Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Fheir Makers.
PRESTO
Established 1S84.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform B o o k -
lets, the Only Complete
Directories of the Music
Industries.
10 Cent,,' (2.00 a Year
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1924
CUT DOWN TERMS
FOR BETTER TRADE
This, According to a Prominent Dealer, Seems
to Be the Road Leading to the Rewards
of an Abounding Piano
Prosperity.
CUSTOMERS FEAR TO BUY
highways seemed to be blocked by gates with tall
signs on them bearing the word ruin.
Did They Run Down Goose?
The auto of piano progress was then backed up
and a new road sought. Col. Conway was riding in
one of the front machines. Ah, here was the right
road! Twenty, thirty, forty, fifty dollars down and
at least twenty dollars every month and interest at
6 per cent on unpaid balances.
But—and here comes the vital question—did the
piano manufacturers on this road run over the goose
that laid the egg of gold? And is it true that many,
many honest poor men and women are doing with-
out the pianos that they couM pay for if terms were
Blames Piano Manufacturers Themselves for Queer-
ing the Pitch of the Piano Merchants' Chances
to Make Safe and Sane Sales.
HOW LOS ANGELES FIRM
ADVERTISES EACH PIANO SALE
"Oh, that Col. E. S. Conway were alive today!"
sighed a prominent Central States piano dealer one
day last week when talking to a Presto representative.
"He would put pep into this piano trade. To my way
of thinking he was the greatest piano man the trade
ever produced. He would not try to perk up trade
by issuing a fiat to his dealer, "Now, do not let one
of our pianos go out of your store unless you have
.$50 down and terms of $20 a month.'
"No, no! Col. Conway understood human nature
better than that. He understood American honesty
and American struggle better than that. He under-
stood the energy of American workingmen better
than that. He understood the appetites and ambitions
of the man who had earned the right to the material
blessings of life; the honor, independence and dignity
of the wage worker. He understood the farmer and
cities and the anxious life of men.
Red Button- Displayed on Chart in Window by Mar-
tin Piano Company Proclaims Gladsome Event.
Manufacturer's Fear.
'"How long do you suppose a piano merchant can
hold up with good trade walking out of his store
every day or walking past it because his terms are
too stiff to suit the purse of the would-be purchaser?
Not long, I can answer. Now no one knows the
financial ability and temper of the wage-earners of a
town more comprehendingly than the local merchant
—the piano merchant in particular, for the reason
that he has looked most of them up as guarantee of
his own safety.
Your manufacturer in a distant city is unaware of
the good-pay principles governing the lives of these
men. He fears them as a dog fears a stranger, as a
child fears the dark, as a superstititous person fears
ghosts, as an elephant fears a mouse. I would not
dub him as the overgrown baby of the nurses' tradi-
tion, for I like the goods he manufacturers and want
to order more from him, but I could wish him to be
as conscious of the reliability of my shop-worker
prospects as I am.
What a Piano Man Is.
*
"If there is any form of public service that requires
diplomacy it is that of selling pianos. The whole
process is one of suggestion. The man who is un-
happy and lacking in humanity is bound to be a
failure at this business. Some piano salesmen have
remarkable personality, but more than that is re-
quired. It takes humanness to appeal to the masses.
If we are strong enough to realize that cold-blooded
business isn't everything in selling musical instru-
ments, we'll sell more of them. I never saw anything
like it. And as for piano men—how good it is to be
one of them!"
Has Pendulum Swung too Far?
The talk of the speaker, who while not old is old
in piano experience, gave rise to thought. His city
is a metropolis whose industries are diversified—the
safest kind of a city. There is practically no unem-
ployment in it at the present time. So conditions
^here might be said to be a little safer for easy pay-
ment business than in the average American city.
The first thought is. "Has the piano business flown
to the other extreme?"
Just a few years ago there was an extreme of little
or nothing down and very long time and very little
per month to pay. A few years of this and then the
The Martin Music Co., 734 South Hill street, Los
Angeles, is going with spirit after piano sales and
enthusiasm is the rule in the fine new warerooms of
the company, of which John Martin is the energetic
head. The firm is using a very interesting means of
letting the public know of its sales successes. In the
show window is a large chart which reflects the activ-
ity within. Every time a sale is closed a red button
is added to the collection of red buttons recording
previous sales. Counting the red buttons in the win-
dow of the Martin Piano Company is a favorite game
on Hill street.
The company is making use of a sales promoter
which, while not original, is being used with unusual
spirit. The buyers of pianos are assured of a course
in music lessons by competent teachers. Sales to
the number of 150 due to this inducement were ac-
complished during December. The lessons are given
in the studio provided in the new building under the
direction of Mrs. Ruth Pitts, a former concert artist.
