December 13, 1924.
25
PRESTO
OUTFITS GOOD SELLERS
Musical Merchandise Dealers Realize the
Strong Allurements of the Group Compris-
ing Instrument and Its Accessories.
It is possible for the musical merchandise dealer
to considerably increase his sales by suggesting the
"outfit" as often as he can. It will be noticed that
in featuring their drum lines many dealers give
prominence to the drum outfit. But other outfits
are presented and the saxophone outfit, the violin
outfit and the others are being made equally familiar
to the public.
It is not really a recognition of the get-something-
for-nothing desire in the human that causes the music
goods dealer to quote a price for a certain instrument
and then name an alluring one for the group of the
outfit comprising the instrument and the accessories
that go with it. But there is some yearning in the
enthusiast which responds to the opportunity to get
everything required in using his instrument. And all
amateurs as well as professionals who play the musi-
cal instruments may be set down as enthusiasts. That
is all for the good of the musical merchandise busi-
ness.
It may have been the genius who invented the club-
bing plan of buying magazines who first thought of
and used the outfit idea in the musical merchandise
business. The customer who buys a fiddle will nat-
urally be interested in a case, a music stand, a few
extra sets of strings, a selection of music picked by
himself, an instruction book and maybe other things
that a beginner can use. And where the bare offer
of the fiddle at a tempting price will not interest to
the point of buying immediately, the outfit—the fiddle
with the accessories, will bring the customer run-
ning to the store.
A group of accessories are found to go with every
instrument, and when it is borne in mind that it
takes almost as much time to sell some of the acces-
sories as it does to sell the instrument itself, the sav-
ing of time in sales may be realized. And there is
one thing about the outfit scheme that expands the
business. It makes known to customers things they
had no idea existed before.
When the dealer sells the outfit he is safeguarding
himself. It is possible for the violin or cornet cus-
tomer to buy the instrument from one dealer and go
elsewhere for the accessories. And the customer is
in the mood for buying the accessories when he is
enthusiastically buying the instrument of his fancy.
For interesting the public through the show win-
dows there is nothing like the outfits. The grouped
articles make people familiar with the things that go
with each instrument. It is possible, too, to quote a
total price that sounds very alluring. In a Chicago
window last week was a banjo outfit that brought
many customers into the store. There was a tenor
banjo, a case, resonator, tailpiece, pegs, mute, arm
rest, special picks, banjo wrench, Grover bridge, extra
set of strings and instruction book. The dealer, no
doubt, had a good profit on each article, but the sum
total for the outfit sounded very tempting. In sell-
ing the entire number of articles the dealer could
afford to shave the price and no doubt he did. But
the outfit offer was a great success in interesting the
public.
WHEN THE PRINCE BANJUKES.
The press agent of the Prince of Wales has per-
formed a kindness for the advertising man of the
manufacturer of the banjuke, in distributing the fact
that the latest distinction of his royal nibs is foster-
ing the craze for banjuke or banjulet parties.
"Everybody is learning to play this ludicrous but
amazing instrument. The Prince of Wales has a col-
lection of them and is extremely proficient. He is
teaching all his friends to play it," says the royal
titbit from London. "You carry the banjuke around
wherever you go, taking it to the theater, restaurant
or private dance. The other night the Prince, ac-
companied by half a dozen friends, arrived at the
Savoy ballroom, each one with a banjuke over his
shoulder fastened with a vivid silken cord."
BRUNSWICK HOUR OF MUSIC
Title of Broadcasted Feature Sent Out from Bruns-
wick Laboratories, New York City.
Radio fans of the country who appreciate good
music are given a great musical treat in the "Bruns-
wick Hour of Music," broadcasted from five of the
principal stations of the country. The first was given
December 9, when grand opera stars, famous sym-
phonies and the foremost orchestras of the United
States were included in the unprecedented program.
Similar artistic features will be included in a regular
Tuesday night feature.
The broadcasting of the inaugural program was
done from the Brunswick Laboratories in New York
City and relayed through stations in New York,
Schenectady, Washington, Pittsburgh, and Chicago.
Later musical stardom will be sent through the air
from the new station to be opened at Denver, as well
as the stations at Hastings, Neb., and Oakland, Cal.
According to the announcement of the "Brunswick
Hour of Music," the program starts at 10 p. m. east-
ern standard time and 9 p. m. central standard time.
Mario Chamlee, Florence Easton, Ely Ney, the
Cleveland orchestra, Claire Dux, John Charles
Thomas, Leopold Godowsky, Marion Harris, Mar-
garet Young and Ray Miller's orchestra are named
as artists in the series.
In view of the fact that the broadcasting of grand
opera has been eliminated so far as the actual per-
formances in New York and Chicago are concerned,
the "Brunswick Hour of Music" will give the music
lovers of the country a treat they otherwise would
be unable to get.
SONG SELLS ROLLS.
A pleasant experience of Sherman, Clay & Co., San
Francisco, shows how a winning song may help
sales of rolls and records of the same number and
vice versa. When the new song of the company,
"When Shadows Fall," was published a music roll
and talking machine record of the waltz appeared
almost simultaneously. The song is not only a big
seller in the sheet music form, but managers say the
roll and record sales are in proportion.
ROLL BUSINESS EXPANDS.
The new music roll department, just completed in
the basement of the store of the Kunkel Piano Co.,
Baltimore, Md., is proving one of the most attractive
places during these busy days before Christmas. The
department is intended for permanent purposes and
considerable money has been spent on the arrange-
ment of the space, which is divided into a main ware-
room and several small demonstration rooms.
W. J. Beard's Temple of Music, Pargould, Ark.,
has opened a branch store in Blytheville, Ark.
Lumber shipments by West Coast Lumbermen's
Association, Portland, Ore., exceeded new business
for forty-two weeks of activities ending December 1.
C. G. CONN, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.
VIOLIN, CELLO AND DOUBLE
BASS WOUND STRINGS
OF SUPERIOR QUALITY
Guaranteed for thirty days after they are sold
SEND FOR CATALOG
C. D. GREENLEAF, Fres.
J. F. BOYER, Sec'y
World's largest manufacturers of High Grade Band and Orchestra Instruments. Employs 1,000
expert workmen.
All of the most celebrated Artists use and endorse Conn Instruments.
Famous Bandmasters and Orchestra Directors highly endorse and recommend the use of the
Conn Instruments in their organizations.
Conn Instruments are noted for their ease of playing, light and reliable valve or key action;
quick response, rich tonal quality, perfect intonation, tone carrying quality, artisticness of design,
beautiful finish and reliable construction.
Conn Instruments are sent to any point in the U. S. subject to ten days free trial. Branch store
or agencies will be found in all large cities. Write for catalogues, prices, etc.
C. G. CONN, Ltd.
DEPT. MS.
ELKHART, IND.
S. SIMON
8106 Chapped Avenue, .
CHICAGO, ILLS.
SLINGERLAND
OTTO R. TREFZ, Jr.
May Bell
PIANO BASS STRINGS
PIANO REPAIR SUPPLIES
2110 Fiirmount Are.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
The Piano Repair Shop
Piano* and Phonographs Rebuilt by
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Our-of-town dealers' repair work solic-
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THE PIANO REPAIR SHOP
339 South Wabash Are.
.
Chicago
Slingerland Banjos
are sold the country over because
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Catalogue
SLINGERLAND BANJO CO.
1815 Orchard Street
CHICAGO
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