Presto

PRESTO
name a figure that will allow a profit on re-selling
the instrument and will stand by it.
Continues Interest in Pianos.
The tuners have most to do with the pianos after
they are sold and when too often the salesmen who
sold them consider the incidents closed. And often
too, the most important advice about the treatment
Technical Knowledge of the Instruments and of the instruments is given and repeated by the con-
Keen Judgment of Human Nature Ac-
siderate tuner. That interest in the sold piano con-
tinues with the tuner when sales take up all or the
quired in Tuning Experiences Make
best part of his working time. One highly successful
for Efficiency.
salesman who was graduated from the tuner profes-
sion has the habit of visiting houses where he has sold
pianos whenever he finds himself in the neighborhood.
He not only fosters the acquaintance of the custom-
ers but keeps up his knowledge of the conditions of
the pianos as well. And many of these enjoyable calls
Salesman With Tuner's Ability Makes Fairest Esti- on old customers, buyers of pianos, lead to new sales
of playerpianos or reproducing pianos.
mate of the Worth of Taken-in-Trade
Closes With a Story.
Instruments.
This man enjoys his business all the more because
he constantly sees the humorous side of it. A story
Many successful piano dealers among those who he told to a group at the trade convention last year
have built up a business from a very small begin- in the Drake Hotel, Chicago, may make a pleasant
ning to a safe and sound commercial position began ending to this article.
their career as tuners. Many of the country's most
He had sold a piano to a customer near Delavan,
successful piano salesmen first followed the tuner's Wis. The buyer was a lady of German extraction
profession. Many among the latter frankly state and and was famed for the scrupulous cleanliness of her
hrmly believe that the knowledge of the instrument house and her vigorous use of mop, soap and scrub-
gained in their tuner activities contributed to their bing brush. Monday was always a day of sudsy ac-
success in selling the instruments. But other varie- tivity in her house.
ties of knowledge acquired as tuners may have been
The woman's husband paid for the piano. In the
just as valuable a preparation for the selling role as matter of choosing it, though, or anything else in
the ability to tune the instruments and perhaps do the domestic menage, he admitted he was a cipher
certain repairing where needed.
minus the rim. On soapy Monday it was his pleas-
A study of the human side of the piano prospect ure to completely remove himself. He was naturally
is continuous with the piano salesman who has been neat in his habits but the peace-upsetting rule of the
graduated from the department of tuning. The tuner scrubbing event palled on him.
gets a more intimate view of the families of the piano
The tuner-salesman went along to see the piano in-
owners than the salesman does. And the human side stalled and give it a few final touches.
of the piano prospect is important because it is so "Now you want to be careful about the way you
wound up with the business side.
dust and clean this piano," he said, aware of the
suds-splashing fame of the lady. "And remember
The Opportunities Vary.
you are to put no wet cloths, sponges or scrubbing
The doorbell-ringing salesman has limited oppor- brushes on it. Don't attempt to rub it down with
tunities for getting acquainted with the conditions in water."
the homes, the family life of the people to whom he
"You hear that, mother?" spoke up the delighted
is endeavoring to sell pianos. When he is invited to husband. "You gotta haf that biano dry-gleaned."
enter he usually encounters the family or portion of
MARVIN J. LAKE.
it primly seated in the parlor. It is different with
the tuner when he makes a business call. He comes
to stay for an hour or maybe more and even on
his first visit the family acts natural. There are
usually no restraints and the observant tuner has an
opportunity of studying the human nature of the
piano owner, the mental quirks which influence the Something It Will Pay Any Active Young Music Man
attitude of piano prospects.
to Look into Promptly.
Value of Technical Knowledge.
It isn't often that Such an opportunity presents it-
But apart from the knowledge of human nature self as the one now to be alluded to. It concerns an
acquired by the tuner during the period of his activi- old and highly reputable retail piano and general
ties in his profession, which involved the ability to music house which may be purchased for a remark-
correctly estimate the social status, domestic habits, ably small sum, and on easy terms. Some ambitious
musical desires and financial standing of people vis- young man who understands something about the
ited, he is equipped in another way for good work business may find here just what he wants.
when he essays the role of salesman. In the matter
The sale is made necessary by the death of one of
of allowances for exchanges the salesman or dealer the partners and the illness of the survivor. The
who has had tuning experiences makes his estimates city is one of the most beautiful in Illinois—not a
of value of the taken-in-trade pianos from the facts.
