Presto

June-July, 1936
L. P. BULL of the
STORY & CLARK PIANO CO.
PRESTO-TIMES
The President-Elect of the N. P. M. A. of A.
L. P. Bull of the Story & Clark Piano Co.
Mr. L. P. Bull, vice-president of the Story & Clark Piano Co., Chicago, who was elected President of tin-
National Piano Manufacturers Association of America, Inc., at the annual meeting ibis year, is a gentleman ot
notable characteristics: a man of rather few words and not given to superfluity in conversation or in speech,
traits which he admires in others and in persons who have an audience with him.
Mr. Hull's association with the Story & Clark Company came about in a somewhat peculiar way. In the
law linn of Bull, Lytton & Olson, Chicago, of which his father is the senior member and he was an asso-
ciate attorney, it fell to him to look after the Story & Clark account. This brought him into contact with
F. F. Story, president of the Story & Clark Piano Co. -Mr. Story, at that time, was on the lookout for the
right man for a division of the Story & Clark organization, so he proposed to Mr. Bull to take the job. This
was in 1926. Since that time he has advanced to the position of vice-president and general manager, and.
as Mr. Bull joyfully adds, of "capturing the prize of my l'fe, the daughter of my employer."
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Bull and their two children, two boys of eight and nine years, respectively, is
at (ilencoe, beautiful north shore suburb of Chicago.
It is a pleasant experience to have formed the acquaintance of this gentleman of culture, democratic
manner and refinement: courteous to all, and a personification of sincerity.
of them that have been sold and because of the gen-
eral interest they have excited and which has con-
tributed to the larger sale of the regular uprights and
grands.
Western Dealers Demand Quality
"There appears
to be an extremely favorable
market for small full scale uprights and small full
scale grands in the western states, but. frankly speak-
ing, they have to be good. The dealers out there are
critical and they expressed dissatisfaction with the
attitude some manufacturers now seem to be taking
that carelessness or lack of quality will be tolerated
President-Elect, National Piano Manufacturers Asso- if the piano is low in cost. They want good pianos
ciation of America, Inc.
and they want them to arrive well regulated and well
finished, and 1 think one of the reasons why Wur-
litzer piano sales are advancing so rapidly in the
western states is because we furnish that type of
Hugh Stewart, Vice-President of Wur- quality
and employ that type of inspection which in-
litzer Grand Piano Company Makes
sures satisfaction when the pianos arrive. Also, the
manner of seasoning and construction which Wur-
Interesting Comments Regarding
litzer uses seems to qualify them very favorably for
Piano Situation in the
the western climate. Everyone in the West appears
to be well pleased with Wurlitzer pianos.
Western States
Scale Comparisons
When Hugh Stewart, vice-president of the
"As to a comparison between grand and upright
Wurlitzer Grand Piano Company, returned on sales, I think uprights are a little ahead of grands or
this impression is gained because so many
I une 6 from a trip through the western states possibly
uprights are put out on rental. Actual sales to the
covering a period of sixty days, he said he had public other than through rental favors the grand, 1
a very enjoyable trip and a most encouraging one, believe, especially the small grand, or else we seem
to have a particularly satisfactory character of small
which is probably the reason he stayed out so grand. There is no diminishmeut in the affection in
long. "I did not see all our Western dealers," which the grand is held by the public, providing the
instrument is good enough as well as small enough to
meet the requirements of the average person. This
is likewise the field in which I was informed the most
favorable margin of profit is being made.
Vertical Type Comparisons
"In the new vertical field, 1 gained the impression
the Spinette type is arousing most interest. This
opinion may, of course, be influenced by the amount
of business Wurlitzer is receiving for their model. It
is quoted as possessing a very likable character of
tone, a satisfactory action response and, in addition,
a professional and artistic type of appearance instead
of the cumbersome, amateurish nature of designing
typical of many new vertical pianos to which reference
was made."
Mr. Stewart remarked that if the expectations
of the many dealers he talked with are realized
there will be a great attendance at the music
trades convention in July. He said that many
had expressed their intention to attend the Wur-
litzer luncheon to be given by the Wurlitzer-
Grand Piano Co. at the Stevens Hotel Tuesday
noon, July 28. Another interesting thing Mr.
Stewart mentions is the great Wurlitzer Piano
Ensemble concert at Indianapolis which, he says,
was listened to on the NBC hookup by about
every dealer he met and by every Wurlitzer
dealer so far as he was able to discover.
he said, but I saw a good many of them, and
those I missed I hope to call upon later."
"There may be some doubt as to the amount of in-
spiration I furnished piano dealers, but no question
exists as to the inspiration which they gave me. Our
records will show. I believe, that we are now doing
about four times as much piano business in the West
as we were a year ago, and as Wurlitzer always did
enjoy quite a large volume of piano business in the
western states, an advancement of this kind is natur-
ally of a nature most gratifying to us.
Exclusive Sales Agency
"Most all of our pianos are sold through one dealer
only in any trading area and we try to build our
dealer organization in such a way that very little in-
terference results. This has proved so practical and
so attractive to dealers themselves that if I were
to give you a list of our western dealers I think you
would get the impression there had come into exis-
tence some kind of a 'league of leading dealers,' all
handling the Wurlitzer, so prominent are the accounts
with which we deal. 1 feel very proud of all of
them, and the interest which they take in piano selling
is considerably beyond that which most people im-
agine.
Increasing Piano Interest
"However, this trip did indicate extensively in-
creasing piano interest. I did not hear as much about
ice boxes, radios, washing machines, sewing machines
and appliances as 1 have heard heretofore. I did
hear some very interesting phraseology to the effect
that while times have changed and conditions have
changed, the necessity of profit in business has not
changed and this is no doubt the reason why in
Western music stores the piano is now receiving so
much attention. This is also very likely the reason
why the Wurlitzer is receiving so much consideration.
Short Scale and Console Model Observation
"Short scale pianos—well, with respect to those
dealers upon whom I called, I did not hear much
interest manifested in little short scale pianos. I heard
a good many favorable comments on the 'new ver-
ticals,' as they are called, both because of the number
How a Great Music House Features a Glorious Piano
The illustration herewith is a view of a beautiful Louis XV Gulbransen grand in oyster shell white, re-
cently ordered by the Charles E. Wells Music Co., Denver, Colo., which instrument attracted much atten-
tion as it was shown in the display window of the Wells Company. Immediately upon arrival of the
piano, Mr. Wells wrote the
Gulbransen Company as fol-
lows :
"The Louis XV grand, in
oyster shell white, arrived to-
day, and is beautifully gracing
our front window. It is cer-
tainly a wonderful job. and I
sincerely congratulate all who
had part in bringing forth this
beautiful piano."
The Charles E. Wells Com-
pany is one of the great music
houses of this country, and
such a letter from the head of
so great and important a
house is a distinct tribute to
an instrument, and especially
to one that has been one of
the principal pianos of a great
piano selling enterprise like
the Charles E. Wells or-
ganization.
Louis XV Gulbransen on display in the show windows of the Chas. E. Wells
Music Co., Denver.
The Blanchard Music Shop, 175 East South street.
Schenck's Music House has engaged in business at
139 South Broadway, Los Angeles, Cal., under the Kalamazoo, Mich., has added several new lines to its
management of Mrs. Ida Schenck of 1509 Quintero musical instrument department, and has installed a
large display case for showing them to advantage.
street.
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/