000 to $100 000. Of course, the
smaller figure did not represent the investment, or
value, of the old New York industry. Peter Duffy,
founder of the house., is one of the financially strong
members of the piano industry. The Schubert Piano
Co. has been in existence for a half century and is
known in the trade everywhere.
TO DISCUSS TRANSPORTATION.
European problems, from the viewpoint of Ameri-
can business men. will receive principal attention at
the opening sessions at New York, May 8, of the
eleventh annual meeting of the Chamber of Com-
merce of the United States, which for the remaining
I wo days of its convention will devote its considera-
tion chiefly to transportation problems.
CABLE PIANO COMPANY
MOVES IN JACKSON, MICH.
Business Expansion Evident in Fine New Quarters
at 186 Main Street.
The Cable Piano Company, Jackson, Mich . is now-
located in line new quarters at 186 West Main street.
This comp; ny, which has been in business in Jack-
son for the last nine years, has been located tor seven
years of that time at 2XV West Main street.
Xorman Leonard, manager of the company for live
years, continues in that capacity in the new location.
The building which is now occupied lias been re-
modeled throughout, the interior being finished in
white enamel and gray. Four sound-proof booths
for demonstrating phonographs and two piano dem-
onstration rooms are features of the new quarters.
In addition the latest equipment for giving efficient
service to customers in the purchase of talking ma-
chines and records has been instal'ed. The company
has taken over the exclusi\e agency for the Bruns-
wick phonograph.
The Snyrler Music Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., last week
celebrated the third anniversary of its founding.
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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