Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1929 2215

January 12, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
Announcing a New Grand
Heppdwhite
The New Packard Grand —
Heppelwhite Model, Style R
4 it. 7 in. long. Mahogany-
jbCUWS
Bench, to match.
..Xacked by aTiealSalesVIanj
1929 is the year of opportunity for Packard dealers. The Packard organization, old
in reputation but youthful in spirit, has kept in contact with dealers' problems in a
way that is enabling Packard to produce new designs in Packard instruments that
will sell most readily and to supply the selling assistance dealers need.
1 he Heppelwhite Grand shown at the rife,ht is the newest Packard value—a splendid
instrument in an exquisite case at a surprisingly low price. It's true Packard quality
in every line with the rich full rounded tone Packard Grands are noted for. Get the
Packard plan behind you—get Packard values on your floors. Write us now!
THE PACKARD PIANO COMPANY
3335 Packard Avenue
Fort Wayne, Indiana
sorbing pictures of floating palaces, descriptions of
then, look at it so, and realize that if the automobile
historic scenes in faraway lands and with special rates dealer, the ticket agent for the steamship company,
may be set down as another active and successful the radio dealer, and even the bootlegger, are com-
competitor of the piano man.
petitors, so are the piano dealers competitors of all
the others. And the piano dealer will usually have all
No, No, This Can't Be True!
It may seem ; t reflection on the dignity of the the best of it, for his line represents every advantage
piano to say that another competitor of the piano and mine of the distractions or even sometimes de-
They Are Plenty Today and All About Him, dealer is the bootlegger, but one veteran salesman leterious elements of the others.
in Chicago attributes the falling off in the number
but the People Who Want Pianos Can-
(if his piano customers for the past few years to the
not Be Turned Aside by Any
misdirection of much good money for questionable
AMPICO IN FLOAT.
drinks.
Distractions.
There was a rodeo held in Baxter Springs, Kans.,
But don't let it worry you too much, for it is also receiuly, in which J. W. Grantham Music Shop, local
The piano prospects always exist, but the dealer reported that some of the most elaborate pianos have representative of the American Piano Company, par-
and his salesmen must be persistent in their discovery. recently been bought by "bootleggers," and if the ticipated. Mr. Grantham prepared a very elaborate
Conditions have changed considerably in the piano new millionaires are to come from that class new and ingenious float, representing a Knabe Ampico,
business within recent years, and a most remarkable possibilities again loom. But that is, of : course, not which was the feature of the entire parade. Mr.
phase of the change is that involving competition said quite seriously. It will always rema n that the Grantham reports that as a result there are many
in a broader sense than formerly. There is a thrill piano man's competition is "plenty," but it will also more people in Baxter Springs and vicinity who have
in the memories of the old days of piano trade always be that selling pianos is a man's business. It an idea of what the Ampico is and some of these are
belligerency when friendships among dealers waned will continue to be a good business for good busi- such live prospects that he hopes to close a few sales
and personalities took the place of piano argument. ness men, and good salesmen will never lack for good within the near future. Mr. Grantham is one of the
The piano dealer's competitors are more numerous results.
most successful representatives of the American
than ever, but they are outside of the trade. Today
If competition is the life of trade, then there is Piano Company's line and has a long record of fine
there is a greater range exerted by the word compe- little cause for complaint along that line. Why not. piano sales to his credit.
tition. It is the result of the vastly wider readies
of music and the means of its expression.
Every man who sells anything that conduces to
the comforts or luxuries of life is now a competitor
of the piano dealer. Most in evidence just now is
the automobile dealer and whether he sells a cheap
car or an expensive one, he irritates the piano man
to a very considerable extent. A lot of piano money
goes into automobiles, but there are other agencies to
exasperate piano men. One dealer, in a small mid-
west city, states that for the past two years the
furrier has intercepted much of t'.ie money that under
more fortunate circumstances should come into his
own cash drawer. The price of a fine fur coat equals
that of a fine grand piano, and the installment plan
of purchase, which is such a boon to the piano cus-
tomer, is equally avaMable to the customer of the
furriers.
