Music Trade Review
Issue: 1930 Vol. 89 N. 2 - Page 40
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
40
Musical Merchandise Section of The Music Trade Review
Conn to Represent Soprani
Accordions Exclusively
ELKHART, IND.—Announcement was made late in
January by C. G. Conn., Ltd., of the completion
of arrangements with Settimio Soprani and
Figli, of Castelfidardo, Italy, for the exclusive
representation in North America and other parts
of the world for the sale of Soprani accordions.
The business in this country will be conducted
are, they're those gimmicks that provide the may have been called the preliminaries on which
'l>oop-a-doop-doop' noises when all the mutes the bureau has heretofore expended its efforts.
are on brass and string, and the lights are low. Those members of the trade who know are
"No, Sir! They may be jazz, but they aren't greatly pleased with the results so far accom-
music. The court ruled this when a shipment plished. If a school supervisor's interest is
of them came in. It was a question of duty, aroused by the literature of the Bureau and he
you see. If they'd been musical instruments, discusses the matter with his local dealer, to
they would have to pay a duty of 40 per cent, whom he naturally looks as the center of musi-
but as 'manufactured articles of wood not es- cal instrument activity, and said dealer is utterly
pecially provided for' they pay only Z2>Yi per in the dark as to what the supervisor is talk-
cent."
ing about, then the music trade is not doing
its share of what the Bureau is striving to ac-
complish for us."
The Harmony Co. among other new instru-
ments for 1930, is now offering the Roy Smeck
Grand Concert Guitar and the Roy Smeck
Hawaiian Grand Concert Guitar. These two
additions
to the Harmony line will be appre-
Jay Kraus, president of the Harmony Co.,
and one of the wide-visioned men of the indus- ciated by the dealers and the musical public.
try who can always be depended on to help any The Concert Guitar is described as a conven-
movement for the development of musical in- tional model large-size guitar especially fine
strument consciousness in the country, is a pro- for those who need power without sacrificing
nounced optimist on the outlook for musical beauty of tone. The new Aero-Bridge (patent
business in 1930. In talking to a representative pending) guards against buckling or pulling and
of The Review, he said: "Upon checking up permits using more sensitive top or sounding
the manufacturing statistics for our Fall manu- board.
The Roy Smeck Hawaiian Grand Concert
facturing season, from August to the present
date, we find that in each successive month we Guitar fills a demand long existing among
have made more instruments than in the pre- lovers of the Hawaiian or steel guitar, made
ceding months and more than in the corre- with fingerboard having flush frets, which
avoids any interference with the free move-
sponding months of 1928.
"Knowing what a limited stock the jobbers ment of the steel bar in the player's hand. The
are carrying with their hand-to-mouth purchas- height of the string-nut and saddle and the ad-
ing, this can only indicate that there is actually justment of the string arc in exact accordance
a better distribution of instruments to retail with the standards worked out by Roy Smeck
dealers. In addition, it is also encouraging to through long experience in recording and broad-
know that the instrument business of the mail- casting work.
order houses is again showing a definite up-
trend. From these outlets one gets an excel-
H. A. Weymann & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa.,
lent cross section of the buying of the general manufacturers of the Weymann banjos and
public.
string instruments, reports a strong revival in
"We are confident that the promotional activi- the demand for guitars and popular priced
ties being carried on by the National Bureau banjos among amateur players and for the
for the Advancement of Music will this year higher grade instruments among the leading
begin to show definite results, following what professionals.
Jay Kraus Sees Much
Promise in Business Year
Mario Soprani
by a new company which has just been incor-
porated under the name "Soprani, Incorpora-
ted," of which the Conn company has control-
ling interest. The president will be Arthur B.
Miller, of Seattle, Wash., who, for several years,
has had charge of the Soprani business in this
country. Alfred L. Smith, executive vice-presi-
dent of C. G. Conn, Ltd., will be vice-president
and secretary.
Soprani, Incorporated, will have its jobbing
connection with the Continental Music Co.,
which has offices in New York, Chicago and
San Francisco.
