Music Trade Review
Issue: 1921 Vol. 73 N. 25 - Page 4
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
T. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., N«w York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J- B. SP1IXANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff
REVIEW
DECEMBER 17, 1921
machines increased over 800 per cent in a period of seven or eight
years, piano production remained practically stationary. This fact
is deeply significant, for, although the cost of good pianos may be
calculated to place them beyond the reach of the class of buyers
of the cheaper styles of talking machines, there should be a sufficient
development of interest in pianos and players, if only in proportion
to the increase in population, to warrant greater demand and con-
sequently greater production. If we step into the automobile field
we will find that automobile production up to this year increased
by leaps and bounds, and cars are not usually purchased by the poor.
The question of increased production is a vital one to all
divisions of the trade. If the retailer is willing to accept a smaller
profit per instrument or cut down selling costs for the sake of realiij-Ki
ing greater ultimate profits on increased sales volume, the manu-
facturer will in turn be able to operate his plant efficiently, cut down
the overhead and order from the supply man in advance and in
sufficient quantities to win price concessions.
£DWARD VAN HABLINGEN, V. D. WALSH. £ . B. MUNCH, LEE ROBINSON, C. R. TIGHE,
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINOWILL, THOS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN.
W E S T E R N DIVISION:
BOSTON OFFICE:
Republic Bldg., 209 So. State St., Chicago.
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Wabash 5242-5243.
Telephone, Main 6950.
LONDON, E N G L A N D : 1 Gresham Buildings, BasingbaU St., D. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS S U P P L I E D WEEKLY BY OCB CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED I N T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at tecond-clatt
matter September 10, 1892, at the pott office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION
(including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $6.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $150.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
Player-Piano and
ICCnOlCal U e p a r i m e i l l S
are
dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
concerning
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Fris
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal
Charleston Exposition. 1902
Diploma...,.Pan-American
Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE
Vol. LXX1II
TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5882—5988 MADISON
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: "Elbill, New York"
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 17, 1921
SQ.
No. 25
MODERN MERCHANDISING IDEAS
EVERAL piano retailers in various sections of the country have
proven that it is possible not only to sell pianos without throwing
in several dollars' worth of accessories, but actually to make the
purchaser pay the freight and delivery charges from the factory. In
other words, they have proven that it is possible to sell pianos
f. o. b. factory.
In the face of this we still find music merchants either so mis-
trustful of their selling ability or afraid of competition that "they
have gotten back to the old basis of practically furnishing the music
room for every piano purchaser. An experienced retailer who has
adopted new methods declares that the solution of the selling problem
is not giving away expensive benches, rolls and scarfs with instru-
ments, but rather of taking from the list price of the instrument
the cost of these articles. This method gives the customer something
tangible upon which to base his calculation. If the total amount is
$20, then he feels that he has saved $20, and is not very liable to
offer an argument against the benches and the rolls.
Some years ago the average piano merchant who insisted on
the "throw-in" plan argued that it had always been done and that
he couldn't go against precedent. Following the experience of the
past several years that argument does not hold water. The piano
merchant has had a new deal. If he is wise he will take advantage
of it.
S
THE NEED FOR GREATER PRODUCTION
ICHARD W. LAWRENCE, in an interview in The Review
last week, hit the nail on the head when he declared that what
was needed in the piano trade was more production, not simply with
the idea of building up production figures for the gratification of
the trade, but for the very practical purpose of reducing manu-
facturing and selling costs and putting pianos and player-pianos in
a price position where they will appeal to new and larger classes of
prospective buyers.
The significant fact is that, although the production of talking
R
BROADENING THE TRAVELERS' ASSOCIATION
T
H E suggestion made by Alex. S. Shoninger, president of the
National Piano Travelers' Association, in a recent speech in
Chicago, and again in a special article in The Review this week, to
the effect that the scope of the Travelers' Association be broadened
to make eligible to membership in that organization all wholesale
travelers in the music industry, regardless of whether they sell pianos
alone or whether they sell supplies, music rolls or any other musical
goods, will certainly be received with much interest by members
of the traveling fraternity.