New Living Conditions.
Tn former days when the living habits of people
were simpler the fine piano of the average family
was a matter of great pride. But with the average
family today the thought of the piano is secondary
to the desire to live in a showy apartment w r here
very often there is no room for the piano, or where
it is excluded because it does not harmonize with
the furnishing or decorative scheme. So the piano
dealer counts the house renting agent among his
competitors.
The credit and sales department in a Ciicago
reta'l music house, which depends considerably on
the activities of outside sale men, consider people
who are paying for a home a more desirable credit
class than the people who rent apartments. But
of course in both cases circumstances affect the view.
In the apartments are many fine p'ano customers,
and sure payers, and all the ambitious home buyers
are not prompt to fulfill their easy installment obli-
gations.
The Travel Bug
The Christmas window in the Wilking Music Co.'s store. 120 East Ohio street, Indianapolis, was as deco-
Today a great d : strac'.ion which takes millions of
rative as it was constructive of the piano buying thought. The central objects were the items making up a
dollars away from the music trade is the European Jesse French & Sons Piano Co.'s ensemble, consisting of a Jesse French & Son grand piano, bench, lamp,
trip. So the steamship agent who allures with ab- chair and music cabinet.
PIANO DEALER AND
HIS COMPETITORS
JESSE FRENCH IN SHOW WINDOW
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).
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January 12, 1929
P R E S T 0-TI M E S
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION
OF STRAUBE RADIOS
New Activity of the Straube Piano Company,
Hammond, Ind., to Be Extended Soon,
According to Statement This Week.
Although it has been known to quite a few deal-
ers in the trade for some months that the Straube
Piano Company, Hammond, Ind., bad begun the
manufacture of Straube radio receiving sets, the fact
had not been officially announced. This week, how-
ever, the company stated that it will be ready in a
short time for general distribution of its radio mod-
els. Dealers who so desire will be supplied with
descriptive literature as soon as it is off the press.
In enlarging" its radio activities there is the as-
surance that the Straube Piano Company will follow
the same merchandising policies that have contrib-
uted so largely to the success of the Straube piano.
And, of course, the merits of the sets will be of a
kind to assure for them a prominent place in the
radio field, thus enabling Straube radio representa-
tives to take a strong competitive position.
A CALIFORNIA COMBINE.
Bernard S. (ioldsmith. for the past twenty years
owner and manager of the Oakland Phonograph Co..
and Edgar J. Jessen, owner of the California Phono-
graph Co., of Oakland, Calif., have combined their
businesses, formed a partnership, and will continue
as the Oakland Music Co., with headquarters at 1436
San Pueblo avenue. The company will specialize in
phonograph records and radio receivers.
A CORRECTION
An article about the W. L. Pace Piano Co., Hous-
ton, Tex., printed in Presto-Times of December 28,
possibly conveyed erroneous impressions to some
readers outside of the city named. The statement
made by our correspondent that the company is
"rated as the largest wholesale and retail distribu-
tor of pianos in the South, with branches in twenty
states," is not correct. The W. L. Pace Piano Co
has retail stores only in Houston and Beaumont.
Charles A. Pace, son of W. L. Pace, founder of
the business, is the active manager of the Houston
store, and V. W. Anderson is sales manager. The
admirable line of pianos handled includes the Sohmer.
Conover, Cable, Melville Clark, Everett, Cable-Nel-
son, Ivers & Pond, Kingsbury and Stodart.
A KIESELHORST TIE=UP
A unique tie-up will be that of the Kieselhorst
Company, of St. Louis, which is preparing to cele-
brate fifty years in the music business with one of
its leading lines—the Gulbransen, which celebrated its
Golden Jubilee also during the present year. There
are few names in the music business that have rec-
ords of constructive business and dependable service
to the public back of them, to the extent enjoyed by
the Kieselhorst Company. The name "Kieselhorst"
in the music business stands for correct business prin-
ciples, for a square deal and for keeping faith with
the public.
