Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SPECIALTY TALK5.
MR. BOOTHE—Lots of them. It isn't what
the pianos cost on your floor, or what it
costs to sell them alone that manufacturers
QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED BY THE " REVIEW " UPON THE. LIVE MATTERS OF THE DAY AND must take into consideration—it's June,
July and August—accidents that cause de-
ANSWERED BY LEADING MEN IN THE TRADE.
lay, and add unforeseen expense and
numerous other expensive contingencies.
The only man who is safe in estimating
cost, is the manufacturer who can figure a
hundred dollars gross margin on paper, but
T TNDER the above head THE REVIEW making the buying public believe that they
believes in but ten dollars net.
y^J proposes to give weekly the expressed are giving vastly superior goods to the
REVIEW—Can a manufacturer make and
views of some members of the trade upon other fellow, quality taken into considera-
matters which are of live interest.
It tion, at lower figures. The commercial sell pianos, selling for $100 or less, and
should be understood that the answers to piano, however, is a great, big, assured make any headway, unless he is manufac-
these inquiries will be published in every fact, and has come to stay—by the com- turing at least fifty pianos a week?
MR. BOOTHE—That's another question
instance without editorial criticism.
In mercial piano, understand, I do not mean,
other words, every "specialty talk" will strictly speaking, the cheap piano, but a that you asked before. I infer you want
fairly express the sentiment of the individ- piano sold strictly on its merit at a fair ad- to know if a good piano can be built under
a hundred dollars at a profit. 1 say again,
ual under whose name it appears, rather vance over cost.
than the editorial belief of THE REVIEW.
REVIEW—Mr. Boothe, to get right down no, not at a profit.
REVIEW—Mr. Boothe, some of the trade
There will be no distortion; no boiling to the discussion of solid matters, is the
down. The answers will be published with- hundred dollar piano profitable for those papers have accused you of manufacturing
what is known in trade vocabulary as
out change or comment, and in every case engaged in its manufacture?
"rattle boxes." What say you to this
the individuality of the one whose opinions
MR. BOOTHE—Have you ever heard of
are expressed will be preserved. We pro- anyone becoming a Jay Gould from the charge?
pose in this way to build one of the most profitsof | i o o pianos? No; then I haven't
MR. BOOTHE—What have I to say ? Well,
interesting features which a trade paper can either, and for the simplest of all reasons— really, you surprise me. I, accused of
offer to its readers. This week Mr. Bcoihe
making "rattle boxes" ? Those are things for
favors us with a talk.
babies, are they not? I'm not in the rattle
box business. I am making pianos—you
don't
see any sign over this door that indi-
REVIEW—Mr. Boothe, as your rise as a
cates
that this is a rattle box factory, do
manufacturer during the past three years
you?
However, if you mean that certain
of unusual business depression has been
papers
have said that we are slaughtering
somewhat phenomenal, your opinions re-
prices,
and
could not therefore make a reli-
garding present and future piano conditions
able article at the figures, then I have to
will be of interest to the readers of THE
say in answer, that every dealer in the
REVIEW. In the first place, Mr. Boothe, do
United States knows why any trade paper
you consider that the "cheap" piano has
attacks
a manufacturer, and attempts to in-
come to stay? In other words, do you not
jure
his
business by the publication of ma-
consider it an emergency piano?
licious statements. Further comment is
MR. BOOTHE—If you mean by "cheap''
superfluous.
pianos, the poorly constructed affairs made
REVIEW—What do you consider next year
to sell for five dollars less than the other
will
be the average price for an alleged
fellows, no, decidedly no. If, on the con
"rattle
box"?
What for a cheap piano?
trary, you mean a commercial piano that
what
for
a
medium
or a commercial instru-
will stand ordinary wear and tear, made to
ment?
sell solely on its merits without any charge
MR. BOOTHE—By "rattle boxes" I sup-
for name, I should say, yes.
pose
you mean pianos; well, for "rattle
REVIEW—Having once fairly bridged
boxes"
anything you can get. For commer-
over the hard times, do you not consider
cial
pianos,
anywhere from the lowest
WM.
F.
BOOTHE.
that the cheap piano will become both ad-
figure
to
$250;
for the medium, anywhere
to
make
pianos
profitable
at
this
figure
they
vanced in price and quality?
from the highest figure down to $250. I
would
have
to
be
constructed
in
much
larger
MR.'BOOTHE—Those cheap manufacturers
think that the average piano will retail from
who have managed to bridge over the quantities than any factory at present can
$275
to $350, on installments; any dealer
tight times will, if they remain in business, produce, and would have to be made up so
should
know therefore what he can afford
of necessity advance prices. In proof of cheaply that no dealer .would handle them.
to
pay
for
pianos. Pianos will never again
this statement, call to mind the manufactur- Mind you, I don't say that there are not
see
the
low
figures of the year past; the
ers who have failed this year from the mere good pianos made for $100, but those
good
times
for
the close buying dealer with
fact, as shown by their final statements, manufacturers who are offering a good
a
pocket
full
of
ten dollar bills and heart
that they were selling goods at less than piano at this figure, do so simply as a bid
full
of
gall,
is
a
thing
of the past.
cost; for instance, Keller, of Bridgeport, for their other styles on which perhaps
REVIEW—You have read, no doubt, of the
Prince & Son, Apollo piano, Shaeffer, they may clear some profit; but depend
Russell, Muehlfeld & Haynes, and others. upon it, the fellow who has not other styles agitation of the "$75 box." Do you con-
With very few exceptions have losses had to help out his $100 piano, must either lose sider that it exists to any appreciable ex-
anything to do with these failures' As to money or make a very poor affair, in order tent save in the minds of imaginative
editors?
quality, how can the cheap piano advance to show any profit at all.
MR. BOOTHE—There is a miniature piano
in quality, unless it advances in price?
REVIEW—In your opinion, can a manu-
made
for $75, I think by the firm of
facturer
sell
pianos
costing
$100
or
less
and
REVIEW—Do you consider that the cheap
. What you want to know is, if
make
headway?
piano will become merged in what we may
there
is
any regular 4ft. 6 piano being
MR.
BOOTHE—Have
answered
that
ques-
term the great,mass of commercial pianos?
made
at
this
figure. No, and every trade
tion
before.
No—decidedly
no.
MR. BOOTHE—I think you will find the
editor
who
says
so lies, and every dealer
REVIEW—Do
you
not
think
that
there
piano trade of the future about the same as
who
asks
for
them
is a fool. Friend Bill,
are
manufacturers
to-day
who
really
do
not
in the past—certain enterprising and ener-
let
me
tell
you
something
about the $75
know
the
actual
cost
of
a
piano?
getic manufacturers will always succeed in
Interview XIX.~Wm. F. Boothe.
J