10
September 15, \ ( >2H
PRESTO-TIMES
FRANK J. BAYLEY
SEES NEW PIANO
In Address Before Convention cf Ohio Music
Merchants at Toledo, Prominent Detroit
Music Dealer Visualizes an Instrument
That Would Replace Piano of Today.
Frank J. Bayley, Detroit music merchant, delivered
an address this week before the convention of the
Music Merchants' Association of Ohio at the Com-
modore Perry Hotel, Toledo, and voiced points of
view ;hat surprised members by their novelty when
he said:
He Visualizes Piano.
"How to tear down this fifty-year-old 'perfected'
piano and rebuild it on modern lines is not for me
to say, that is not my vocation. 1 am a salesman,
my contact and experience is with the public and
their demands. However, I can visualize an instru-
ment, retaining the keyboard but not necessarily
the strings, intensifying the tone from the lowest
bass to the highest treble in contrast to the present
piano as the new dynamic radio speaker to the old
phonograph. With such a new instrument I believe
public interest could be re-aroused, a complete new
market created, the problem of the trade-in solved,
salesmen enthused, and that herein lies our only
hope of re-establishing a volume business for the
piano.
"The piano business is undeniably sick and while
everybody has his own remedy the patient is steadily
on the decline and losing vitality," was his state-
ment. Hut while admitting that many had forsaken
the business for other lines, he assured his hearers
that he was thinking and talking pianos with his
old vigor.
The Piano's Claims.
He enumerated the claims of the piano as "the
basic musical instrument." a phrase he himself orig-
inated four years ago. He told of its standing as
an aid to culture and a medium for the study of
music and said if the fact he enumerated be based
on truth "the passing or even eclipsing of the piano
in publ c esteem and popularity must be a national
calamity."
Who's to Blame?
In citing causes Mr. Bayley said: "The manufac-
turers blame the merchants, the merchants blame
the manufacturers and both blame the public. The
manufacturers say that the merchants lay down on
the job, that if they would only get out and hustle
Jiat they could sell just as many pianos as formerly,
that they don't advertise enough or do so in the
wrong way.
"They say the merchants should hire better sales-
men and more of them. They blame the merchants
for inducing the public to buy playerpianos instead
of educating their children to play. They complain
of lack of cooperation in advertising and promotion
campaigns; of dishonest and delusive methods of
certain shyster dealers, thereby destroying public
confidence. One manufacturer has even suggested
that we destroy our second-hand trade-ins to provide
a greater market for new. It resembles a sand-lot
ball game, when the losing side ball each other out
for losing the game and then proceed to do so.
"We are a group of merchants here assembled, per-
haps we are to blame, perhaps we should hire more
and expensive salesmen. Our experience soon tells
us how strong to go on advertising. Why break up
good merchandise that can be sold at a greater profit
than new goods? I question, however, the justifica-
tion of the accusation that piano men are laying
down on the job.
Need for Something New.
"The public are very susceptible to the new, the
bizarre, the modern, and when it is sold on an idea
n will always pay the price. Merchandise must be
constantly changed and improved to maintain public
interest. The piano you are selling today has not
been improved the past fifty years nor has the price
been reduced one dollar. A prospect will look you
in the eye and with all sincerity tell you that her
grandmother's sixty-year-old piano has an even
better tone.
"The manufacturer will tell you that the piano has
been 'perfected,' and that it is manufactured as eco-
nomically as can be done. Perhaps he is right.
However, it appears rather preposterous that so
sensitive a product could have been conceived and
constructed in a state of 'perfection' at the very be-
ginning or just previous to this intensive and con-
stantly changing scientific manufacturing era.
"Styles and public tastes are constantly changing.
We are in age of syncopated music in which volume
The CABLE COMPANY
Makers of Grand, Upright
and Inner^Player Pianos,
including Conover, Cable,
Kingsbury, Wellington and
Euphona.
The Heppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules Piano
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos in the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented In the United States, (ireat Britain,
France, Germany and Canada.
Lloeral arrangements to responsible agents only.
Main Office. 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA. PA.
H. C. BAY COMPANY MEETING
ADJOURNED TO SEPT. 25
Labor Claims to Be Paid and Actual Figures for
Assets to Be Compiled by That Date.
Creditors of the K. C. Hay Piano Company of
Bluffton, Ind.. at a bankruptcy hearing in Chicago
last week before Referee Parkin, elected Fred C.
Hummel of Chicago, trustee and then adjourned
until September 25. Representatives of the company
stated they had paid $30,000, which represented half
the labor claims, and that it would be possible for
them to pay the rest of the amount due.
The board of directors of the firm, who were
present, are H. C. Bay, who owns 20 per cent of the
stock; M. J. Theisen, L. Brandt, \i. A. Erickson, K.
Hagland. Bay is also treasurer of the firm, which
was incorporated in 1911.
The liabilities are approximately $750,000. they told
Referee Parkin, and no actual figures for the assets
were set.
SAN FRANCISCO FIRM EXPANDS.
The (libson McConncll Co., San Francisco, which
recently moved from 315 Slitter street to upstairs
quarters at Post and Stockton streets, has taken
over additional space in the new location and is devot-
ing this to storage and repair purposes.
and rhythm predominate. While the musician still
recognizes the importance of the piano, it is now
relegated to a secondary position because it has not
changed and evolved with public demand so that
even such an artist as Paderewski finds a narrowing
circle of auditors.
ALWAYS
a product worthy of
"A Name Well Known Since
1875"
JESSE FRENCH & SONS PIANO CO.
Chicago
NEWCASTLE, INDIANA
Coin Operated and Selection Controlled Pianos
MECHANICALLY PERFECT
Music That Pays as It Plays
W E S T E R N ELECTRIC P I A N O CO., 832-850 Biackhawk St., Chicago, ID.
WHEN
IN
DOUBT
REFER
TO
Presto Buyers' Guide
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