January 7, 1928
DANGER OF DEALER
LOSING HIS CONTACTS
The Element of Service in Pianos a Thing of
Highest Importance Which Cannot
Be Neglected.
By A. G. GULRRAXSEN.
In my opinion, the small music dealer who does
not take full advantage of his ability to service the
pianos in homes in his community is neglecting one
of his finest opportunities. He is losing contact with
a group of people who can furnish the best possible
leads to additional sales. He is losing the profit that
would accrue to him through tuning and other up-
keep work.
I have become more and more impressed with the
possibilities along this line as I have seen, at first
hand, the operations of merchants in centers of lim-
ited population. These men have no idle time on
their hands. Practically every hour of their working
time is occupied with piano wcrk. r I hey make
their time earn them a good profit. As they go about
their duties, rendering intelligent piano service, they
have an opportunity, in one home, to convince the
householder that the old piano is out of date and
needs replacement; in the next home they learn that
Mr. Smith, the school trustee, will shortly buy some
pianos for the schools; in another, a tuning order
becomes a really profitable general overhauling job
as the need,of doing it is shown the customer. Day
after day new fields for doing business opens up to
the alert merchant-serviceman.
I notice that in the Gulbransen Bulletin for De-
cember appears the advertisement of a western house
looking for a "repair work salesman and tuner capa-
ble of constructively increasing ordinary tuning or-
ders to real repair jobs." This house has the right
idea. In addition to making himself a factor in the
business, such a man can render a real service to the
public. Pianos not in first-class condition do not
give their owners full value return on their invest-
ment. They are not the inspiration to young stu-
dents, to the accomplished musician, that they
should be.
I feel that such a man renders a genuine service
to every piano owner, to his employer and to the
piauc industry as a whole. And particularly when
SCHAFF
D
17
PRESTO-TIMES
iano String Co,
Manufacturers of
PRESTO TIMES WANT ADVS.
SALESMAN FOR CITY.
WANTED—Good reliable piano salesman for city; also
one for country work. State age, experience and
proposition wanted. A. Hospe Co., Council Bluffs,
Iowa.
ELECTRIC PIANOS FOR SALE.
FOR SALE — Eight Style " L " coin-operated electric
pianos. Same as new. Write or wire Schneider Music
Co., Vincennes, Ind.
W I L L GUARANTEE PIAjNIO SALES.
Man who can guarantee sales of pianos open to engage-
ment. Can handle product of small factory.
Will
work entirely on commission or smaller commission
and expenses. For details of proposition address
"Coast to Coast," Box 2, PRESTO-TIMES, 417 So.
Dearborn St., Chicago.
W I L L BUY MUSIC STORE.
I am open for the purchase Of a music store, invoicing
about $10,000, preferably located in middle west or
south, but am open to good opportunity anywhere.
Store must show good profits for 1927. Address
"Profits," Box 2, PRESTO-TIMES, 417 So. Dearborn
St., Chicago.
AN OPPORTUNITY.
Music store for sale in town of 9,000 inhabitants. Bus-
iness established twenty years. Only music store for
miles in norther-stern Iowa. For particulars address
" H . M. H.," care PRESTO-TIMES office, 417 S.
Dearborn St., C licago, III.
the dealer himself does this important work, certainly
he has the interests of all at heart and will give
each one the best service possible. Not all piano
dealers are mechanical-minded. Not all are tuners.
There is among them another group who have musi-
cal talent. I have seen many of them become lead-
ing factors in their communities through activity in
music affairs. They play well, or they sing, or they
are members of the municipal band, or something of
that sort.
In a nearby city is an aggressive and successful
piano man. He is soloist in a church and is paid
$1,500 a year for his services on Sundays. Remuner-
ative as that is, he states that its greatest value to
him is in the piano sales it leads to. People have
learned to know him at least by reputation. They
have confidence in his musical judgment. Many of
them come to him in the course of a year merely
on the strengtii of his ability as,.a singer.
This particular man told me that at the end of
the year he figures up the sales directly traceab'.e to
his church work and that i;t runs into thousands of
dollars in volume. Besides that, there are undoubt-
edly many sales helped by this influence which he
never knows of.
Whether a man's talents run toward the mechan-
ical, the musically professional or simply as a prop-
agandist and supporter of things musical, there are
unusual possibilities for him in the piano business.
The principal qualifications are that a man be alert,
be aggressive—that he make himself a factor in his
community. Confidence in the merchant is a lead-
ing consideration in good piano sales. People who
intend to pay for the goods they buy, and who are
the best credit risks, want assurance of dependability
in the man with whom they deal.
Make the personality back of your business mean
something by active field work of one kind or an-
other that will keep you in constant contact with the
public.
MANAGER IS PROMOTED.
Piano Bass Strings
•>oo>-2()2l CLYBOURN AVENUE
("or e« Lewis Street
CHICAGO
UNITED SPECIALTY CO.
EXPERIENCED FACTORY SERVICE
Recovering and Rebushing Keys
Repairing Pneumatics
We Make Them the Same as New
FAST SERVICE
We do first-class work at lowest prices
and will not be undersold.
