Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
EHabiuhed IBM.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
to c*nt.; 92.00 « r^r
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1924
NOW IS SEASON FOR
MUSIC ROLL SALES
The Commodities Closely Allied with the
Playerpiano and Reproducing Piano Busi-
ness Enjoy Happy Ability to Sell Them-
selves During Busy Holiday Time.
THE UNDOUBTED PROFIT
The Value of the Rolls When Sold Has Indirect Bear-
ing on the Stimulation of Player and Re-
producing Piano Sales.
From now to Christmas the music roll will be a
distinct selling asset. In fact the music roll invites
itself to a foremost place in the list of commodities
handled by the music goods dealer. It is a source
of profit in itself as well as an indirect means to im-
press musical people with the desirability of the
playerpiano.
The music roll, too, is favored in advertising in a
particular way inasmuch as the manufacturers have
undertaken a large part of the work and the financ-
ing of music roll publicity. The music roll publicity
planned and carried out by the manufacturers is of
the effective kind that goes straight to its purpose.
It Heals with no glittering generalities but with facts
impresses the playerpiano owner with the importance
of freshening up his rolls frequently and points out
the musical pleasures of the player to music lovers.
Rolls Great Advertisers.
The advertising of music rolls by the manufactur-
ers is a constant lesson in plain duty to the music
dealer. The manufacturers recognize the regrettable
fact that there are still men in the music business who
observe their business from the narrow attitude of
the medieval huckster. Making the business of today
achieve a bigger business tomorrow is an aspiration
beyond them. Placing a playerpiano in the cus-
tomer's home is the culmination of the sales process.
The Unseeing Dealers.
There are dealers so shortsighted as to view the
music roll business as a necessary evil; the roll as
something they must sell, not something they should
sell with pleasurable eagerness. But happily many
are daily realizing that the music roll is the most
stimulating influence in achieving playerpiano sales
and consequently increasing the profits of the busi-
ness.
The Wise Dealers.
The wise and observant music dealer needs no spe-
cial plan to prove to him that a music roll depart-
ment may be made a source of profit in itself, not to
speak of the incidental profits from stimulated player-
piano sales. But wise words have been spoken and
irrefutable facts quoted to prove that there is real
substantial money in the sale of music rolls. It is
a significant fact that assures better days for the
playerpiano that the direct antagonism of the few
dealers towards the profitable labor of handling rolls
is becoming less as the profit possibilities of the rolls
are being made clearer by the progressive manufac-
turers.
The Value Is Obvious.
But why the shortsighted dealers should require
continuous and special pleading to make them see the
wisdom of strongly featuring rolls. A straight piano
logically requires the constant purchase of sheet mu-
sic to keep it a source of enjoyment in the home.
The appeal of the playerpiano and the reproducing
piano is in the fact that the person who does not play
or plays only indifferently may make himself an equal
of the fine pianist—by the use of rolls. The pleas-
ures are continuous and never show decrease if the
roll supply is recognized as the means of perpetu-
ating the keen pleasures of helping reproduce the
finest music. Cut off the supply of rolls and the
player owner soon becomes indifferent to the pleas-
ures. Let him be taught and induced by the dealer
to constantly replenish his roll library and he be-
comes a continuous advertiser for the playerpiano or
the reproducing piano.
A Culpable Course.
The dealer is really culpable who gives no thought
to keeping his roll stock complete and up to date and
who neglects to follow up his customers whether
owners of players or reproducing pianos, because he
feels the expense is not justified. That kind of dealer
might just as well discontinue his advertising.
Christmas Possibilities.
This is a season in which the doubtful dealer may
test the selling value of music rolls. They invite
the attention of buyers at this time. And if he an-
alyzes the sales he will find the roll business a busi-
ness-building one and a valuable asset. Music roll
sales from a sales standpoint have more direct value
than many inches of cold type in the local news-
papers. The main thought to be impressed is that
the music roll is not a distinct and separate product
in itself regardless of by whom it is made. It is
part of the playerpiano and reproducing piano busi-
CHICAGO PIANO & ORGAN
ASSN.'S NEW COMMITTEES
Secretary Whitmore in Publishing List Reminds
Members of Fellowship Luncheon.
President Weber of" the Chicago Piano & Organ
Association, has appointed the following committees
to act, as indicated, in the year's work ahead:
Ways and Means—E. B. Bartlett, chairman; W. E.
Guylee, C. E. Byrne, H. C. Dickinson and M. A.
Healy.
Membership—F. S. Spofford, chairman; P. P.
Gibbs, K. W. Curtis, A. F. Wyman, Sid. Sachs.
Entertainment—Eugene Whelan, chairman; E. V.
Galloway, P. A. Tonk. R. O'Connor and Albert N.
Page.
Publicity—B. B. Ayers, chairman; J. F. Bowers,
Otto Schulz, M. J. Kennedy and W. S. Jenkins.
It is the present intention of the officials to hold a
good fellowship luncheon of the whole club about the
middle of December, definite advice of which will be
published later.
