Music Trade Review
Issue: 1917 Vol. 65 N. 17 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
11
Thn
HERE is no denying that wholesale business is active and
T
that most of the factories are behind in their orders. If it
were not for the probability of a partial embargo on the ship-
ment of non-essentials being proclaimed during the winter, there
would be not the slightest excuse for anything resembling
anxiety. The difficulties that have attended the supply of raw
material and special hardware are certainly no worse than they
were already some months ago, although this is not saying much.
Yet it is something to know that they are not any worse. Deal-
ers in general seem to have shown a fairly commendable eager-
ness to get their orders placed on time, and, from present appear-
ances, it seems safe to say that these dealers will not be de-
nied their due measure of business activity this winter. The
nation is rounding into shape nicely and the mass of the people
are gradually coming to realize that we are at war. The labor
market is in good condition for the worker, but in bad shape for
the employer. In other words, there is a shortage of skilled
labor and a consequent stiffening of the wage-rates. Of course,
prices of food, etc., warrant almost any rate of pay that the
workman can get, but the outlook for the manufacturer in our
business is not so pleasant as it might be in this respect, with
other costs rising all round. However, this much is sure: all the
wholesale player business the manufacturers can handle during
the coming months; and for the dealers an active market and
good sales.
that war-taxes are coming, we might as well make
N OW
up our minds to take our medicine and not make a wry
face. But the opportunity need not be missed, oh that account,
to put the retailing of player-pianos, anyhow, on a somewhat
healthier basis. The war is being made the excuse for all kinds
of price-boosting, except in the piano and player business, where
the motto is "prices never advance, they only recede." But
when the investment involved in buying a stock of player-pianos,
or even one. is compared with the cost to the dealer of an equal
number of equally good straight upright pianos, reflection cer-
tainly does induce the notion that the extra burdens imposed by
the war-revenue law and the extra cost of everything else con-
nected with selling should be made the excuse (if you will) for
a raise in retail player prices and terms. The purchasers of
player-pianos this winter are likely to be more prosperous than
they have ever been before. Why should they not share a little
in the burdens imposed on the merchant? Of course, one does
not want to frighten the buyers away, but then, so much that
is in vogue in this business of ours has literally been forced on
the retail consumer without his asking for it that there is neither
injustice nor danger in withholding some of the graft at this
time. We have become accustomed to go after the retail busi-
ness by constantly offering new baits to the prospect, baits
predicated on the notion that the thing to do is to depress the
price at all times and make the terms so easy that no one will
ever notice them. As a matter of fact, however, that system is
by this time known to be thoroughly unhealthy. The present
w r inter offers a chance for reform in this respect.
HE popularity of the straight foot-driven player-piano,
T
stripped to its bare essentials, is wonderfully reflected in the
present business condition of those manufacturers who specialize
on player actions made to meet the general commercial demand.
All the agitation of a few seasons ago for the. abolition of
this player in favor of one fitted with electric-driven bellows has
virtually subsided, and we find that the dealers are not worrying
about anything of that sort any longer. This is probably due,
in large part, to the separation of the player-pianos into two great
divisions, one of which is headed by the high-grade reproducing
piano. This type of instrument now stands in a class by itself
and there is really ceasing to be much place for the simple elec-
tric-driven player without reproducing equipment. The mass of
the people, of course, will not be able to purchase for their own
use the reproducing instruments of the leading types, owing to
their cost. Therefore the field of sales is likely to become more
and more divided between the straight foot-driven instrument
and the reproducer. One possible result of this will be to
bring about further development of the ordinary player-piano
in the way of expressive refinement. The commercial player-
piano, with the hand-played dance-music roll, does not really
need any particular sensitive control, and this type of in-
strument will probably continue to develop more and more
after a standardized pattern. But it is unthinkable that the pos-
sibilities of further refinement in personal control shall be per-
mitted to lapse from want of exploitation. It is unthinkable, in
view of the present state of the art, and considering the immense
amount of experimental work that has been done in the way of
improving expressive control, that the early ideals of the pioneers
shall not have yet due opportunity for realization. The first
notions of the piano player were notions of an instrument that
would allow you and me to play music expressively through
pneumatics and music roll. The pioneers of the commercially
developed player-piano looked to an instrument before which
the human owner was master and dictator. Their dreams have
not been commercially realized. Public apathy has mainly con-
tributed to the present state of the art, in which the personal
element has been as far as possible crowded out. But the con-
dition is not natural and sooner or later will be reversed.
A WINNER
: I , . : ! ! . . ! ! : . ! : , ! ! l l ! i : •'•
FROM A LINE OF WINNERS
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiitiiitii
This handsome, popular-priced player-roll and
sheet music cabinet is a shining example of
Salter Quality
SEND FOR CATALOG
SALTER MFG. CO.
VfcVfe. Capacity
over 80 player rolls.
339-349 N. Oaklev Boulevard
CHICAGO, ILL.