Estimates on special service and prices
on regular work gladly furnished.
Give us a Trial Job and be Convinced
UNITED SPECIALTY CO.
Monticello, Indiana
George Canoles, a widely known California music
trade man and for some time connected with the
radio department of the main store of the Wiley B.
Allen Co., at San Francisco, Cal., has been made
manager of the radio department in the branch store
in Oakland, succeeding L. K. Wilson, transferred to
the main store.
SALES POSITION WITH LARGE POSSIBILITIES
for the successful piano salesman who feels larger
opportunities would enable him to earn more. We
have a complete line of pianos. Our company has
long been recognized as one of the sound and suc-
cessful houses in the trade. We want a salesman
who wants to sell pianos at retail himself and who
can select, train and manage canvassers and sales-
men.
No limit will be placed upon the size of the
organization, so long as it is profitable. Position pays
salary and commission sufficient to attract successful
men.
We offer protected territory and factory co-
operation.
Opportunities
for future
advancement
along several ways with this successful organization.
All applications confidential. Weaver Piano Company,
Inc., York, Penna.
TUNER WANTED.
WANTED—A high class tuner who thoroughly under-
stands automatic, electric and reproducing pianos of
all types. One with sales ability and knowledge of
radios preferred.
Salary $50 per week to begin.
Steady job to right man. Write or wire.
Kaliski
Music Company, Ltd., Monroe, La.
AN OPPORTUNITY.
Manufacturer operating retail stores has excellent loca-
tions in three cities in Michigan for sheet music and
small instrument departments. Cities of 150.000, 50,-
000 and 38,000 population. 75 to 100% locations on
main streets. Will lease space on percentage or any
way that will enable the right party to make a suc-
cess. May also sell records and player rolls. Address
Box B. L., care PRESTO-TIMES, Chicago, III.
LATE NEWS FROM THE
WISCONSIN FIELD
New Factory Addition of Waltham Piano Co.,
Milwaukee, Means Big Increase of Out-
put—Survey of 1927.
According to 1'aul F. Netzovv, president of the
Waltham Piano Company, a four-story addition will
be erected to the company's present plant at 1623
Island avenue, which will increase the concern's
yearly output from about 4,000 pianos to 6,000. It
is also planned to manufacture radios to the extent
of about 20.0CU a year. The annex, 80x250 feet, will
cost about $100,000 and is to be started in spring.
The Edmund Gram Piano Company furnished the
Steinway and Gram Grand pianos which are used in
the new $500,000 Egyptian theater opened on Mil-
waukee's north side recently.
A survey of the musical instrument business in
Milwaukee for 1927 shows a decrease in the number
of firms manufacturing instruments in the city. In
1926 there were eleven firms as compared to eight in
1927. The number of men employed in this indus-
try dropped off accordingly with 454 employed in
1926 as compared to 371 in 1927. In 1926, $723,750
was paid in wages while in 1927 only $533,467 was
paid out.
The amount of capital employed in this industry
has decreased from $1,748,548 in 1926 to $1,217,196 in
1927, while the value of the product in 1926 was
$2,622,105 as compared to $2,00 ! ,239 in 1927. The
export business increased, however, from $25,000 in
1926 to $30,000 in 1927.
The grand piano in the new Zenith theater re-
cently opened in Milwaukee and erected at a cost of
nearly $500,000 was furnished by the Luebtow Music
Company.
Daniel C. Burkholder recently opened the Burk-
holder Band Instrument Company at 308 State street.
Madison, \\ is.
FIRE IN AEOLIAN BUILDING.
A loss estimated at $90,000 was caused by a fire
early Tuesday morning of this week in the six-story
Aeolian Building, 1004 Olive street, St. Louis, Mo.
BUYS ILLINOIS STORE.
The flames were fought in near zero weather, 26 tire
companies taking part in the fight. The building is
The entire stock of the Bent Brothers' Piano Store
old, and was for many years the site of the Balmer
at 633 Second street, La SallF7 ill., has been sold to
& Weber Music Company. It is located in the heart
A. H. Groves, who has been manager of an adjoin-
of the retail district of the city. Part of the loss
ing store, it was announced this week, when the deal
became effective. The store is to be known as the was sustained by the Aeolian Company.
Groves Music Store.
THE TWO BIGGEST SONG HITS
IN THE T. S. A. TODAY ARK
"CAROLINA"
(I'm Coming Back to You)
By AT.. HAYES and A. T. LAX
"SUPPOSING"
(A Novelty Game Song)
By DR. 1'. PALMER and A. T. LAX
DEALER CONSIDER YOUR GAIN IN PROFITS
Mail I'M 15O in Postage and t h e Postman Will
Bring You a Copy of Eat'h
J.
READING
S. UNGER
MUSIC
Publishers
HOUSE
WILLIAMS
PIANOS
The policy of the Williams House is and always
has been to depend upon excellence of product
instead of alluring price. Such a policy does not
attract bargain hunters. It does, however, win the
hearty approval and &uppor£ of a very desirable
and substantial patronage.
WIIMAMS
M« k e " of Williams Organs
Pianos,
WILLI/1IYI3
Epworth
P i a n o 8 aad
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