NEWARK MUSIC HOUSES
ON HISTORIC STREET
Background of Interesting Events Provided for Piano
Row on Broad Street.
Broad street, Newark, N. J., is well advertised as
a location for music merchants, according to a "Short
History and a Business Directory of the Street," is-
sued by the Broad Street Association of Merchants.
The 257 years of Broad street history, from the days
when it was an Indian trail to the present time when
it is considered among the busiest streets in the coun-
try are interestingly reviewed. The founders of the
city wisely anticipated the importance of the street
when they laid it out eight rods in width, a feature
that gave it its name.
The music houses on the street and represented in
the history and directory are: The Lauter Piano Co.,
the Aeolian Co., Landay Bros., Armstrong Piano Co.,
Goerke Co., Griffith Piano Co., the Chalmers Co. and
Hahne & Co.
WATCHING FLY-BY-NIGHTS.
Music dealers are interested in the passage of an
ordinance requiring transfer companies of Anderson,
Ind., to register with the city clerk all changes of ad-
dress of families within the city and removal of
families into or out of the city in which the moving
men are engaged, is urged of the city council by the
business interests of that city.
NEW MUSIC TRADE
BODY FOR NEW YORK
Organization of the Association of Musical
Instrument Dealers of New York Is Com-
pleted with Good Membership.
A well-attended meeting of the newly formed asso-
ciation of Musical Instrument Dealers of New York
was held in the offices of the Music Industries Cham-
ber of Commerce on Monday, January 28th. George
M. Bundy, temporary chairman of the association,
who has been very active in getting it under way,
presided at the meeting.
By-laws drawn up by a committee appointed for
that purpose were adopted and the following officers
were elected: President, George M. Bundy; vice-
president, Henry Gerson; treasurer, Fred Gretsch;
secretary, H. L. Hunt; executive secretary, Beach
Barrett.
The association discussed the Code of Ethics which
has been adopted by members of the National Asso-
ciation of Band Instrument Manufacturers, and ap-
proved the code, which will be submitted to the in-
dividual members of the association for ratification
before the next meeting.
Mr. Barrett, on behalf of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, offered the facilities of the
Chamber in the matter of conducting a credit and col-
lection service for the association, and it was resolved
to make use of this service. A resolution was adopted
endorsing the establishment of a center of art and
music in New York City.
The association consists of the following members,
practically all of whom were represented at the meet-
ing on January 28th: C. Bruno & Son, Landay Bros.
Charles H. Ditson & Co., Harry Newcorn & Son
Carl Fischer, Inc., New York Band Instrument Co.
August Gemunder & Sons, Perlberg & Halpin; Fred
Gretsch Mfg. Co., Ridgely Music House; M. J.
Kalashen Co., Oscar Schmidt, Inc.; King-Slater Com-
pany, H. & A. Selmer, Inc.; Rudolph Wurlitzer Com-
pany.
The next meeting of the association will be held on
Monday, February 18th, at which time it is expected
that the Membership Committee appointed by Presi-
dent Bundy will present applications for membership
from other New York concerns in the musical mer-
chandise distributing business.
VICKSBURG, MISS., DEALER
TO ADD STEINWAY TO LINE
Rice & Co. Says Decision of Firm Follows Many
Inquiries for the Instrument.
Harry E. Rice, Sr., senior member of the firm of
Rice & Co., Vicksburg, Miss., accompanied by Mrs.
Rice, left last week for Grand Rapids, Mich., New
York City, and other centers of furniture and piano
manufacture, according to the Vicksburg Post, which
adds:
"While away he will make arrangements to handle
the famous Steinway pianos. Mr. Rice states that
he has had so many inquiries about the Steinway
piano that he has arranged with the company to rep-
resent them and while in New York will complete
plans to have a number of fine instruments shipped
here for inspection and purchase by musicians in this
city and section."
LOUIS M. SEVERSON IN NEW YORK.
Louis M. Severson, president and chief owner of
the Operators Piano Co., 16 S. Peoria street, Chi-
cago, is visiting in the east. Mr. Severson is at pres-
ent in New York, but will return to Chicago the early
part of next week.
MUSIC SALESMAN DIES SUDDENLY.
Kem J. Bottorf, a music salesman employed by the
Rodeheaver Company, publishers, of 213 South Wa-
bash avenue, Chicago, died suddenly on Tuesday of
this week in his room at the Windsor-Clifton Hotel.
Apoplexy is believed to have been the cause. He was
50 vears old.
NEW INDIANAPOLIS STORE.
George E. Stewart has opened a music store at 610
Indiana avenue, Indianapolis, Ind., and will operate
the business under the name of the Indiana Avenue
Music Shop. Mr. Stewart is an experienced music
dealer.
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