Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2039

PRESTO
August 22, 1925.
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells
BUSINESS IS PICKING UP
And You Will Find a Ready
Sale for the Famous
Studio Grand
(only 5 ft. long)
This little Grand has no superior and it
presents the very qualities that win the
prospect and makes the sale.
If you have a trade for Reproducing
Grands we ask your particular
notice to the
CHRISTMAN
Reproducing Grand
Equipped with
A marvel of tone and expressive
interpretation of all classes of com-
position, reproducing perfectly the
performances of the world's great-
est pianists.
"The First Touch Tells"
1U«. U. I. Pat. Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
CHAIN STORES FOR
THE MUSIC BUSINESS
Report Comes from Credible Sources That a
Plan for Giant Combination of Large
Existing Establishments Is Being
Considered by Large Capitalists.
FAMILIAR NAMES DISCUSSED
How Such a Scheme as Already Has Been Perfected
in Other Lines Might Affect the Smaller
Music Dealers.
The movement in many lines of retail trade toward
consolidation has at last reached the point where
the music business is attracting the attention of
"large capital." Presto has been aware of the condi-
tion for some time past, but has not referred to it
because it was deemed best not to stir up any rumors
which might point to results of doubtful nature, so
far as may concern the existing smaller music deal-
ers.
But the proposition has now reached a point where
there can be no little doubt that eventually the music
trade will fall in line with the rest and an attempt, at
least, be made to consolidate the larger music and
musical instrument houses throughout the country.
Retail Store Chains.
In some lines of trade there can be no doubt about
the advantages of consolidation in the retailing of the
goods. The tangible advantages which may grow
out of well organized consolidation, and the oppor-
tunities of groupings of stores, are indisputable in
many departments of trade. But whether the plan is
better than the individual development of local
houses, by internal strength, is a matter of dispute
even among the class of trade in which the groupings
processes have been tried, and seem to work well.
In any event, in a recent discussion among mem-
bers of the music trade in New York names were
mentioned, and capital summed up, by which an ef-
fort is proposed to bring into one central control a
chain of the largest and most successful, even famous,
music stores in this country.
It is not to be an informal grouping of piano
stores, such as already exists to a considerable ex-
tent, under the ownership of individual manufactur-
ers. If anything, it will be a thoroughly organized
and largely capitalized chain of general music houses,
most of which are now regarded as so strong as to
defy any of the blandishments of capital. And the
names already mentioned, and the stores of which
are located in nearly every large city, cover the
country from Boston to San Francisco.
If you recall the names most familiar to you, as
having built up great business, those may be the con-
cerns under consideration.
Industries, Also.
While there has been no discussion of the point, it
seems quite possible that, should the chain of retail
music stores become a fact, there will also be piano,
and perhaps other musical instrument factories con-
sidered as a part of the enterprise. Of this nothing
has as yet been said, by those who claim to have an
understanding of the inner workings of the capitalis-
tic managers.
But it is a project not difficult to imagine as a real-
ity, for musical instruments are as much a part of
the people's lives and desires as anything else. When
the department stores began to consolidate it was not
thought that concerns specializing in the smaller
things of trade could be brought under group con-
trol. See them today!
And how would a great chain of music stores,
reaching from coast to coast, affect the small dealers
who have built up local trade, but not enough of it
to entitle them to consideration as links in the big
chain?
Small Dealers Safe.
Selling musical instruments, from grand pianos to
fiddle strings, is regarded as a specialty. But is it
so, any more than selling drugs and the patented
things that pass over the drug store counters every
minute in the day? Perhaps not. But selling musical
instruments, and especially pianos, demands the
touch of individuality, and the confidence of the cus-
tomer, to a degree scarcely required in other lines
of business. The music dealer who has established
himself in a city may not be able to control any
appreciable proportion of the music-loving public.
In a small town it is different.
There are giant music stores in every large Ameri-
can city. Nevertheless, the small dealer even if not
distant from the great city, has his trade and holds
it. His neighbors do not go to the city to buy what
they need.
Even the small-town piano dealer can hold his own
against the large city piano house, in most instances.