With the publication of this list of the new com-
mittees the new secretary, J. P. Whitmore, desires to
call the attention of members to the "advantage that
always follows occasionally bumping elbows and
knees under the same table with vour co-workers."
CALIFORNIA DEALERS ACTIVE.
The music trade is well represented in the newly
organized Alameda County Radio Dealers' Associa-
tion, at Oakland, Cal. The object of the association
is to establish a standardized policy in the retail
radio business, to increase the confidence of the pub-
lic in the industry and the promote truthful advertis-
ing. The officers ere: E. M. Sargent, president;
A. W. White, of White's Music Store, Berkeley, sec-
retary; B. S. Goldsmith, of the Oakland Phonograph
Co., treasurer. The board of directors of the new
organization are K. W. Stubblefield, Olin S. Grove,
J. W. Dodson, Chris Eiferle, W. W. Cross and A.
Gittenger.
MUSIC SECTION ENLARGED.
Stanley Lansburgh is manager of the enlarged
music goods section of Lansburgh & Brother, a lead-
ing department store in Washington, D. C, which
has been more than doubled in size. The music sec-
tion, too, has been removed to a more prominent
location on the second floor of the big building occu-
pied by the firm on Seventh street. Extensive record
racks and service counters, with suites of soundproof
demonstration rooms, have been installed.
TO CHANGE FIRM NAME.
Frank H. Brown, president of the Dependable
Music Store Company of South Bend, Ind., has filed
a petition in circuit court to have the name of the
store changed to "Frank H. Brown's Dependable
Music Store, Inc." The store is located at 118 North
Main street, South Bend.
DAVENPORT, IOWA, TO
HAVE A GREAT ORGAN
The Aeolian Company Is Building Largest In-
strument Yet Turned Out of Its Garwood
Plant, for Broadcasting Purposes.
Davenport, Iowa, is to have one of the largest pipe
organs made by the Aeolian Company of New York.
The organ according to its present specifications will
be a feat of organ construction. It will be one of the
famous Duo-Art Aeolian organs and it will be used
for broadcasting purposes also.
The cost of the organ will be $180,000, which, ac-
cording to a local enthusiast, is "a hitherto unheard
of sum" to be paid for a musical instrument.
Many new features will be embodied in its con-
struction, to give it added resources, and the greatest
possible shading of lone values and orchestration.
Included are a concert grand piano which will be
electrically connected with the organ console; or-
chestral bass organ with trumpets, tubes, saxophones
and trombones; bells, chimes, two harps and percus-
sion instruments.
There will be thirteen combinations of pedal stops
and nine expression combinations. The blowing plant
with five or six large motors and 12-foot blowers will
be placed in the basement of the theater.
The console of the organ will contain six manuals,
or key-boards. Two of these keyboards will have a
double touch system.
The specifications call for an instrument that will
combine eleven large separate and complete organs
into one grand organ.
One of the interesting features is the huge 64-foot
grand diapason in the pedal organ. The longest pipe
in this group of 32 has an actual length of 67 feet
and is four feet square. It contains enough wood to
lay a floor one inch thick over a room with an area
of 87 by 140 feet—all in a single pipe. Its note will
be so low that it will be felt by the auditor, rather
than heard, and the effect will be like the mighty
rumble of thunder.
The famous pipe organ at the Mormon Tabernacle
in Salt Lake City has 2,648 pipes. The Davenport
organ will have 9,737, three times as many. The total
weight will be 50 tons. In it will be the equivalent
of 125 stringed instruments of an orchestra. The
organ would require a symphonic orchestra of 325
men if each were playing one of its instruments.
Even a concert grand' piano will be included, play-
able from the organ console as well as from its own
keyboard.
Motors of 75 horsepower will pump the wind.
When it is known that the average large organ re-
quires motors of from one to two horsepower, the
magnitude of the pumping system can be realized.
The wind pressure \.ill range from one inch to
twenty-five inches. The keyboard will have 307
stops to bring out the resources of the instrument.
The organ has been designed by Frank Taft of
the Aeolian Company, and is being built by the
Aeolian Company at itF great plant in Garwood, N. J.
When finished and ready to ship it will require twelve
large freight cars to >:onvey it from the factory to
Davenport. It will lake fourteen months to build
and about four months to install after it has arrived.
The total length of all pipes in the organ if laid end
to end would exceed 25,000 feet, or about five miles.
CHASE-HACKLEY PIANO CO.
It will be a satisfaction to many piano dealers to
know (hat the Chase-Hackley Piano Co., of Muske-
gon. Michigan, has secured a new manager who may
be expected to reawaken the old time interest in the
admirable instruments of that old concern. J. E.
Jennings, who succeeds H. D. Bradley, is a man of
force and executive ability. He will at once begin
to develop new plans, and otherwise to place the old
Muskegon factory where it was at the time of the
lamented death of Braton S. Chase. Further par-
ticulars of the new progress of the Chase-Hackley
Piano Co. will be published as soon as completed.
The new administration was decided upon at a recent
meeting of directors, at which President William
•Mann was present. •
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