The idea, which may be said to have been officially crystallized
by Mr. Shoninger, is not exactly a new one, for it has been tentatively
suggested on previous occasions that the Association be enlarged
to take in other groups of trade travelers, although it must be ad-
mitted that much opposition quickly developed among the conserva-
tive element of the Association against the move.
The situation in the music industry is much different than it
was when the Travelers' Association was first formed. Then each
trade division had its own association and was in almost every
sense distinct and apart. The piano manufacturers kept more or
less to themselves, so did the piano merchants and later the music
roll men. Now, however, we have the Chamber of Commerce, which
has brought together all these various interests, and we have the
Merchants' Association accepting as members all legitimate retailers
of musical goods, whether they handle pianos, talking machines,
musical merchandise or sheet music.
Some charter members of the Travelers' Association have re-
cently been quite emphatic in their opposition to any change in the
original by-laws of the Association that would let down the bars.
But the times have changed. It is not a question of this or that trade
but rather of the music industry, and it seems reasonable to assume
that the Travelers' Association should keep step with the procession.
Certainly President Shoninger's ideas should receive the earnest
consideration of those who are interested, both in the Travelers'
Association and in the welfare of the industry as a whole.
THE DEMAND FOR SMALL GRANDS
T
HE steady and increasing demand for small grand pianos may
almost be said to offer one of the puzzles of the trade just at pres-
ent, for in the face of general conditions that, although improving, are
far from normal, and of a trade situation that is encouraging rather
than good, the factories and factory departments specializing upon
grands have been hard put to meet demands and have in many cases
been forced to run on an overtime basis and to apportion available
stock. It has been estimated that 25 per cent of the piano output to-
day represents grand pianos, but it would seem from experience as
though that estimate was really most conservative. When piano
houses plead for small grands to be shipped one at a time by
express and have to use the telegraph continually in order to keep any-
where near up to the demand the situation is one that is worthy
of interest. The small grand, though it gives excellent value, is not
from a dollars-and-cents standpoint a cheap product, that is, cheap
in the sense of being within the reach of the majority of buyers. The
strong appeal of the small grand, therefore, to those in a position
to buy such an instrument reflects most emphatically the success of
the efforts of the manufacturers and retailers in educating the public
to the small grand idea. It is an educational campaign that has paid.
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
T. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., N«w York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J- B. SP1IXANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff
REVIEW
DECEMBER 17, 1921
machines increased over 800 per cent in a period of seven or eight
years, piano production remained practically stationary. This fact
is deeply significant, for, although the cost of good pianos may be
calculated to place them beyond the reach of the class of buyers
of the cheaper styles of talking machines, there should be a sufficient
development of interest in pianos and players, if only in proportion
to the increase in population, to warrant greater demand and con-
sequently greater production. If we step into the automobile field
we will find that automobile production up to this year increased
by leaps and bounds, and cars are not usually purchased by the poor.
The question of increased production is a vital one to all
divisions of the trade. If the retailer is willing to accept a smaller
profit per instrument or cut down selling costs for the sake of realiij-Ki
ing greater ultimate profits on increased sales volume, the manu-
facturer will in turn be able to operate his plant efficiently, cut down
the overhead and order from the supply man in advance and in
sufficient quantities to win price concessions.
£DWARD VAN HABLINGEN, V. D. WALSH. £ . B. MUNCH, LEE ROBINSON, C. R. TIGHE,
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINOWILL, THOS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN.
W E S T E R N DIVISION:
BOSTON OFFICE:
Republic Bldg., 209 So. State St., Chicago.
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Wabash 5242-5243.
Telephone, Main 6950.
LONDON, E N G L A N D : 1 Gresham Buildings, BasingbaU St., D. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS S U P P L I E D WEEKLY BY OCB CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED I N T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at tecond-clatt
matter September 10, 1892, at the pott office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION
(including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $6.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $150.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
Player-Piano and
ICCnOlCal U e p a r i m e i l l S
are
dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
concerning
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Fris
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal
Charleston Exposition. 1902
Diploma...,.Pan-American
Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE
Vol. LXX1II
TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5882—5988 MADISON
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: "Elbill, New York"
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 17, 1921
SQ.
