Music Trade Review
Issue: 1951 Vol. 110 N. 1 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
manufacturers and dealers should have had enough expe-
rience during the last war to know how to protect and
prepare themselves for the future. We remember in 1942
when the piano manufacturers were all closed up, not
only did the manufacturers not know what they were
going to do, but the dealers didn't know either, and at
that time approximately only 40,000 new pianos were on
the floors of the warerooms of the country. It wasn't long
before the manufacturers were booming along on war
work and the dealers were making more money than
they ever made in the history of their businesses by pull-
ing old pianos out of homes and rebuilding them and
reselling them. It was practically all cash business, too.
So, it might be wise for every dealer to canvass the used
piano market so that he might know at least where he
could secure a supply if it becomes necessary.
Versatility Will Win
l_ _ k H E president says we are not at war. That's what
I I we hope. But to us it has a very distinct similar-
^ " " ity. The delaying game which is being played
over in Korea, however, may have its merit. This may
be proved to us in the future because, while we are keep-
ing them busy there, we are becoming a stronger mili-
tary nation, and the stronger we become the less
opportunity there will be of an out-of-out world war.
In the meantime, government agencies are proceeding
cautiously, and although the music industry may be
affected some time in the future, it is at least in better
shape right now than it was at a similar time when we
were going into World War II. We have talked to several
supply manufacturers in the last week and the con-
sensus has been this, as one man put it, "No customer of
ours will find it impossible to ship a piano on account
of not receiving supplies from us." That was all he would
say in reply to the question as to whether his products
had been drastically curtailed. This, we hope, is the
consensus throughout the supply industry, as we know
every supply manufacturer is doing his best to keep his
customers supplied with the merchandise he has been
furnishing to the piano manufacturers for year in and
year out and for many years. The bright side is the best
side, but let come what may, the proven versatility of
the piano industry will still win out.
65 million figure for sales by stores in the music business
in 1939, the year in which the most recent census of
business had been made. That the music business was
considered to be a good business by many new people
was manifested by the fact that there was 6,120 music
stores in the United States in 1948 compared with 2,930
in 1939. The total payroll for the year in these stores
amounted to 45 million and there were 19,249 paid
employees. In terms of sales volume, California led
and New York was next, followed by Illinois, Pennsyl-
vania and Michigan. In 1939, the order was New York,
Illinois, Pennsylvania, California and Michigan. The
total sales of music stores increased 667% in the Pacific
Division between 1939 and 1948, which is the largest
increase for any geographic division in this period. The
sales of these stores increased 6 6 1 % in the West North
Central Division, 575% in the Mountain Division and
529% in the West South Central Division. It is interest-
ing to note that in spite of the fact that from 1939 to
1944 was practically a war period, there has been
consistent development of the retail music business,
manifesting to no small degree that the American public
is more music-conscious than it ever has been in the
history of the country. This in itself constitutes a grati-
fying achievement, which we feel will be still reflected
in a good stable future business throughout the music
industry.
Which Would You Say Is Better?
NE of the most recent movements to be encour-
aged by some organization which is working
on the members of parent and teachers asso-
ciations is that they propose to boards of education that
a psychologist be engaged as a regular member of the
teaching staff to analyze pupils. We mention this because
when crackpot ideas of this character can be forced on
school administrators and in some instances accepted by
them it would seem that adequate musical education of
the child through group lessons could prove infinitely
more valuable in building morale and stimulating a
desire for the better things in life. Perhaps psychiatric
advice to members of boards of education would be
in order.
Some Interesting Music Business Figures
E JUST received a report from the U. S. Dept.
of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, on the
1948 status of music stores throughout the
United States. The sales in that year which amounted to
337 million, showed an increase of 418% over the
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1951
Editor
U
manufacturers and dealers should have had enough expe-
rience during the last war to know how to protect and
prepare themselves for the future. We remember in 1942
when the piano manufacturers were all closed up, not
only did the manufacturers not know what they were
going to do, but the dealers didn't know either, and at
that time approximately only 40,000 new pianos were on
the floors of the warerooms of the country. It wasn't long
before the manufacturers were booming along on war
work and the dealers were making more money than
they ever made in the history of their businesses by pull-
ing old pianos out of homes and rebuilding them and
reselling them. It was practically all cash business, too.
So, it might be wise for every dealer to canvass the used
piano market so that he might know at least where he
could secure a supply if it becomes necessary.
Versatility Will Win
l_ _ k H E president says we are not at war. That's what
I I we hope. But to us it has a very distinct similar-
^ " " ity. The delaying game which is being played
over in Korea, however, may have its merit. This may
be proved to us in the future because, while we are keep-
ing them busy there, we are becoming a stronger mili-
tary nation, and the stronger we become the less
opportunity there will be of an out-of-out world war.
In the meantime, government agencies are proceeding
cautiously, and although the music industry may be
affected some time in the future, it is at least in better
shape right now than it was at a similar time when we
were going into World War II. We have talked to several
supply manufacturers in the last week and the con-
sensus has been this, as one man put it, "No customer of
ours will find it impossible to ship a piano on account
of not receiving supplies from us." That was all he would
say in reply to the question as to whether his products
had been drastically curtailed. This, we hope, is the
consensus throughout the supply industry, as we know
every supply manufacturer is doing his best to keep his
customers supplied with the merchandise he has been
furnishing to the piano manufacturers for year in and
year out and for many years. The bright side is the best
side, but let come what may, the proven versatility of
the piano industry will still win out.
65 million figure for sales by stores in the music business
in 1939, the year in which the most recent census of
business had been made. That the music business was
considered to be a good business by many new people
was manifested by the fact that there was 6,120 music
stores in the United States in 1948 compared with 2,930
in 1939. The total payroll for the year in these stores
amounted to 45 million and there were 19,249 paid
employees. In terms of sales volume, California led
and New York was next, followed by Illinois, Pennsyl-
vania and Michigan. In 1939, the order was New York,
Illinois, Pennsylvania, California and Michigan. The
total sales of music stores increased 667% in the Pacific
Division between 1939 and 1948, which is the largest
increase for any geographic division in this period. The
sales of these stores increased 6 6 1 % in the West North
Central Division, 575% in the Mountain Division and
529% in the West South Central Division. It is interest-
ing to note that in spite of the fact that from 1939 to
1944 was practically a war period, there has been
consistent development of the retail music business,
manifesting to no small degree that the American public
is more music-conscious than it ever has been in the
history of the country. This in itself constitutes a grati-
fying achievement, which we feel will be still reflected
in a good stable future business throughout the music
industry.
Which Would You Say Is Better?
NE of the most recent movements to be encour-
aged by some organization which is working
on the members of parent and teachers asso-
ciations is that they propose to boards of education that
a psychologist be engaged as a regular member of the
teaching staff to analyze pupils. We mention this because
when crackpot ideas of this character can be forced on
school administrators and in some instances accepted by
them it would seem that adequate musical education of
the child through group lessons could prove infinitely
more valuable in building morale and stimulating a
desire for the better things in life. Perhaps psychiatric
advice to members of boards of education would be
in order.
Some Interesting Music Business Figures
E JUST received a report from the U. S. Dept.
of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, on the
1948 status of music stores throughout the
United States. The sales in that year which amounted to
337 million, showed an increase of 418% over the
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1951
Editor
U
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).