Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1924 2000

PRESTO
METHODS OF ONE
AUSTRALIAN FIRM
F. A. Wilks, of Big Sydney Music House Bear-
ing His Name, Gives Details of System
to Which He Attributes a Consider-
able Share of His Success.
STAND ON TUNING
?'Keep Pianos in Tune" Is Advice Impressed on Cus-
'
tomers and Service Department Sends
> .
Reminders.
Mr. Wilks talked about business and about the
Gulbransen Registering piano particularly, which his
house features and has featured for years. He is a
student of the Gulbransen and plays it artistically
and in a way that makes an impressive demonstra-
tion. Few sales of Gulbransens are ever lost by the
Wilks organization—the product and the method of
presentation lead to desire for ownership that nothing
else can take the place of.
"We sell instruments with the understanding that
they are to be tuned every six months," said Mr.
Wilks. "We explain that there are two changes in
weather during the year. In the summer time the
strings expand. In winter they contract. They need
tuning to take the 'stretch' out. We explain that a
piano gets out of tune so gradually that it is not
easily noticed, but that the piano needs tuning every
six months as a matter of course. We notify them
that our tuner will be there at a certain time, and,
if not convenient to have him then, to let us know.
If we don't hear from them, we do the tuning.
The Tuner's Part.
E. F. Wilks, head of the business of E. F. Wilks
"When we sell an instrument, the tuner goes out
& Co., Ltd., of Sydney, Australia, recognized as one
of the leading operators in the music business in the the day after it is delivered, tunes it and sees that
Commonwealth, recently concluded an interesting everything is O.K. and shows the owners the A,
visit .in this country. Mr. Wilks left San Francjsco B, C of operation. After that the salesman goes
on November 5th, on the steamship "Tahiti," for out with the instruction rolls. We consider the serv-
Wellington, N. Z., and then to Australia. He has icing of instruments one of the most important ends
of the business, because it keeps customers happy and
been away from home since July 30.
Although his journey
"one way covered eleven
thousand miles and in-
cluded many points of in-
terest in the Fiji Islands,
Hawaiian Islands, etc., Mr,
Wilks got his biggest
thrill right on this conti-
nent of ours. That was in
the Yoho Valley, Van-
couver, where Mr. Wilks
and his friends got horses,
rode 8,000 feet up a moun-
tain and rode in a snow-
storm for four hours. As
none of the party had ever
seen snow, it was a real
thrill for them.
"Arriving at Vancouver,
we made a two and one-
half days' sightseeing trip
in the Gray line motor
cars. We went to Sica-
mous, to Glacier and
Emerald Lake, which for
sheer beauty is one of the
prettiest places in the
Rocky
Mountains. We
E. F. W1L.KS (ON RIGHT), MRS. VYDEN AND REX VYDEN.
spent three days there,
living in log cabins. From Emerald Lake we makes them treat their pianos as something to be
went to the Yoho Valley, got a guide and started proud of instead of something that is used occasion-
on a twenty-mile ride on horseback. One of our ally."
party had not ridden for twenty years and one not
A one-price system is absolute in his business, Mr.
at all, but we did go up 8,000 feet. It was here that Wilks said. "When people ask for a price reduction
we had the thrill of riding in a snowstorm for four I simply appeal to their better natures. I tell them
hours," said Mr. Wilks in an interview while in it would be unfair to all our other customers. 'If
Chicago.
we would be dishonest to our other customers,
The picture shows Mr. Wilks (on the right) at the wouldn't we be dishonest to you in some other way?'
bottom of the Grand Canyon, near the Colorado I ask them. We make them feel sorry that they
River. His companions are Mrs. Vyden, and her son. asked for a price reduction.
Rex, both of whom accompanied Mr. Wilks on his
The Personal Touch.
interesting journey.
"We show people that with the Gulbransen it is
possible to play a piano in exactly the same manner
as one would when playing by hand, that instead of
playing the pfano with the Registering Action, one
plays it through the Registering Action. It is you
playing. We always insist that every customer play
the* Gulbransen himself. This is the strongest point
we can make. We give big recitals, to which our
customers and the general public are invited. It cre-
ates, in our customers, a desire to play well. We feel
that if we look out for our customers, they will look
out for us.
