Presto

October, 1930
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The American Music Trade Journal
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Editor
PRESTO PUBLISHING CO.
Publishers
417 So. Dearborn St.
Chicago, 111.
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ers or dealers such items will appear the issue following.
CHICAGO, OCTOBER, 1930
The points that Otto B. Heaton of Columbus, O.,
stresses today for betterment of music trade condi-
tions are proposed legislation making it possible for
boards of education to teach instrumental as well as
vocal music in the public schools, methods of securing
business during the present depression, advantages of
association membership, closer co-operation between
piano dealers to secure a larger share of the highly
competitive dollar, and the more optimistic attitude
toward the salability of pianos and all musical instru-
ments. He says he is firmly convinced that until the
music merchants of the country do more "footwork"
and look with more favor upon their vocation, their
business will show no improvement.
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In a brief call upon John J. Glynn a few days ago
at the great piano store of Mathushek & Son, 37
West 37th street. New York, which he has managed
for many years, that conservative but far-seeing and
well-posted gentleman remarked to a Presto-Times
correspondent, "really and truly, business is improv-
ing." These impressive words, quoted in another part
of this paper, expressed a truth, now admitted by
many throughout the length and breadth of the land,
that the piano business is getting back where it ought
to te—getting back where it belongs, as the leading
line in the music trade.
* * * *
The above reference by Mr. Glynn to improvement
in business is proved by conditions that obtain just
now at the RCA-Victor plants in Camden, N. J.,
where 4,600 radio sets a day are being turned out,
with reports that in a few weeks maximum produc-
tion of 9.C00 sets a day will be reached, at which
time 3,CC0 employes will be added to the payroll,
according to reports The Camden plants are em-
ploying 22,000 persons, of whom 17,000 are engaged in
the manufacturing end.
* * * *
The radio seems to be having a fortunate lot of
"godsends" in different places. Radio equipment in
autos is one of the fortunate "godsends."
Speaking of godsends, the Capehart Corporation
of Fort Wayne, Ind., by its up-to-the-hour manufac-
tures, seems to fit in anywhere and everywhere.
H. E. Capehart and his inventing and producing de-
partments only accept the godsend as an idea for
inspiration coming down from heaven, and from that
time on it becomes a man-send. Nothing at Cape-
hart's is left to string along of its own momentum,
but every idea is pushed into practical utility. A
Capehart instrument does not walk into a hall, an ice-
cream resort, a hotel or a restaurant of its own accord.
Its presence there indicates that somebody knocked on
the door and introduced it and then had it carried in.
The instrument was good, but it required a plus.—
namely, plus salesmanship, to place it on the pedestal
of performance. These are the distinct causes that
are contributing to the remarkable growth of the
Capehart industry and the popularity of its products.
* * * *
TRADE IS RETURNING
Although some of the piano manufacturers are doing a good deal of complaining about
hard times, the piano business is better off than many other lines of industry at present.
There is hardly a line of business that has not felt the effect of the one-year's depression,
and many of them in their net results for the fiscal year show positive losses. Among the
lines affected were schools, theaters, the movies, musicians, radio, real estate and the build-
ing interests. The Shubert Theater Corporation for the year ended June 30 reports net loss
of $1,231,108, against net income of $1,076,377, or $5.33 a share on 201.975 shares outstand-
ing in the preceding year. Some of the manufacturers of big organs, like those used in the
"movie" houses, have been hit much harder than the piano concerns. Under the adverse in-
fluence of the business recession, the White Sewing Machine Co. reported a deficit of 90
cents a common share in the first half of 1930, against a loss of 20 cents in the correspond-
ing 1929 period. Companies omitting dividends last month included the CeCo Manufacturing
Co., the Eisler Electric Corporation and Southwest Dairy Products. All these businesses have
noted a turn for the better, and the piano trade is increasing right along, as has been verified
by the calls made by a Presto-Times representative upon seven or eight of the leading piano
manufacturing firms in the United States. None of them report very big orders, but all
report an increase of small orders and the travelers say that stocks of pianos are low in most
of the stores.
* * * *
PHONOGRAPH BUSINESS IS MUCH ALIVE
Recent reports of increasing profits made in the phonograph and record business in Eng-
land go to give indisputable proof that the phonograph is a very live instrument in that coun-
try. Over there the machine is known as the gramophone. Lord Marks, chairman of Colum-
bia Graphophone, Ltd., stated at the annual meeting of shareholders in London last month
that the profits for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930. were £580,158, as against £505,120 in
the preceding year. Sales of the combination gramophone and radio receiver by the cor-
poration have exceeded manufacturing capacity. New models are now being placed on the
market. In the United States, too, where some short-sighted and misinformed persons were
willing a year ago to cry down the phonograph as passe, this music producer is very much
alive and trade in it and the records which it requires is growing by leaps and bounds.
This activity in the sale of records has received a strong push ahead by means of the Cape-
hart mechanism in use throughout the nation, and of other automatic phonograph manufac-
turers, whereby the records are set and changed automatically. This is an age of automatics
and to serve it according to its imperious demands the manufacturer must produce the easiest
and quickest way to get results, but the results must be critically satisfactory. It was a
close, scientific study of these critical requirements of the new generation of people that
has led the engineering departments of this line of instruments to perfect the present self-
acting combination mechanism for the acceleration of the sale of records and phonographs.
* * * *
THE SWING OF PIANO TRADE
The few failures in the piano business during the last twelve months seem to have been
the logical results of cause and effect; for business, like the planets, moves in intricate
but ascertainable orbits. Planetary movements represent the spontaneous operations of na-
ture, as anyone can see who visits the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, while business, on the
other hand, may be swept under by a combination of probabilities, although some firms have
small excuse for failing. It has always been Presto-Times' policy not to print much about
failures in the trade, as such news is of little tangible good. This trade paper is not looking
A NEW APOLLO GRAND DISPLAY.
mournfully into the past, but its hat is in the ring for more sales of good pianos. It believes
In the window of the Wilking Music Co., Indianap-
that it is the prerogative of all genuine impulse to quicken a common movement, and that
olis, Ind.. an Apollo grand style 20 is on display, which
is a decided departure from the usual style of grand
success in one field rouses to effort in every other. Bringing the piano into wider public no-
pianos in that it has a square end and built in two tice and use, is an eager and stimulating conflict.
sections. The legs and pedal lyre are built in one
* * * *
piece and are trimmed in solid ebony. The body of
the instrument is covered with exquisite black walnut
veneer and Duco finished. All veneer runs parallel,
and the bench is followed in detail and of same veneer.
The legs are of solid walnut and hand turned,
trimmed like the body of the instrument in solid
ebony. One of the features of this instrument is that
all veneer is carefully matched. The keys are heavy
beveled ivory. The instrument in itself is a work
of art.
TRADE PAPER NEWS
Presto-Times is alert to give news about men and measures in the music industry and
trade, and its reporters are noted for "a nose for news," but it discriminates sharply be-
tween news that pulls down and the sort of reports that build up. Losses, failures, fires,
assignments and pessimistic remarks get but a minim of space in this publication compared
to go-ahead news or matters indicating progress. This is an old policy Avith this paper, hav-
ing been followed out consistently throughout its many years of existence.
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