No. 25
MODERN MERCHANDISING IDEAS
EVERAL piano retailers in various sections of the country have
proven that it is possible not only to sell pianos without throwing
in several dollars' worth of accessories, but actually to make the
purchaser pay the freight and delivery charges from the factory. In
other words, they have proven that it is possible to sell pianos
f. o. b. factory.
In the face of this we still find music merchants either so mis-
trustful of their selling ability or afraid of competition that "they
have gotten back to the old basis of practically furnishing the music
room for every piano purchaser. An experienced retailer who has
adopted new methods declares that the solution of the selling problem
is not giving away expensive benches, rolls and scarfs with instru-
ments, but rather of taking from the list price of the instrument
the cost of these articles. This method gives the customer something
tangible upon which to base his calculation. If the total amount is
$20, then he feels that he has saved $20, and is not very liable to
offer an argument against the benches and the rolls.
Some years ago the average piano merchant who insisted on
the "throw-in" plan argued that it had always been done and that
he couldn't go against precedent. Following the experience of the
past several years that argument does not hold water. The piano
merchant has had a new deal. If he is wise he will take advantage
of it.
S
THE NEED FOR GREATER PRODUCTION
ICHARD W. LAWRENCE, in an interview in The Review
last week, hit the nail on the head when he declared that what
was needed in the piano trade was more production, not simply with
the idea of building up production figures for the gratification of
the trade, but for the very practical purpose of reducing manu-
facturing and selling costs and putting pianos and player-pianos in
a price position where they will appeal to new and larger classes of
prospective buyers.
The significant fact is that, although the production of talking
R
BROADENING THE TRAVELERS' ASSOCIATION
T
H E suggestion made by Alex. S. Shoninger, president of the
National Piano Travelers' Association, in a recent speech in
Chicago, and again in a special article in The Review this week, to
the effect that the scope of the Travelers' Association be broadened
to make eligible to membership in that organization all wholesale
travelers in the music industry, regardless of whether they sell pianos
alone or whether they sell supplies, music rolls or any other musical
goods, will certainly be received with much interest by members
of the traveling fraternity.
The idea, which may be said to have been officially crystallized
by Mr. Shoninger, is not exactly a new one, for it has been tentatively
suggested on previous occasions that the Association be enlarged
to take in other groups of trade travelers, although it must be ad-
mitted that much opposition quickly developed among the conserva-
tive element of the Association against the move.
The situation in the music industry is much different than it
was when the Travelers' Association was first formed. Then each
trade division had its own association and was in almost every
sense distinct and apart. The piano manufacturers kept more or
less to themselves, so did the piano merchants and later the music
roll men. Now, however, we have the Chamber of Commerce, which
has brought together all these various interests, and we have the
Merchants' Association accepting as members all legitimate retailers
of musical goods, whether they handle pianos, talking machines,
musical merchandise or sheet music.
Some charter members of the Travelers' Association have re-
cently been quite emphatic in their opposition to any change in the
original by-laws of the Association that would let down the bars.
But the times have changed. It is not a question of this or that trade
but rather of the music industry, and it seems reasonable to assume
that the Travelers' Association should keep step with the procession.
Certainly President Shoninger's ideas should receive the earnest
consideration of those who are interested, both in the Travelers'
Association and in the welfare of the industry as a whole.
THE DEMAND FOR SMALL GRANDS
T
HE steady and increasing demand for small grand pianos may
almost be said to offer one of the puzzles of the trade just at pres-
ent, for in the face of general conditions that, although improving, are
far from normal, and of a trade situation that is encouraging rather
than good, the factories and factory departments specializing upon
grands have been hard put to meet demands and have in many cases
been forced to run on an overtime basis and to apportion available
stock. It has been estimated that 25 per cent of the piano output to-
day represents grand pianos, but it would seem from experience as
though that estimate was really most conservative. When piano
houses plead for small grands to be shipped one at a time by
express and have to use the telegraph continually in order to keep any-
where near up to the demand the situation is one that is worthy
of interest. The small grand, though it gives excellent value, is not
from a dollars-and-cents standpoint a cheap product, that is, cheap
in the sense of being within the reach of the majority of buyers. The
strong appeal of the small grand, therefore, to those in a position
to buy such an instrument reflects most emphatically the success of
the efforts of the manufacturers and retailers in educating the public
to the small grand idea. It is an educational campaign that has paid.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).