"We also have a little plan of selling music rolls.
We send out twelve rolls for five days providing
four of them are kept. This has worked out very
GRAND-PIANO
well and keeps owners interested."
58 Inches Long
The best exponent of the present Baby Grand A«e
Its tone — ijs lines — its restricted space requirement and
Attractive price—
MAKE IT THE PREMIER AGENCY
»iet full details of this valuable telling franchise NOW
Premier Grand PianoCorporation
Largest Institution in the World Building Grand
Pianos Exclusively
WAITER C. HEPPERLA
PrsiilMl
JDSTDS liATTKMER
Viea.PrMHltnt
510-532 West /3rd Street
NEW YORK
STANDARD ACTION DEMAND.
Mr. McHugh, of the Standard Action Company, of
Cambridge, Mass., is making an extensive trip, call-
ing on the piano manufacturers of the company, and
writes that he is encountering more activity among
piano makers than has been apparent for many
months. Mr. McHugh is lining up some good busi-
ness, and things look extremely bright for the com-
ing season.
November 22, 1924.
UNUSUALLY EFFECTIVE
Q R S MUSIC ROLL ADVS.
Artistic Publicity by Which Sales of Player-
pianos Must Be Stimulated to Profit
of Retailers.
On the front cover of this week's Presto is repro-
duced in two colors only a beautiful Q R S Xmas
ad that is a part of the fall publicity campaign of the
Q R S Music Company.
The new Q R S Unit Box is featured in the ad and
the company says in a letter to the trade:
"During November and December the Q R S
Music Company includes in its campaign the follow-
ing national magazines: Saturday Evening Post,
Review of Reviews, Asia—Magazine, Atlantic
Monthly, Literary Digest, American Magazine,
Harper's Magazine, Scribner's Magazine, World's
Work."
It is astonishing in the music trade to see such an
overwhelming array of advertising as is done by the
Q R S company. What a wonderful influence it
would have if every manufacturer would do an equal
amount of national advertising. Every branch of
the music industry would reap the benefit and player-
piano selling wojld be so much easier.
It is often remarked in the trade that Q R S ad-
vertising is touching the top notch in its artistic dis-
play. The cover page of this week's Presto is a
handsome one, but it does not do justice to the work
as done in the magazines because, as shown by this
paper, there are only two colors used, whereas four
colors are employed in the magazine advertising.
Dealers will find it will pay them to see the same
advertisement in any of the magazines the names of
which appear above. And if there are any dealers
who are not yet familiar with the advantages of the
Unit Box, they should acquaint themselves at once
with one of the neatest and most serviceable con-
veniences associated with the player trade.
O. E. Kellogg, formerly with Cluett & Sons, of
Albany, N. Y., has been appointed manager of the
Chas. M. Stiefr, Inc., branch store at Lynchburg, Va.
ondtiring*
^Hardman
The 3htardman Jzine
is a complete line
It comprises a range of artisti-
cally w o r t h y instruments to
please practically every purse:
The Hardman, official piano of
the Metropolitan Opera House;
the Harrington and the Hensel
Pianos in which is found that in-
builtdurabilitythatcharacterizes
all Hardman-made instruments;
the wonderful Hardman Repro-
ducing Piano; the Hardman
Autotone (the perfect player-
piano); and the popular Playo-
tone.
^Jiardmanjpeck &Co.
C. H. Byrn & Son's hardware store at Murfrees-
boro, Tenn., has opened a piano department, handling
the lines of the Waltham Piano Co., Milwaukee.
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/
November 22, 1924.
PRESTO
FIFTY CHRISTMASES
AND STARR PIANO
Effective Special Yuletide Appeal of the Indus-
try at Richmond, Ind., Which Must
Interest the Dealers.
every dealer
knew what
successful
SEEBURG
dealers know
about conduct-
ing and oper-
ating auto-
matic piano
businesses,
every dealer
would be en-
gaged in the
business!