Such music dealers need have no concern about any
chain which may develop from the amplitude of sur-
plus capital and the steadily narrowing list of indus-
tries and trade which are still being conducted as in-
dividual enterprises.
The music dealer is safe. He will not be denuded
of what he has earned. In fact, there is another side
to the consolidation, or chain store question. And
it is a side which may easily benefit the independent
dealer, wherever he may be. That other side will be
discussed in a later issue of the American Music
Trade Weekly.
NOTE FROM PRESIDENT
OF THE N. A. P. T., INC.
Speaking for the Association, Chas. Deutsch-
mann Expresses Appreciation of Support
That Made Big Convention a Success.
Chicago, August 15, 1925.
Editor Presto: Nobody reading the results of the
Sixteenth Annual Convention of the National Asso-
ciation of Piano Tuners, Inc., held at Detroit, Mich.,
August 3rd to 6th, as so faithfully chronicled in the
trade papers, can fail to be impressed by the wonder-
ful work being accomplished by the N. A. of P. T.,
Inc. It is almost impossible to realize that this asso-
ciation could bring together such a large assemblage
of qualified tuners, representatives from 26 states,
from Maine to California, and a visitor from Canada.
Just about one-fourth of the entire membership was
in attendance, and to know that these men paid their
own expenses and lost their own time, to be present,
is most astounding. And for what purpose? To
gain more knowledge in the art and work, so as to
enable them better to serve the trade and the public.
I wish every piano and player manufacturer, every
sales-manager, and every music merchant in the
United States could have been an eye-witness, to see
what rapt attention was paid to all the lectures and
addresses delivered at the sessions of the convention,
and the eagerness shown to learn as much about
the product of the various exhibitors as possible, and
also the enthusiasm displayed at the various classes
held by exhibitors.
This desire to become more proficient was brought
about through organization, and I consider it the
greatest achievement of the N. A. of P. T., Inc. In
fact, it is the first article in our constructive platform.
In view of these facts and these accomplishments I
do not hesitate to ask the support and co-operation
of the entire music industry.
In closing, in the name of the National Associa-
tion of Piano Tuners, Inc., I wish to convey our ap-
preciation to the firms that exhibited at the conven-
tion, and I sincerely hope that the results justified
their actions. And I also wish to thank the trade
papers which were so generous with their space and
gave us such good and full accounts of our conven-
tion.
Yours very truly,
National Association of Piano Tuners, Inc.
Chas. Deutschmann, National President.
PORTLAND PIANO CO. CLOSED
AND STOCK MOVED AWAY
Ivers & Pond Piano Representatives Discontinue
and Schwan Piano Co. Takes the Goods.
The Portland Piano Co., of Portland, Ore., has
closed its doors. This company operated for several
years on the seventh floor of Lipman, Wolfe & Co.
department store, and for the past two years has been
operated by the Schwan Piann Co.
The stock remaining on hand has been moved to
the Schwan Piano Co.'s store, at Tenth and Stark
street, and the piano, phonograph and record depart-
ments will be closed out from there. The firm feat-
ured the Steger and the Ivers & Pond pianos.
The sheet music department has been moved to
the basement.
RADIO EXPORTS.
Still holding the lead as the best customer, Japan,
during the fiscal month, purchased $285,135 worth
of American radio apparatus. Brazil forged to the
front with purchases amounting to $81,066. Austra-
lia took third place with $62,968. Canada, who as a
rule has been our foremost customer, dropped to
fourth place with $53,593, and the United Kingdom
fifth with $46,877. Our radio exports to all countries
during the month totaled $667,710.
Frank Decker is up in the Adirondacks, resting and
reading under the towering pines. Meantime the fine
old New York Decker & Son industry is in charge
of the third generation.
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/
PRESTO
TO REPRODUCE ALL
TYPES OF MUSIC
Both Brunswick Co. and the Victor Co. Pro-
duce New Styles of Records, Which They
Say Will Revolutionize and Revive
the Phonograph Industry.
PHONOGRAPH=RADIO COMBINE
Five Large Concerns Claim to Control Inventions of
a Nature to Combat the Great Popularity
of Radio.
