Presto

Issue: 1940 2296

MESSAGE BY PRESIDENT FELDER
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC MERCHANTS
INCORPORATED
45 West 45th Street
New York, N. Y.
New Orleans, Louisiana
September 18, 1940
Dear Mr. Pengelly:
Paul S. Felder, President, NAMM
I should have addressed a message, through the Trade Journal, to the music mer-
chants long betore this, but my excuse is the first real vacation I have ever had, a
trip through the Canadian Rockies and the Pacific Coast, lasting six weeks and which
started August 3rd, from the Convention at Chicago.
I am very sensitive of the honor conferred on me in being named President of the
National Association of Music Merchants, Inc., and remembering the outstanding ac-
complishments of those immediately preceding me, I am somewhat overcome with the
difficulties in even attempting to measure up to the standards set, but shall do my best.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION — THE HUB OF COOPERATION
Never before in the history of our business is there so great a need for cooperation
as now. Organization is the cry all down the line and the saying "In Union There Is
Strength", was never more true than in 1940; so my first appeal is for the cooperation of
the music merchants to secure the organization which we need and the National Asso-
ciation should be the hub of this movement. I believe it to be the duty of every music
merchant, not only to join our Association, but also to give to it the benefit of his active
service, suggestions and ideas. Outstanding success, I am sure, would follow such co-
operation. We would, for instance, have the power to control to a great extent the correct
ethics of our great business and get relief much more quickly from many of the evils,
from which we from time to time now suffer. The proper education of the consumer
to the truth in advertising and clear information about products sold—anyone of these
subjects are food for thought, and long and interesting articles could be written about
such subjects, but my first cry is, "music merchants, lend us your help, join with us in
making our business better, become a member of the Association, and fight the battles
which may be ahead of us."
OUTLOOK IS BRIGHT
The immediate future seems, and I believe it to be, very encouraging, for nowhere
have I met with any dealer but who is doing a better and more profitable business; so the
outlook is bright and the GO signal is everywhere.
THE ART OF SALESMANSHIP
It is quite refreshing to look back on my trip to California. My own State of
Louisiana, known as the Bayou State, boasts of good fishing and I thought we had sold
the idea pretty generally, but some music merchants in California soon had me believ-
ing that I did not know what a fish looked like, so they took me on a mountain trip for
Rainbow, Brook and various other members of the trout family. .The place was Feather
River, quite an intriguing name, but to my surprise, a treacherous and rocky stream. . I was
shoved in the feathers, walked over boulders, climbed precipices, and when the day was
done, the total catch was a few tiny minnows that we use for bait in Louisiana. .Yet those
Californians sold me then, and I am still sold on the wonders of the great State. Sales-
manship is truly a great art and we music merchants really have it—we even sell each other.
In conclusion, I again desire to assure all my friends and associates in this great busi-
ness of ours of my sincere wish to accomplish something for the advancement of our in-
terest, but I really need your help. So join with us and give us the benefit of your mem-
bership and advice. Just drop me a little personal note yourself.
Yours Sincerely,
Paul S. Felder.
PAGE SIX
PRESTO MUSIC TIMES
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/
REGENCY
, . leading a style trend!
Here's a radio-phonograph of distinctive beauty in authentic
Regency styling to tie-in with the current popularity of America's
newest home decorating trend — with the cabinet features in demand
. . . completely concealed speaker grill, non-obstructive doors, perma-
nent top for decorative accessories, and record storage space!
It is but one of 16 magnificent traditional furniture models from
$89.50 to $460 . . . each a matchless value in its price class . . . with
engineering innovations that make this season's Magnavox line even
more outstanding—
• Distortionless wide range reproduction . . . possible only with the
new Magnavox Duosonic speakers.
• New deluxe 15-record (intermixing) changer.
• Low pressure jeweled permanent-needle pickups for long record
life and noiseless reproduction.
• Frequency Modulation at its best . . . as optional equipment.
• Recording with truly professional quality . . . also optional.
No other line is so thoroughly stamped with quality and beauty
through-and-through.
You need this line to corner the quality
business in your community.
Magnavox direct-to-dealer franchises
open in many cities for qualifying
merchants. Write for full details!
MA
mm—
y^he K^Jlaesi \llame in cJ\aa\o.
T;HE M A G N A V O X
COMPANY,
INC., FORT WAYNF,
INDIANA
MUSIC AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE FOR GOOD WILL
Perhaps the greatest single achievement of the past summer's
musical enterprise has been the expansion of our artist endeavors
to include the Latin-American continent. Time and again our
government has made gestures southward, fondly designed to be
friendly, and our press and radio have seconded the overtures with
almost hysterical enthusiasm. Yet, South America has remained
coy, wondering, mayhap, if stay-at-homes had begun to imitate
the actions of some of our traveling salesmen who conceal in the
glad hand a blank check ready for signature. To the South Amer-
icans our protestations probably seemed to have carried a bom-
bastic, if not a hollow, ring at times.
Then an envoy on which our government officials had not even
reckoned stepped forward. Music, highly esteemed on both con-
tinents, has cemented the bonds, and Toscanini has become the
liason officer between these peacetime allies. Never has art or
artist been used to better purpose. For Mr. Toscanini is not only
considred by South America as the world's finest'conductor but
also as that continent's own particular "find". For, fifty-four
years ago in io de Janeiro, did not a South American audience
start him on his career? Moreover, the feel that here in the
United States is showing no condescension. On the contrary, in
sending them our cultural best, we pay them the subtle compliment
of implying that this, and this alone, can satisfy their exacting-
artistic demands.
The music the NBC orchestra played—our common heritage
from European masters—and the conductor who led it—product
of Europe, but with loyalty resting wholly in the United States—
has won more respect and sympathy from our southern neighbors
than dozens of conventions and hours of official speechifying.
OCTOBER, 1940
THE NEW MAGNAVOX REGENCY CONSOLE
12 watt foreign and domestic radio with every advanced engineering
•feature . . . 15-record automatic changer with permanent sapphire
needle. Either professional type Home Recorder or Magnavox perfected
Frequency Modulation Receiver optional as additional equipment.
INCREASED FOREIGN TRADE IN MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS TURING LAST SIX
MONTHS
According to official statistics exports of American musical
instruments in the last six months of 1939 have not only substan-
tially increased over those for the same half year of 1938, but in
several important respects many items have secured a considerable
readjustment in distribution, several foreign countries greatly in-
creasing their demand in the last six months of 1939. The total
exports during this period, including sheet music, were $1,496,572.
It is interesting to note that in the month of January, 1940, alone
the total was $212,082. A very significant item for the period is
found in exports of coin-operated phonographs, totaling $382,-
034—an item practically negligible prior to this period. This is
accounted for by sales to troops engaged in war because these in-
struments can be readily transported from camp to camp.
Following are the exports in detail for the last half of 1939:
Band instruments
$ 18,045
Brass-wind instruments
46,009
Coin-operated phonographs
382,034
Other phonographs
104,020
Phonograph records
266,981
Pianos (new)
128,000
Pianos (used)
123,552
Pipe Organs
27,206
Other organs
62,009
Parts and accessories
215,827
Sheet Music
109,767
String instruments
76,113
Other musical instruments
14,036
Wood-wind instruments
50,194
PAGE SEVEN"
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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