Presto

'September 6, 1924.
PRESTO
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells 9 t
SALES TALKS FOR RE-
PRODUCING PIANOS
Getting the Ear of Parents of Promising
Daughters Taking Lessons on the Old
Family Piano Sometimes Hard, But
Often Productive of Good Effects.
FAMOUS ONES TEACH
Artistic Interpretation of Great Pianists, a Feature
of Reproducing Piano Rolls, Strangely Un-
familiar to Many.
PIANO
DEALERS
who are posted in their business know that
The Famous
Studio Grand
(only 5 ft. long)
has won its fame by its unique chal-
lenge of all larger Grands in tone vol-
ume, richness of quality and beauty
of case outline.
No Other Small Grand
has attained to equal distinction or
won better demand by dealers who
value permanency above temporary
profit.
The
CHRISTMAN
Reproducing Grand
has attained to a place preeminent be-
cause of its absolute dependability,
precise reproduction of the playing of
the world's artists and beauty of con-
struction.
If you have sold this instrument you
prefer to sell it to all others. And you
know, too, that
No ambitious Piano Merchant can
be sure that he has the best, most
profitable and satisfactory Line until
he has examined the Christman and
compared it with whatever competitor
may be winning local trade.
((
The First Touch Tells"
Reg. U S. P»t. Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
There are a great many piano salesmen-on-the-out-
side who will not take "no" for an answer. On the
other hand there are lots of the doorbell ringers
who are easily bluffed at the negative answers to
stereotyped questions. When the salesman politely
lifts his hat and says: "Pardon me; I'm from the
New Day Music Company and wish to tell you about
our wonderful reproducing piano," there is an in-
variable answer:
"I don't believe I'd care to hear about your player-
piano. You see our daughters are taking piano les-
sons and our piano serves our purposes," or words
to that effect. Sometimes the ladies with daughters
taking piano lessons are amiable and polite, but very
often they are curt and their air of finality very dis-
couraging to the timid doorbell ringer.
Won't Be Bluffed.
But the salesman who does not take "No" for an
answer and is unwilling to let the lady's first words
be the last, finds his most appropriate cue in the
statement of the hopeful lady with the daughters
getting along so fine with their music lessons with
the old family piano as the vehicle of instruction, or
at least of practice.
"But, madarae, the girls learning how to play the
piano are the very ones who most need the reproduc-
ing piano. Indeed, if your daughters or sons are
taking vocal lessons or violin lessons the reproducing
piano will be found most helpful," is the comeback
that reopens the incident peremptorily closed by the
positive ladies or mildly closed by the polite ones.
The Instrument's Claims.
"There is something more than the element of en-
joyment in the reproducing piano," the wily salesman
proceeds. "In itself the reproducing, piano is a
teacher."
"Yes, but we don't want our children to learn to
p!ay like, machines," the loving mother may reply.
"Certainly not," the salesman agrees, "and that's
why I want to tell you about the peculiar merits of
the reproducing piano arrd why its help develops the
talent of the music student and for the piano pupil
provides the best examples of playing."
Mother Interested.
In nine cases out of ten the salesman is permitted
to recite the claims of the reproducing piano after
this preamble, and where he does not actually make
a sale he renders the mother of the piano pupils less
obdurate; in fact, places her in the list of possibilities
in his prospect book.
It is surprising how many people are unaware of
the nature of the reproducing piano and of the quali-
ties that distinguishes it from the ordinary player
about which they may be familiar. And before the
salesman can make any impression on the doorbell
prospect he must first inform her of the functions of
the reproducing instrument. To the mother of the
daughters laboriously learning to play on the old
family piano he adds something to the story of the
reproducing piano's amazing merits for reproducing
the actual keyboard artistry of the greatest pianists,
who, of course, are the best teachers for the pupil
with ambition.
Salesman's Opportunity.
When the salesman gets the ear of the loving
mother who believes in the musical genius of her
children, he enlarges on his subject and makes clear
that the prime object of all piano performers is the
interpretation of the composer's thought and motive.
Perhaps love of her children makes clear to her the
mediocrity of their piano playing. The loving and
sensible parent is never blind. What do the children
interpret when they practice? Nothing, she admits.
The children's teacher may be clever, but interpret-
ing the piece like teacher is seemingly difficult. Per-
haps teacher is not much of an interpreter herself,
is the doubting thought.