Prize Band in Mummers'
Parade in Philadelphia
One of the most interesting features in con-
nection with the annual Mummers' Parade in
Philadelphia, on New Year's Day, an important
institution in the City of Brotherly Love, is
the awarding of prizes to the best bands in
the parade. Great effort is put into the train-
ing of the bands and much ingenuity and
money into their costuming, with the result
that the competition is sharp. This year the
first prize was won by the Joseph A. Ferko
String Band, equipped largely with instruments
furnished by H. A. Weymann & Son, Inc.; sec-
ond prize was captured by the Hageman String
Band, which, on several previous occasions, has
won prizes, and the third award went to the
Wildwood Band, of Wildwood, N. J., also many
times a winner.
Rules Temple Blocks Are
Not Musical Instruments
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.—The United States Cus-
toms Court in San Francisco, ruled, on Jan-
uary 9, that temple blocks are not musical in-
struments, even though they are used in jazz
bands, and sold by music dealers. In spite of
their imposing appearance with red and black
lacquer finish, trimmed with gold, the Court
ruled that these gorgeous-looking articles are
merely blocks of wood. Alluding to the Court
ruling, regarding these importations from the
Orient, the S. F. Chronicle said, in part: "In
case you don't recall readily what temple blocks
The Dealer who bases his plans ***
$$$
on Cold Facts . . .
$$$
$$$
Is the Dealer whose business
$$$
$$$
$$$
will bring him Cold Cash
It is a plain, cold fact that musical instruments which are
played personally must in most cases be purchased
through music dealers—not through furniture, hardware,
sporting goods or electrical stores.
You are at all times in direct competition with these re-
tailers, when you limit your sales efforts to certain
"popular" electrical devices. This set-up may or may
not be altogether profitable.
You can, however, be certain of generous profits if you
follow the nation-wide trend towards personal music edu-
cation of American youth . . . if you push band instru-
ments.
Outside merchants cannot compete with you on band in-
struments. You are ruler in that domain. There's where
your cold-cash profit lies. Get it. Let us demonstrate
how it can be done. Write today for cold facts about
profits in Buescher True-Tone Band Instruments.
Send Today for
Cold Facts About
Profits on Buescher
Band Instruments
Buescher Band
Instrument Co.
5076 Buescher Block
Elkhart, Indiana
40
Musical Merchandise Section of The Music Trade Review
Conn to Represent Soprani
Accordions Exclusively
ELKHART, IND.—Announcement was made late in
January by C. G. Conn., Ltd., of the completion
of arrangements with Settimio Soprani and
Figli, of Castelfidardo, Italy, for the exclusive
representation in North America and other parts
of the world for the sale of Soprani accordions.
The business in this country will be conducted
are, they're those gimmicks that provide the may have been called the preliminaries on which
'l>oop-a-doop-doop' noises when all the mutes the bureau has heretofore expended its efforts.
are on brass and string, and the lights are low. Those members of the trade who know are
"No, Sir! They may be jazz, but they aren't greatly pleased with the results so far accom-
music. The court ruled this when a shipment plished. If a school supervisor's interest is
of them came in. It was a question of duty, aroused by the literature of the Bureau and he
you see. If they'd been musical instruments, discusses the matter with his local dealer, to
they would have to pay a duty of 40 per cent, whom he naturally looks as the center of musi-
but as 'manufactured articles of wood not es- cal instrument activity, and said dealer is utterly
pecially provided for' they pay only Z2>Yi per in the dark as to what the supervisor is talk-
cent."
ing about, then the music trade is not doing
its share of what the Bureau is striving to ac-
complish for us."
The Harmony Co. among other new instru-
ments for 1930, is now offering the Roy Smeck
Grand Concert Guitar and the Roy Smeck
Hawaiian Grand Concert Guitar. These two
additions
to the Harmony line will be appre-
Jay Kraus, president of the Harmony Co.,
and one of the wide-visioned men of the indus- ciated by the dealers and the musical public.
try who can always be depended on to help any The Concert Guitar is described as a conven-
movement for the development of musical in- tional model large-size guitar especially fine
strument consciousness in the country, is a pro- for those who need power without sacrificing
nounced optimist on the outlook for musical beauty of tone. The new Aero-Bridge (patent
business in 1930. In talking to a representative pending) guards against buckling or pulling and
of The Review, he said: "Upon checking up permits using more sensitive top or sounding
the manufacturing statistics for our Fall manu- board.