J. P. SEEBURG
PIANO CO.
The Starr Piano Co., of Richmond, Ind., has pre-
pared an especially attractive piece of holiday litera-
ture for the use of its dealers and representatives.
It is "A Half Century of Yule Tides," and the sheet
is beautifully printed in colors. One side presents
the Christmas wreath of holly, with three Starr styles
intertwined. The reverse side carries the message,
which is as follows:
"At Christmas time the good cheer of the season is
spiced with the fine flavor of good music. It has
ever been so. For at the happy Yuletide you sense
the generous glow of friendliness and good fellow-
ship that has warmed hearts since the shepherds saw
the glory of the Star in the East and heard the mes-
sage of angels, 'On earth, peace and good will toward
men.' Let a Starr-made piano in your home on
Christmas bring the true spirit and joy of the tide on
the happiest of all days of the year!
"For over half a century hearts have resounded to
the melody of Starr-made pianos. How it has filled
to overflowing the cup of Christmas cheer when 'they'
delightedly beheld a beautiful Starr beside the
sparkling evergreen!
"Could any gift bring such happiness and never-
ending pleasure? When you realize that a piano
should be selected as a permanent possession—a
lifetime companion—and a source of utmost pleasure
for many years to come the importance of choosing
well must not be underestimated.
"For five decades have Starr-made pianos stood
pre-eminently as the peer of fine musical instruments
—unassailed as leaders in tone quality, responsive-
ness of touch, beauty of contour and superb finish.
Today their musical qualities stand forth more fully
appreciated than ever before!
"Let this Christmas bring the suf>erb gift of gifts—
a Starr to your home and make this the greatest of
all Christmas tides.
"Starr-made pianos are made in a wide variety of
styles and finishes in grands, players and uprights
from the magnificent 'imposing concert grand to the
diminutive, soul-inspiring, rich-toned minum upright.
"We welcome you for an inspection—reserve the
instrument you wish and prepare for music happiness
the many years to come."
INNOVATION PLEASES
BOSTON PIANO WORKERS
Henry F. Miller Stores and Continental Piano Co.
Introduce Tea Wagon in Afternoon.
Afternoon tea is now served at three o'clock every
afternoon at the Henry F. Miller Store and the Con-
tinental Piano Co. and Henry F. Miller Stores Co.
offices in Boston.
Served in true Back Bay style, with dainty cakes
and cookies, the afternoon tea is greatly appreciated
by the half hundred office workers and sales ladies
who all stop work for a few minutes each afternoon
when the tea wagon is brought in.
This innovation, which so plainly typifies the gen-
eral feeling of harmony which pervades throughout
the entire Continental organization serves a very use-
ful purpose, for it prevents mid-afternoon fatigue and
makes the day's work just a little bit pleasanter for
the workers in the great offices of the Henry F. Mil-
ler and Continental organization.
SOME OF THE LATE CHANGES
IN RETAIL PIANO TRADE
Changes, Renewals and New Enterprises in Different
Parts of the Country.
week held the formal opening of its new building at
1506-1510 Fillmore street.
F. A. Granger, Jacksonville, Fla., who has been a
piano tuner in this section for many years, has opened
a new piano and organ repair shop at 203 Broad
street. Mr. Granger has equipped his shop with all
facilities.
The Wilkinson Music House, Des Moines, Iowa,
has leased larger quarters in the K. P. Block and will
move from its present location next week. This
business was started by Mr. Wilkinson nine years
ago.
-
v
A new music store has been:opened.irt Manitoba 1 !:,
Wis., by R. G. Hessell in quarters on North Eighth
street.
i A new branch in^the Mission district ai.-Sari Rran-
cisco has been opened by Sherman, Clay & Co. It
is nfthe'lt^art of*the district, being on M*issipfi street,
situated- ..between Twenty-first and .
T
^
streets.
