Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
E.tabii,hed JSS4. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform B o o k -
lets, the Only Complete
Directories of the Music
Industries.
to Cent.,- ti.oo a Yea,
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1924
WHAT'S WRONG WITH
PLAYER ROLL TRADE?
Things Seem to Be Stirring in the Industry
That Keeps the Playerpiano Moving
Forward Rapidly.
Without player rolls there would be no use for
playerpianos. That is a statement beyond risk of
dispute. It is a rule that works both ways, of course,
for without players there would be no use for rolls.
But since there are players and rolls, it is of the ut-
most importance that people who own players buy
rolls, and that rolls be made the prime inducement
for people to buy players. Following is a letter which
is being sent to every dealer who has sold United
States music rolls. Mr. Friestedt, president of that
industry, is a keen writer, with ideas. What he says
must interest every dealer:
Chicago, April 12, 1924.
What's wrong with the player and roll trade? In-
ability to realize that players are bought to play rolls;
that player owners don't have to buy rolls; that silent
players neither use rolls nor advertise players; that
if dealers do not sell more rolls they not only will sell
less players but have more repossessions. It's a clear
case against rolls. It's the dealer's duty to create a
desire for and maintain interest in players.
What's wrong with player rolls? Extremes in
prices and quality. The only reason for cheap rolls
is high-priced ones. One is the antithesis of the
other.
What's our remedy? We expressed it on April 1st
by reducing U. S. Word Rolls from $1.00 to 75c,
without sacrificing their quality, and providing a
better product than sold for $1.25 two years before.
U. S. Word Rolls now combine all of the desirable
elements of the other extremes. They simplify player
roll merchandising.
Why didn't we bring out a line of cheap rolls in-
stead of reducing U. S. Word Rolls to 75c. For the
following honest reasons: Pledge made in June, 1922,
when $1.25 U. S. Word Rolls were reduced to $1.00,
to lower price still more and improve their quality,
when volume justified it. Our conscience prevented
us from offering two extremes at widely different
wholesale prices, knowing that it costs but a few
cents more to provide the highest grade with a
volume production. Cheap rolls are not profitable
for dealers on account of cut price competition;
neither have they the respect of the trade nor the
player owner. Embarking in the manufacturing of
cheap rolls would only intensify competition m this
class and not give constructive help to the player
industry.
Consider the economic and constructive effect upon
the player and roll industry of selling two U. S.
Word Rolls for $1.50 as against one roll at $1.25.
U. S. Rolls provide dealer protection and promote the
best interests of the player trade. Don't allow your
desire for the maximum profit per roll to sacrifice the
player industry. Remember, "If you would receive,
you r must give."
W e've ripped the roof off the roll industry, so you
may peek inside and be disillusioned. Give us the
patronage that a constructive policy merits and you'll
learn that it pays to sell U. S. rolls.
ARTHUR A. FRIESTEDT,
*
President.
PACKARD IN KANSAS
HOLDS HOLIDAY
Third Annual Meeting of Dealers in the Sun-
flower State Discuss Trade and Recite
Progress of the Instruments from
Fort Wayne, Ind.
ALEXIS MAHAN'S ADDRESS
Fine Illustration of Enthusiasm at Salina Proves the
Advantages of the Plan of State Dealers' Gather-
ings as Promoted by A. S. Bond.
The third annual meeting of Packard dealers in
Kansas was held at Salina late last month. The event
was of special interest, not only to all who attended,
but in a large sense to the trade in general. It is a
very unique and useful custom of the Packard Piano
NEW HOUSTON STORE.
Carl Moritz and Isabel Harding have opened an
exclusive sheet music shop at 922 Texas avenue (op-
posite Rice Hotel), Houston, Texas. The new shop
will be known as the Harmony Shop. Both Mr.
Moritz and Miss Harding are well known in Hous-
ton, having been connected with the sheet music de-
partment of the W. C. Munn Company for a number
of months.
NEW BALTIMORE MANAGER.
James R. Hodge has taken charge of the sales force
of the J. H. Williams Co. store on North Charles
street, Baltimore, Md., where he succeeded Leon C.
Steele. Mr. Hodge was formerly with the old Knabe
Warerooms, Inc.
TRADE PAPER TALKS
6—QUANTITY AND QUALITY CIRCU-
LATION COMPARED.
A trade paper may circulate five thousand
copies among members of the trade who have
no intimate interest in the subjects discussed
by the publication. That circulation is wasted.
It is probably as "free" as it is useless.
Another trade paper may circulate fewer
copies among an eager, ambitious class of mer-
chants and salesmen, and bring larger results
to both its advertisers and the paper itself. It's
a case of quality vs. quantity circulation. Ten
copies of a paper cast aside because without
value, or the respect of the men to whom it is
sent uncalled, are not nearly so good to an ad-
vertiser as one copy of a trade paper that is
paid for and read from cover to cover, because
what it has to say—and what the advertisers
have to say—is just what the reader wants and
is glad to buy and pay for.
"Circulation" is a word that is spelled the
same wherever you find it. But it doesn't al-
ways mean the same thing. The circulation of
the "Saturday Evening Post" makes millions
for its publishers. The same circulation would
bankrupt all of the trade papers at once be-
fore they had gone to press. A circulation
that appeals to the general public is of little
value to the average advertiser in a piano trade
paper. He wants to get the attention of the
men who sell pianos to the people. He is not
much concerned in the retailing of a single
piano now and then. His only use for a great
circulation would be that it might draw the
retail buyers to the stores of his representa-
tives. To do that effectively and thoroughly
would demand a larger investment in printer's
ink than is represented in the total assets of
the average piano factory.
Does that seem strange? Can it, as a state-
ment of fact, be offensive? We do not think
so. It may serve as a warning, for no broad-
cast investment of a piano maker of less than
$500,000 can do as much in actual piano selling
as one-fifth the same sum invested in forceful
intelligent trade paper campaigns. Many of
the piano manufacturers know this as the re-
sult of experience. They have found that in-
vestments of from $25,000 to three times that
amount in general or "broadcast" advertising
have produced too small an interest return to
justify its continuation. And yet no one will
question that all advertising is good—but some
is better.
The trade paper must possess the confidence
of the advertisers and the respectful interests
of the dealers—and the small dealers, at that.
To illustrate:
A few weeks ago a large piano industry ar-
ranged with Presto to mail 6,000 copies of the
paper—in addition to its regular list—for a
period of six weeks. No doubt similar special
ALEXIS MAI1AN.
Co. to hold these get-together meetings, where the
dealers in a state and the manufacturers' representa-
tives have the opportunity to become acquainted and
to receive the stimulation of an exchange of ideas and
plans of sale.
A. A. Buenning, general representative of the Pack-
ard Piano Co., who travels throughout the Centra.'
West, was in charge of the Salina meeting. His ac-
(Continued on page 7.)
orders are received by other trade papers. Of
that we are not informed. It is told only to
present proof—easily verified—of Presto's cir-
culation and influence.
We are not deeply concerned in what other
trade papers are doing. We are interested in
what the advertisers are doing. And while
this is the last chapter upon the subject at
this time, we ntfay return to it, should occasion
seem to demand. .
No trade paper in the line of music has a
larger or a better reading than Presto, the
American Music Trade Weekly, and we stand
ready to prove it to any and all who have the
right to know.
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