LESTER FOR BIG HOTEL.
A Lester grand piano made by the Lester Piano
Co., Philadelphia, is one of the most appreciated
objects in the new Pere Marquette Hotel, Peoria,
111. The hotel is one of the finest and most complete
in the Middle West, and the satisfaction of the man-
agement with the fine Lester piano is pleasing to the
Charles C. Adams Co., Peoria dealers who supplied
the piano to the Pere Marquette Hotel. The progres-
sive house named makes a continuous drive to install
fine pianos in prominent institutions in the commu-
nity. Five pianos for the Elks Lodge and Union
Club of Peoria were recently announced by the active
dealers.
HYMAN STEIN MADE MANAGER.
Hyman Stein, formerly manager of the radio de-
partment of the Wolfe Music Co., is now radio man-
ager of the Starr Piano Co., Cleveland. He succeeds
Charles Corbett, resigned. The company is doing an
increasingly large business in radio through the use
of placing standard sets in cabinets of their own man-
ufacture. The piano department reports considerable
interest in studio pianos and a number of orders
were secured for grands for Christmas.
LATE MUSIC TRADE
NEWS OF COLORADO
Business in Denver Continues Good Since
Close of Holiday Period—Sugar Crop
Money Helps Music Goods Sales.
Business is holding up well in the Denver district
following the big holiday business. The outlook
for the coming year is extremely bright, due to the
general business conditions, which are good in this
part of the country. Final payment of $9,305,900 on
the 1928 sugar beet crop was made recently by the
Great Western Sugar Company to farmers in this
section. It brought out nearly 24 million dollars, the
total amount paid growers in Colorado, Nebraska,
Montana and Wyoming in a period of two months.
Of this sum approximately \4 l /> millions was received
by Colorado farmers. The total Colorado farm crop
of 1928 is valued at 118 million dollars. This money
is being placed in circulation, and as a result ail
lines of business is being benefited. Musical instru-
ment merchants of Denver predict a good business
year ahead and they are making their plans ac-
cordingly.
E. P. Hagemeyer Resigns.
E. P. Hagermeyer resigned his position as head
of the radio department of the Baldwin Piano Com-
pany, Denver, to accept a position at the Baldwin
factory. He has been succeeded by C. M. Pettit, who
has been identified with the piano and radio industry
in Denver for a number of years and he is well and
favorably known, having made Denver his home
almost since childhood.
The R. W. Hunter Piano Company of Durango,
Colo., recently used one of its ads in its local paper
relative to mail order business, which said:
"W T e sell you a piano, of same quality as sold by
mail order houses, for a lower price; or we will sell
you a better piano for the price they ask. A used
piano of standard make is a better buy than a new
mail order piano; no exceptions to this rule. The
descriptions and 'selling talk' of the mail order cata-
logues are full of bare-faced falsehoods; they say
'the dealer does not allow you anything for your old
piano—he simply adds that much to the price of his
new piano.' This is false."
DOES IT MEAN
ANYTHING TO YOU
To be able to obtain all of your repair materials, tools and supplies from
one source, on one order, in one shipment?
MUSIC WIRE—We are Sole Agents for the celebrated Felten & Guilleaume and also Moritz
Poehlmann Imported Steel Music Wire, world renowned for tonal qualities—put up especially in
}4-lb f coils for repair purposes, also in 1-lb. and 5-lb. coils.
TUNING PINS—Genuine Fly Brand Pins—guaranteed absolutely uniform in size and perfectly
round.
TOOLS for TUNING, REGULATING and REPAIRING
ESTABLISHED SINCE 1848—Means a Lot to People Who Want A-l Products—One Kind of Prices and
Dependable Service.
To Dealers and Tuners—
We have a separate department devoted exclusively to taking care of your special needs of all supplies for
tuning, regulating and repairing. Mail orders are given prompt attention.
AMERICAN PIANO SUPPLY CO.
Division of
HAMMACHER, SCHLEMMER & CO.
104-106 East 13th St.
New York, N. Y.
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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