ENTHUSIASTIC PRAISE"
^ I
i r w , . ; ^ '^\;: FOR RADLE PIANOS
Judgments of an Expert Dealer Who Is Also an
Accomplished Musician:
i '
F. Radle, Inc., New York, receive a great many
letters like the following. But in this case the writer,
Mr. Smith, is a piano man, a musician and a very
conservative dealer, and he feels that the man Who
sells Radle pianos is making friends for himself and
is building up a sure and safe business:
"Augusta, Me.j November 10, 1924.
"F. Radle, Inc.,
'•', \
"609-11 West 36th St., .
.:.. «-. v- .;•« .••..,-••
"New York City.
• ' *-" '. t.D • '
"Gentlemen: I am very grateful for the oppor-
tunity to tell you how pleased I am with the Radle
piano.
"My business as piano tuner, technician and player
man gives me an opportunity to work on around one
hundred different makes of instruments each year.
For a number of years previous to my taking the
Radle piano to sell, I had occasion to work on Radle
instruments which had been in use from ten to twenty
years, and the condition in which I found these in-
struments, the way they held their tone and tune, so
influenced me that I wrote you and as a result am
now a pleased and satisfied Radle dealer.
"I do not have to worry about competing with any
other piano with the Radle on my floor. I have
never sold a Radle piano which gave me trouble.
One particularly important matter to me, as a small
dealer, is the fact that every Radle piano I order of
the same style is exactly alike and I can ship a
Radle to a customer knowing just what the veneer
and finish will be.
"Wishing you continued success, and thanking you
for the many courtesies, I am,
"Sincerely yours,
"FOREST G. SMITH."
A PROGRESSIVE INDUSTRY.
A recent evidence of progressiveness in the J. P.
Seeburg Piano Co., Chicago, was the recent installa-
tion of an oil burning plant for dry kilning, which is
another successful aid to up-to-date manufacturing.
The Seeburg factory is a model one for the manufac-
ture of automatic pianos and orchestrions, and in it
are made the famous Seeburg line of automatic pianos
and orchestrions and the Marshall line of player
pianos.
SCHILLER FOR BROADCASTING.
The Schiller Super-Grand, manufactured by the
Schiller Piano Company, Oregon, 111., is used exclu-
sively at the WCAY radio broadcasting station at
Milwaukee, Wis. The director of the station an-
nounces before the rendition of each performance
that the piano is a Schiller Super-Grand, furnished by
the Thiery Piano Company, of Milwaukee.
UNIVERSITY BUYS CABLE PIANOS.
The Taylor Music Company of Columbia, Mo.,
recently sold to the University of Missouri, located in
that city, twenty-two Cable-made instruments. The
purchase of these twenty-two instruments was made
after a careful and painstaking survey of the qualifi-
cations of many instruments by Dean Quarles and
the Purchasing Committee of the university.
The stock and fixtures of the Claypool-Miller
Music Co., 611-615 Main street, Lafayette, Ind., re-
cently sold in a receiver's sale to Dr. George W.
Schwitzer, of St. Joseph, Mich., will be disposed of
to a firm which will continue to operate the music
"Leaders in the
store.
WISCONSIN DEALER EXPANDS.
Mrs. J. P. Smart, Hartford, Wis., recently opened
Automatic Line "
Joseph Cardinal, representative of the W. W. Kim-
the Smart Music Shoppe on the second floor of the
Heppe Cash Store, and handles a full line of phono- ball Co., Chicago, in Kenosha, Wis., has taken over
.the entire building adjoining his store and will, handle
graphs, records and radio.
a greater volume of all the musical goods manufac-
A
new
music
store
has
been
opened
in
Oklahoma
General Offices: 1510 Dayton St.
tured by the Kimball house.
City, Okla., by Dr. P. T. Quast. The quarters have
been remodeled to fit the needs of the business. Dr.
Factory 1508-16 Dayton St.
Quast handles a line of pianos and other music goods.
NEW INCORPORATION.
The J. Raymond Smith Co., San Francisco, Cal.,
Daniel Castellanos, New York City; B. Castellano's,
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI
- The
Box Society International
(www.mbsi.org)
International
Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
one
of Musical
the established
music houses
of that and
city, the last
R. D. Arcade
Busserman
and G. Mateo.
CHICAGO
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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