Presto

21
PRESTO
December 20, 1924.
FIELD IS INVITING
But the Profitable Musical Merchandise Busi-
ness Is Still Unsought by Many Specialty
Piano and Phonograph Dealers, Who
Lack Information About It.
The number of piano and talking machine dealers
who have so far withstood the allurements of the
musical merchandise department is comparatively
small, but at the same time considerable. The gen-
eral music store is now more numerous than the spe-
cialty piano or phonograph store. The growth of
interest in the musical merchandise goods has been
one of the most amazing things in the trade during
the past five years although the interest of specialty
houses in the goods had a beginning more remote
than that.
But in face of the success of dealers with musical
merchandise and the increased uses for band and or-
chestra instruments all over the country, there are
still piano and talking machine specialty firms who
are timorous about venturing in a new field. And
when they become convinced of the desirability of
the musical merchandise stock in their stores they
hold back from lack of knowledge of the safe and
proper ways to make a beginning in the field.
One Way to Proceed.
One way the dealer may proceed is to choose a
reputable jobber in musical merchandise and get the
benefit of his advice and experience. There are many
such houses which take an interest in the welfare of
the dealers to the extent of safeguarding them from
overstocking pitfalls. With them a satisfied and
trustful customer is a good customer. In other words
a good customer is one who makes a profit in the
musical merchandise department and continues deal-
ing with the house.
Another way is to lay his intentions before the
manufacturer, many of which have specialties the new
musical merchandise dealer may find desirable in the
competitive field. If the dealer sees a possibility of
a good business in band instruments and one certain
of development with proper industry, then his wisest
course is to make quick connection with the manu-
facturer whose line most appeals to him after con-
ferring as much as possible with amateurs and pro-
fessionals.
Many piano dealers who now successfully run musical
merchandise departments once admitted their ignor-
ance of the essential information required in opening
such a department. Some of them, in order to learn
something about the business, rented a portion of
their stores to small goods men; others, convinced
that the line represented a profit-making investment,
created their own department and hired competent
people to conduct it.
Getting the help of a competent small goods man
is the most important consideration for the piano or
phonograph dealer starting in musical merchandise.
It has been found that musicians are peculiarly fitted
for the job. It is now an admitted fact that tempera-
ment in the professional musician often is accom-
panied by a valuable business sense. Anyway they
know the instruments and can demonstrate them and
teach them to classes if required.
Good Manager a Necessity.
Get a good manager before you start is a good bit
of advice to the piano dealer starting in the musical
merchandise line. Success or failure depends upon
the kind chosen. It might be well to start in a small
way with a safe assortment and in picking the first
presentations the advice of the manufacturer who
prides himself on his services to the dealer is most
desirable. The size of the city and the local condi-
tions govern the extent and variety of the line.
The department has its policy problems the same
as the piano department and the matter of credits is
one the dealer should foresee and prepare for. Like
pianos a great amount of the musical merchandise
business is done on the time payment plan. Manag-
ing that should not bother the piano or phonograph
dealers who have been bred to the instalment plan so
to speak. The, most cash customers will be found
among the professionals who are well paid. They
want the best too, in instruments and accessories.
NEW GENERAL MUSIC STORE.
C. G. Lundin has apened a general music store at
407 Whittier boulevard, Montebello, Cal., to be
known as the Montebello Music House. Phonographs,
radio and small goods are handled. Mr. Lundin, who
has had many years' experience in the music field,
selected Montebello for his location as being one of
the most promising communities in the state.
The Eastern phonograph division of the Brunswick-
Balke-Collender Co. has been reorganized, according
to H. A. Beach, sales manager of the division.
ECONOMY IN WOOD USE URGED
Government Laboratory Decries Custom of Some In-
dustries Using Waste Wood for Fuel.
In a technical note to the wood using industries,
the Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis.,
points out that the fuel value of wood waste is over-
estimated. This is said:
The argument is frequently advanced that a supply
of waste on hand at all times permits large savings
in coal, and that the purchase of ready-cut wood stock
would not be economical because it would leave the
manufacturer no Avaste to use as fuel for operating
the power or heating plant.
The false logic of such an argument is apparent
when consideration is given to the fact that the mate-
rial which is thus being used for fuel is high-grade
lumber which is wor.th pound for pound from three
to ten times as much as coal. The heating value of
tin's material is considerably lower than that of coal.
It is estimated, and the figure is high enough to be
conservative, that pound for pound the fuel value of
the waste from lumber is not more than 62 per cent
of that of coal.
A thousand board feet or approximately 3,800
pounds, of waste from oak lumber will have a fuel
value equivalent to that of 2,360 pounds of coal. If
coal is worth $6.50 a ton, the fuel value of a thou-
sand board feet of oak would be $7.66. But the oak
lumber from which the waste cuttings came probably
cost the manufacturer $62.50 per thousand board feet.
The cost of the oak waste as fuel, then, is about eight
times that of coal, and the handling charge in the
furnace room is greater for wood waste than for coal.
The fuel value of waste is not usually great enough
to offset the freight charges on it from mill to fac-
tory. It would seem a logical practice, then, on this
ground alone, for a manufacturer to use dimension
stock and try r to reduce his cutting-up waste. The
unavoidable w aste which always occurs in the manu-
facture of wooden products usually can be utilized to
best advantage as fuel.
PLAY LYON & HEALY HARPS.
The excellent tonal value of the Lyon & Healy
harps was well demonstrated recently in Angelus
Temple, Los Angeles, by forty pupils of Prof. Graf
the successful harp instructor. Lyon & Healy harps
were used throughout and prominently advertised on
the program. According to a correspondent the in-
terest in this concert was so great that the house
was "sold out"' twice the first night and had to be
repeated the next night.
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, Pres.
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.
S. SIMON
8106 Chappell Avenue,
CHICAGO, ILLS.
SLINGERLAND
OTTO R. TREFZ, Jr.
May Bell
PIANO BASS STRINGS
PIANO REPAIR SUPPLIES
2110 Fairtnount Ave.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
The Piano Repair Shop
Pianos and Phonographs Rebuilt by
. Expert Workmen
Player-actions installed. Instruments
refinished or remodeied and actions and
keys repaired. Work guaranteed. Prices
reasonable.
Our-of-town dealers' repair work solic-
ited. Write for details and terms.
THE PIANO REPAIR SHOP
339 South Wabash Ave.
ELKHART, IND.
Chicago
Slingerland Banjos
are sold the country over because
they are Highest quality and sold
at a reasonable price.
Over 40 Styles of Banjos, Banjo Mandolins, Tenor Banjos
and Banjo Ukuleles, to select from.
Write for Catalogue
^
SLINGERLAND BANJO CO.
1815 Orchard Street
CHICAGO
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/