"town" but a good-sized city. The store is a very
The salesman who has had no tuning and repair- old one and thoroughly established. The opportunity
ing experiences often listens too hard to the used is unique in its unusual advantages to a man of
piano owner's opinions. Families that own a piano, energy, but small capital. Advices will be supplied
which for some reason or other they like, will usually by Presto to prospective purchasers who are in
value it out of all proportion to business reason. The earnest.
tuner-salesman takes a cold technical slant at the
piano. The tinny-toned voice, dilapidation of the in-
NEWSPAPER FEATURES DEALER.
nards, scorbutic condition of the veneer cuticle are
In
a recent special issue of the Austin, Tex., Ameri-
observations that prompt the deciding of values with-
can the J. H. Reed Music Co., was among the old
out sentiment.
firms featured. The company has been a consistent
All Cold Business.
advertiser of the American since 1900 when it was es-
The families with a sentimental regard for their tablished by J. R. Reed, who bought out the inter-
pianos usually do not understand the considerations ests of the Bush & Gerts Piano Co. in the store in
entering into the handling of pianos second-hand or the old Smith Building on Sixth street. In 1914 the
first-hand. Or if an owner does somewhat under- company moved to its present spacious quarters
stand, his natural bargaining instinct prompts him to where a fine line of Mason & Hamlin, Hardman,
do the best he can for himself and to take advantage Bush & Gerts and Brinkerhoff pianos is carried.
of any eagerness for the closed deal on the part of
the salesman. The tuner-salesman may be as eager
G. F. JOHNSON, OF PORTLAND.
as any one else to close the deal but his ability to
G.
F. Johnson, of the piano house in Portland,
approximate the cost of necessary reconditioning on
the trade-in and his judgment of used piano values Oregon, which bears his name, has been in Chicago
will make him firm in sticking to the just figure he this week. Mr. Johnson has been located in Port-
land for about twelve years, having been the Sher-
puts upon the instrument.
man, Clay & Co. manager there before establishing
The trade may establish a table of used piano values his own company. He is popular and a good busi-
but the shrewd dealer or salesman will take his own ness man. He sells a fine line of instruments and has
judgment as the law in every case. And the shrewd- built up a substantial house.
est in making the trade-in estimate safe for the dealer
is the man who has tuned and repaired pianos at some
NEW OHIO BRANCH.
time in his career. The salesman who values a pros-
pect's piano at so much and then raises his estimate
F. B. Bernhard is proprietor of the Bernhard
after listening to arguments based on anything from Music Co., recently established at 29 Center street,
pure shrewdness to pure sentiment, is possibly losing Ashtabula, Ohio. The same line of pianos and player-
money for his firm. The man with the technical pianos handled in the Geneva store of the company
knowledge gained in the tuning and repair field will will be presented in the new Ashtabula store.
TUNER'S VALUE AS
PIANO SALESMAN
GOOD JUDGE OF TRADEINS
March 15, 1924.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF
MRS. FORBES AND FAMILY
Open Door Holds Up Overturned Car and Occu-
pants Are Uninjured.
Mrs. E. E. Forbes, wife of E. E. Forbes, president
of the E. E. Forbes Piano Co., Birmingham, Ala.,
together with members of the family, had a narro*w
escape last week when the automobile in which they
were riding skidded and turned over on the pike road
about a mile and one-half from Oxford, Ala., near
Anniston. They were en route to attend the funeral
of Mr. Forbes' mother and he was already in
Anniston.
In the car were Mrs. Forbes and her sister, Miss
Annie Mallory, and the Forbes children, Mallory,
Kenneth, Herman and Jenetta. No one was injured
and even the car was not damaged. When the car
skidded one of the children threw open the door, and
as it struck the ground it was held up by this open
door. They considered it strange that they had gone
safely over all the bad roads on the journey and the
accident did not occur until they struck the fine
pike.
The M. Schulz Company, 711 Milwaukee avenue,
Chicago, gave hearty greeting on Monday of this
week to Otto M. Heinzman, its eastern representa-
tive, who called at the headquarters in Chicago.
WESER
Pianos and Players
Sell readily—Stay sold
Great profit possibilities
Style E (shown below) our latest 4'6"
LOOKS LIKE OPPORTUNITY
FOR SOME LIVE RETAILER
Order a sample to-day.
Liberal advertising and
cooperative arrangements
Write for catalogue
and price list
Weser Bros., Inc.
Manufacturer*
520 to 528 West 43rd St.
New York
The Lyon & Healy
Reproducing Piano
A moderate priced reproducing piano,
beautiful in design and rich in tone.
Write for our new explanatory Chart,
the most complete and simple treat-
ment of the reproducing action.
Wabash at Jackson - - - Chicago
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