While the phonograph has seemed to be fast drop-
ping to decay and radio has been gaining in popu-
larity, several large talking machine industries have
been silently but very seriously striving to create
something by which the older miracle might be re-
placed in the favor of the world and to the profit of
the trade. As a result a remarkable development is
now announced.
Two of the important phonograph and radio indus-
tries declare that they are ready to demonstrate new
devices of limitless possibilities. And in the results
of the two great concerns will be found the results
also of three other large industries which have co-
operated in bringing about the remarkable instru-
ments which are about ready for the world. The
two principals in the revolutionary inventions are the
Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. and the Victor Talk-
ing Machine Company.
In the creation of the former company's new in-
strument three other concerns collaborated. They
are the General Electric Company, the Radio Cor-
poration of America and the Westinghouse Electric
Company. Jointly they perfected a new sound-re-
producing instrument, which they assert is greatly
superior to the phonograph and the radio in its musi-
cal range and quality.
Called the "Panatrope."
This invention, which has been named the Pana-
trope to indicate that it reproduces all octaves, is a
combination of radio and talking film developments
with the phonograph.
The recording of the sound waves is done by means
of the process used in recording sound in the talking
film, or Pallatrome, invented by Charles A. Hoxie,
of the General Electric Company, which differs in de-
tail from the Phonofilm of Dr. Lee De Forest.
After the record has been made in this manner it
outwardly resembles the ordinary disk record. It is
played with a needle, but the vibrations are changed
into electrical current and then stepped up by vacuum
cells, as in radio, to the required volume, and then
reproduced by a vibrating disk, instead of a horn.
The grooves in the ordinary phonograph record are
cut 80 to an inch, and the 12-inch record runs for
approximately five minutes. Much greater delicacy
is achieved in the Pallatrome records. The grooves
have been cut 500 to an inch and 12-inch disk records
have been made to reproduce whole symphonies, the
record lasting for about forty minutes.
New 40-Minute Records.
This is regarded as a highly important development
for the future in enabling the music reproducing in-
strument to secure a "come-back" in popular favor.
The fact that records have to be changed every four
or five minutes, while radio causes no inconvenience,
is one of the great handicaps which the phonograph
has had to carry in the struggle to retain its popu-
larity against radio. This has been particularly true
in the matter of home dances. The necessity for in-
terrupting the dance to change records has greatly
reduced the use of the phonograph.
"The new instrument is not called a phonograph.
It is music reproduction by an entirely different proc-
ess. The phonograph, we believe, will soon be a
thing of the past. The superiority of the new instru-
ment is so great that, after hearing the two together,
you wonder that you ever thought the phonograph
produced music. Its superiority over the finest radio
sets is nearly as great.
"While the phonograph is limited to reproducing
sound-waves roughly between 1,000 and 2,000 per
second, this instrument reproduces sound waves any-
where from 100 to 7,000 or 8,000 a second. It repro-
duces with accuracy every pitch to which the ear is
sensitive. The results are perfect with the full or-
chestra, the human voice, the piano and even with in-
struments, like the harpsichord, which have never
been successfully recorded by the old processes.
Public Demonstration in October.
"There will be a private demonstration of the new
instrument in New York City on Friday of this week.
There will be a public demonstration at Carnegie Hall
in October. By the use of vacuum tubes, the volume
from the instrument may be varied from that suit-
able to a small room to that necessary to fill an
auditorium.
"In spite of the vacuum tube amplification equip-
ment, the cabinet for the Panatrome will be slightly
smaller than the ordinary phonograph cabinet. It
can be run either with batteries or by connection
through the electrical socket. The cost of running it
is very cheap, considerably less than that of running
a small electric fan. The vacuum tubes will last
from three to five years. The prices of the instru-
ments, which will be placed on the market in Octo-
ber, will run from $200 to $500, largely depending on
the style of the cabinet.
"The disk record will be used at present, because
we want to adapt the product to the use of the mil-
lions of phonographs now in existence, but the repro-
duction can be done by films, on which the sound
waves are photographed. By this method the record
can be made to play for any length of time."
Victor Follows Closely.