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
11
Thn
HERE is no denying that wholesale business is active and
T
that most of the factories are behind in their orders. If it
were not for the probability of a partial embargo on the ship-
ment of non-essentials being proclaimed during the winter, there
would be not the slightest excuse for anything resembling
anxiety. The difficulties that have attended the supply of raw
material and special hardware are certainly no worse than they
were already some months ago, although this is not saying much.
Yet it is something to know that they are not any worse. Deal-
ers in general seem to have shown a fairly commendable eager-
ness to get their orders placed on time, and, from present appear-
ances, it seems safe to say that these dealers will not be de-
nied their due measure of business activity this winter. The
nation is rounding into shape nicely and the mass of the people
are gradually coming to realize that we are at war. The labor
market is in good condition for the worker, but in bad shape for
the employer. In other words, there is a shortage of skilled
labor and a consequent stiffening of the wage-rates. Of course,
prices of food, etc., warrant almost any rate of pay that the
workman can get, but the outlook for the manufacturer in our
business is not so pleasant as it might be in this respect, with
other costs rising all round. However, this much is sure: all the
wholesale player business the manufacturers can handle during
the coming months; and for the dealers an active market and
good sales.
that war-taxes are coming, we might as well make
N OW
up our minds to take our medicine and not make a wry
face. But the opportunity need not be missed, oh that account,
to put the retailing of player-pianos, anyhow, on a somewhat
healthier basis. The war is being made the excuse for all kinds
of price-boosting, except in the piano and player business, where
the motto is "prices never advance, they only recede." But
when the investment involved in buying a stock of player-pianos,
or even one. is compared with the cost to the dealer of an equal
number of equally good straight upright pianos, reflection cer-
tainly does induce the notion that the extra burdens imposed by
the war-revenue law and the extra cost of everything else con-
nected with selling should be made the excuse (if you will) for
a raise in retail player prices and terms. The purchasers of
player-pianos this winter are likely to be more prosperous than
they have ever been before. Why should they not share a little
in the burdens imposed on the merchant? Of course, one does
not want to frighten the buyers away, but then, so much that
is in vogue in this business of ours has literally been forced on
the retail consumer without his asking for it that there is neither
injustice nor danger in withholding some of the graft at this
time. We have become accustomed to go after the retail busi-
ness by constantly offering new baits to the prospect, baits
predicated on the notion that the thing to do is to depress the
price at all times and make the terms so easy that no one will
ever notice them. As a matter of fact, however, that system is
by this time known to be thoroughly unhealthy. The present
w r inter offers a chance for reform in this respect.
HE popularity of the straight foot-driven player-piano,
T
stripped to its bare essentials, is wonderfully reflected in the
present business condition of those manufacturers who specialize
on player actions made to meet the general commercial demand.
All the agitation of a few seasons ago for the. abolition of
this player in favor of one fitted with electric-driven bellows has
virtually subsided, and we find that the dealers are not worrying
about anything of that sort any longer. This is probably due,
in large part, to the separation of the player-pianos into two great
divisions, one of which is headed by the high-grade reproducing
piano. This type of instrument now stands in a class by itself
and there is really ceasing to be much place for the simple elec-
tric-driven player without reproducing equipment. The mass of
the people, of course, will not be able to purchase for their own
use the reproducing instruments of the leading types, owing to
their cost. Therefore the field of sales is likely to become more
and more divided between the straight foot-driven instrument
and the reproducer. One possible result of this will be to
bring about further development of the ordinary player-piano
in the way of expressive refinement. The commercial player-
piano, with the hand-played dance-music roll, does not really
need any particular sensitive control, and this type of in-
strument will probably continue to develop more and more
after a standardized pattern. But it is unthinkable that the pos-
sibilities of further refinement in personal control shall be per-
mitted to lapse from want of exploitation. It is unthinkable, in
view of the present state of the art, and considering the immense
amount of experimental work that has been done in the way of
improving expressive control, that the early ideals of the pioneers
shall not have yet due opportunity for realization. The first
notions of the piano player were notions of an instrument that
would allow you and me to play music expressively through
pneumatics and music roll. The pioneers of the commercially
developed player-piano looked to an instrument before which
the human owner was master and dictator. Their dreams have
not been commercially realized. Public apathy has mainly con-
tributed to the present state of the art, in which the personal
element has been as far as possible crowded out. But the con-
dition is not natural and sooner or later will be reversed.
A WINNER
: I , . : ! ! . . ! ! : . ! : , ! ! l l ! i : •'•
FROM A LINE OF WINNERS
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiitiiitii
This handsome, popular-priced player-roll and
sheet music cabinet is a shining example of
Salter Quality
SEND FOR CATALOG
SALTER MFG. CO.
VfcVfe. Capacity
over 80 player rolls.
339-349 N. Oaklev Boulevard
CHICAGO, ILL.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).