The Roy Smeck Hawaiian Grand Concert
facturing season, from August to the present
date, we find that in each successive month we Guitar fills a demand long existing among
have made more instruments than in the pre- lovers of the Hawaiian or steel guitar, made
ceding months and more than in the corre- with fingerboard having flush frets, which
avoids any interference with the free move-
sponding months of 1928.
"Knowing what a limited stock the jobbers ment of the steel bar in the player's hand. The
are carrying with their hand-to-mouth purchas- height of the string-nut and saddle and the ad-
ing, this can only indicate that there is actually justment of the string arc in exact accordance
a better distribution of instruments to retail with the standards worked out by Roy Smeck
dealers. In addition, it is also encouraging to through long experience in recording and broad-
know that the instrument business of the mail- casting work.
order houses is again showing a definite up-
trend. From these outlets one gets an excel-
H. A. Weymann & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa.,
lent cross section of the buying of the general manufacturers of the Weymann banjos and
public.
string instruments, reports a strong revival in
"We are confident that the promotional activi- the demand for guitars and popular priced
ties being carried on by the National Bureau banjos among amateur players and for the
for the Advancement of Music will this year higher grade instruments among the leading
begin to show definite results, following what professionals.
Jay Kraus Sees Much
Promise in Business Year
Mario Soprani
by a new company which has just been incor-
porated under the name "Soprani, Incorpora-
ted," of which the Conn company has control-
ling interest. The president will be Arthur B.
Miller, of Seattle, Wash., who, for several years,
has had charge of the Soprani business in this
country. Alfred L. Smith, executive vice-presi-
dent of C. G. Conn, Ltd., will be vice-president
and secretary.
Soprani, Incorporated, will have its jobbing
connection with the Continental Music Co.,
which has offices in New York, Chicago and
San Francisco.
Prize Band in Mummers'
Parade in Philadelphia
One of the most interesting features in con-
nection with the annual Mummers' Parade in
Philadelphia, on New Year's Day, an important
institution in the City of Brotherly Love, is
the awarding of prizes to the best bands in
the parade. Great effort is put into the train-
ing of the bands and much ingenuity and
money into their costuming, with the result
that the competition is sharp. This year the
first prize was won by the Joseph A. Ferko
String Band, equipped largely with instruments
furnished by H. A. Weymann & Son, Inc.; sec-
ond prize was captured by the Hageman String
Band, which, on several previous occasions, has
won prizes, and the third award went to the
Wildwood Band, of Wildwood, N. J., also many
times a winner.
Rules Temple Blocks Are
Not Musical Instruments
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.—The United States Cus-
toms Court in San Francisco, ruled, on Jan-
uary 9, that temple blocks are not musical in-
struments, even though they are used in jazz
bands, and sold by music dealers. In spite of
their imposing appearance with red and black
lacquer finish, trimmed with gold, the Court
ruled that these gorgeous-looking articles are
merely blocks of wood. Alluding to the Court
ruling, regarding these importations from the
Orient, the S. F. Chronicle said, in part: "In
case you don't recall readily what temple blocks
The Dealer who bases his plans ***
$$$
on Cold Facts . . .
$$$
$$$
Is the Dealer whose business
$$$
$$$
$$$
will bring him Cold Cash
It is a plain, cold fact that musical instruments which are
played personally must in most cases be purchased
through music dealers—not through furniture, hardware,
sporting goods or electrical stores.
You are at all times in direct competition with these re-
tailers, when you limit your sales efforts to certain
"popular" electrical devices. This set-up may or may
not be altogether profitable.
You can, however, be certain of generous profits if you
follow the nation-wide trend towards personal music edu-
cation of American youth . . . if you push band instru-
ments.
Outside merchants cannot compete with you on band in-
struments. You are ruler in that domain. There's where
your cold-cash profit lies. Get it. Let us demonstrate
how it can be done. Write today for cold facts about
profits in Buescher True-Tone Band Instruments.
Send Today for
Cold Facts About
Profits on Buescher
Band Instruments
Buescher Band
Instrument Co.
5076 Buescher Block
Elkhart, Indiana
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