Following close upon the foregoing announcement,
the Victor Talking Machine Co. gave out informa-
tion that it, too, has developed a 40-minute record
and a music-producing instrument which "will revo-
lutionize the entire industry."
E. R. Fennimore Johnson, president of the Victor
Company, said that he was not ready to describe the
invention in detail, but he called it "the ultimate in
sound reproduction." He said that it gave complete
mechanical reproduction of the entire range of audible
sound.
"This is a feat never before accomplished by a re-
producing instrument," he said. "The new process
cannot be compared in any sense with any other
known method of reproduction. Notes which before
were either lost altogether or were so faint or dis-
torted as to materially impair the purity of tone and
timbre of the reproduction are now produced in their
true values. The most difficult musical notes have
been recorded faultlessly."
While both inventions are intended as an answer
to the competition of radio, which has cut heavily
into the music reproduction business, both are in-
debted to radio. The Brunswick instrument is almost
a by-product of radio. Many of its features are
adapted from inventions and developments resulting
from radio research.
August 22, 1925.
NEW PATENTS THAT
PERTAIN TO PIANOS
Greater Evidence of Inventive Interest in the
Instrument Than Has Developed Before
in Several Years Past.
The following list of patents relating to pianos
shows a revival of the inventive spirit which has
lagged because of the introduction of other marvels
of music making:
1.486.185. Valve mechanism for playerpiano ac-
tions. Axel G. Gulbransen, Chicago.
1.486.186. Key-slip and fall-board construction for
playerpianos. Axel G. Gulbransen, Chicago.
1,486,585. Musical instrument and lighting instru-
ment therefor. B. H. Jefferson and R. H. Waud,
Chicago.
1,487,164. Mandolin attachment for playerpianos.
Oreste lsta, New York.
1,488,172. Machine for forming and inserting bush-
ings in piano actions. James R. Semple, Chicago.
1,487,826.
Piano-soundingboard bridge.
C. S.
Weber, Los Angeles, Cal.
1,490,678. Miniature piano. Felix Munafo, Brook-
lyn, N. Y.
1,490,229. Grand piano action. Lvcus D. Perry,
New Rochelle, N. Y.
1,490,714. Air stop for pedal slots. John F. San-
ders, Cameron, N. C.
1,490,139. Playerpiano roll. Karl E. Stevens, Cran-
ford, N. J.
PIANO MAN AS USHER.
G. F. Johnson, of the G. F. Johnson Piano Co.,
has been appointed chief usher for the Billy Sunday
campaign which will be put on in Portland, Ore.,
commencing the sixth of September. The tabernacle
will hold 7,000 persons, in addition to a trained choir
of 1,000 voices, which is being prepared for the
meetings.
A PORTLAND VISITOR.
Among the visitors to the music trade of Port-
land, Ore., during the past week was Mort Nathan,
of M. Witmark & Sons of New York. Mr. Nathan's
mother has her residence in Portland and while there
he enjoyed a home visit.
STARR GRAND IN BIRMINGHAM'S NEW HOTEL
The accompanying cut shows the Starr Grand re-
cently placed, with imposing surroundings, in the new
Redmont Hotel, Birmingham, Ala., by the Birmingham
branch of the Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind. The
selection of the Starr Grand by the hotel management
is another acknowledgment of Starr piano excellence
by heads of Birmingham institutions. It is a valuable
local tribute that the Redmont Hotel, the latest of
the handsome structures in the Alabama city, should
be added to the long list of schools, colleges,
churches, clubs and other places of prominence
equipped with the pianos from Richmond, Ind.
All through the South Starr pianos occupy a posi-
tion of prominence in the preferences of musical
people. There was keen competition among Bir-
mingham piano houses for the honor and profit of
supplying a grand piano for the magnificent new
hotel. It was a contest on pure merit. The hotel
managers and their advisors were discriminative and
closely considered the ability of each instrument in
the pianos submitted to come up to the strict require-
ments specified. The selection of the Starr Grand by
the hotel company is considered by the local Starr
representatives as a welcome opportunity for frequent
demonstrations of the piano's merits.
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/

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