Parents with daughters taking piano lessons can
easily realize how widely the ideas of teacher and
pupil differ on the interpretation of a composer's
thought. One daughter may be more adept with her
fingers than the other, but her style may be less ad-
mirable than the more stiff-fingered lass.
The Salesman Suggests.
"Why not make the interpretations standard?" the
salesman suggests. "There is no guess work about
the interpretations available with the reproducing
piano. One great problem that confronts your
daughters and most other piano pupils is what not to
do. They may learn to play in the shortest possible
time, but learn to play wrong. The piano pounder
is inexcusable in this day of the reproducing piano
as a guide to proper style. Great artists in reproduc-
ing piano rolls teach the restraint and clarity of style
that characterizes the work of the true artist. Why
l;e satisfied to have your daughters merely learn to
use their hands on the keyboard? Why not, just as
easy, learn to use their fingers right by hearing great
artists play and hearing them as frequently as they
desire?"
The hypothetical instance is to show the line of
argument that should impress piano owners with the
greater advantages of the reproducing piano. A
point of great importance the salesman should make
is that the piano student really needs the reproduc-
ing piano as a supplementary aid to the teacher. The
intelligent parent readily sees the great help of the
reproducing piano in a musical education. The
parents should be dissuaded from the thought that
the reproducing piano is only for people who do not
play.
SOLO=CONCERTO LEADER
FOR NEW ILLINOIS FIRM
Gunter & Morris, Eldorado, See Big Sales Possi-
bilities for H. C. Bay Co.'s Player.
The H. C. Bay Solo-Concerto, made by the H. C.
Bay Co., Chicago, with factories at Bluffton, Ind.,
will be featured by Gunter & Morris, a new com-
pany recently organized in Eldorado, 111. The com-
pany occupies the I. O. O. F. hall as a temporary
quarters, but will occupy the Purcell Building later.
The two men composing the new firm are Ray
Cunter, who has been associated with Lloyd L.
Parker in the music business for the past thirteen
years, and Lee Morris, who has had seven years' ex-
perience in this particular line, and comes to El-
dorado from the W. W. Kimball Co.'s factory at
Chicago.
The company will handle a full line of pianos, play-
ers and reproducing pianos, but will make special
efforts for the sale of the Solo-Concerto player,
which has attained a strong place in the estimation
of buyers in that section of the country. Mr. Gun-
ter points with satisfaction to the simplicity and
ease of operation of the Solo-Concerto and will
frame the advertising arguments of the company
along this line while impressing prospective buyers
with the admirable tone of the instrument.
PERLMAN PIANOS INCORPORATES.
A recent New York incorporation is that of "Perl-
man Pianos," Manhatton; $100,000. The incorpora-
tors are N. F. Haas, E. Y. Perlman, M. Friedberg.
Attorney, H. G. Cook, 38 Park row. The Perlman
warerooms, at 360 Grand avenue, New York. The
building also has sufficient room for the making of
pianos and Mr. Perlman, Sr., said to a Presto repre-
sentative that his house has been manufacturing in-
struments for a great many years. He said that he
would produce only good pianos and that he hoped
to see his old industry grow much faster in the
future than it had in the past.
U. S. MUSIC CO. IN NEW YORK.
Donald C. Fendler and L. J. McAllister, of the
sales staff of the U. S. Music Co., New York City,
and S. L. Lucas, press manager, recently returned
from a vacation spent in Canada. The New York
branch was recently houseclcaned and is now pre-
pared for fall business. Various alterations were
made in the company's quarters and the stock was
rearranged with a view to increasing efficiency. Busi-
ness is reported unusually good for this season of
the year and there is every prospect for a roll de-
mand this fall greater than the manufacturers have
experienced for several years.
CANADIAN DEALER DIES.
Thomas C. Mason, aged eighty-nine, of Mason &
Risch, Ltd., Toronto, Ont., died recently. Mr.
Mason, who was born in Devonshire, England, passed
away at his home in Morton Park on Lake Simcoe.
He entered into partnership with V. M. Risch in 1871
and the firm was incorporated as Mason & Risch,
Ltd., piano manufacturers, in 1900.
John F. Law, piano dealer of New Haven, Conn.,
has moved from 208 Meadow street to 113 Crown
street. Increased business necessitated the change.
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