Music Trade Review
Issue: 1951 Vol. 110 N. 8 - Page 10
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The J/fmic
REVIEW
Established 1879
CARLETON CHACE, Editor
Alex H. Kolbe, Publisher
V. T. Costello
Associate Editor
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF MUSIC
MERCHANTS
Alexander Hart
Technical Editor
Mary Louise Kauffman
Circulation Manager
also lack of dealer attendance from the Pacific coast, as
well as from the eastern states. It has always been stated
that Chicago has been chosen two years to one because
of its central location to which dealers from the far west
could more easily come, as well as those from the east.
By and large, however, the piano business fared con-
siderably better than some of the other branches of the
industry. There was much wailing among the musical
merchandise manufacturers and jobbers, and of course,
the television business was not in any happy mood due
to the condition of retail sales which had been prevalent
just previous to the convention. Although many dealers
had considerably more pianos in stock this year previous
to the convention than they did last year, there was con-
siderable order taking, the largest percentage of which
to be delivered early in the fall, although there were
some immediate deliveries and every one of the exhibi-
tors practically disposed of the instruments they had at
the convention. For once, the weather was not too bad.
In fact, two days it was quite cool; everybody seemed to
be in a cheerful mood; the banquet proved to be the
largest which has ever been held and the show at the
banquet was the best which has been held in years, pro-
fessional talent having been engaged for the occasion.
Published monthly at 510 RKO Building, Radio
Television Versus Regulation W
City, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y.
Telephones: Circle 7-5842-5843-5844
Vol. 110
AUGUST, 1951
Business—As We See
No. 8
It
]M m\ HE Golden Anniversary Convention of the Nation-
J ^ al Association of Music Merchants is now over. It
wasn't the best convention it has ever held; nei-
ther was it the worst. But, had times been different,
probably it would have been one of the most glamorous
conventions which has ever been
held by this organization. Our im-
pression, however, was that the
piano manufacturers did consider-
ably better than they expected to
do. Furthermore, there were several
instances where new products were
displayed and they created consid-
erable interest. Not as many of these
appeared as usual, but some of the
manufacturers made an effort to
show at least one new model. The
CARLETON CHACE
drop in attendance under that which
occurred last year was considerably smaller than was
expected. Some of this was due to the terrific floods
which took place in the Kansas City area and many
dealers from that section could not attend. There was
10
| OR those dealers who are handling television, the
future may be a little brighter since the changing
of the credit terms controlled by Regulation W.
Now television sets can be sold with a 15 per cent down
payment, and as long as 18 months to pay. Previously
this was 25 per cent down and 15 months to pay. Every-
body handling television complained that these terms
hurt, and that was the reason that we all saw distress
sales, auction sales and other methods of trying to liqui-
date television stocks which were very high. In fact, ac-
cording to Glenn McDaniel, President of the Radio-
Television Manufacturers Association, factory inventor-
ies as a result of the severe credit terms had risen from
50,000 units last November to 744,000 in the week end-
ing on July 13th last. Meanwhile, production had plum-
meted, he said, from 218,000 weekly in October to
26,000 in the last week in June, and industry employ-
ment had begun to dip accordingly. Another factor
which has a tendency to cause retarding of television
sales, is the continued argument over color television.
There are undoubtedly thousands of people who want to
buy a television set and could afford to do so at the prices
which prevail at the present time, but they are hesitating
because they are confused regarding the color situation.
The latter, however, is such that it may be a very long
time before all the "bugs" are ironed out of the conflict-
ing color systems so that people can go into a store and
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, AUGUST. 1951
The J/fmic
REVIEW
Established 1879
CARLETON CHACE, Editor
Alex H. Kolbe, Publisher
V. T. Costello
Associate Editor
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF MUSIC
MERCHANTS
Alexander Hart
Technical Editor
Mary Louise Kauffman
Circulation Manager
also lack of dealer attendance from the Pacific coast, as
well as from the eastern states. It has always been stated
that Chicago has been chosen two years to one because
of its central location to which dealers from the far west
could more easily come, as well as those from the east.
By and large, however, the piano business fared con-
siderably better than some of the other branches of the
industry. There was much wailing among the musical
merchandise manufacturers and jobbers, and of course,
the television business was not in any happy mood due
to the condition of retail sales which had been prevalent
just previous to the convention. Although many dealers
had considerably more pianos in stock this year previous
to the convention than they did last year, there was con-
siderable order taking, the largest percentage of which
to be delivered early in the fall, although there were
some immediate deliveries and every one of the exhibi-
tors practically disposed of the instruments they had at
the convention. For once, the weather was not too bad.
In fact, two days it was quite cool; everybody seemed to
be in a cheerful mood; the banquet proved to be the
largest which has ever been held and the show at the
banquet was the best which has been held in years, pro-
fessional talent having been engaged for the occasion.
Published monthly at 510 RKO Building, Radio
Television Versus Regulation W
City, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y.
Telephones: Circle 7-5842-5843-5844
Vol. 110
AUGUST, 1951
Business—As We See
No. 8
It
]M m\ HE Golden Anniversary Convention of the Nation-
J ^ al Association of Music Merchants is now over. It
wasn't the best convention it has ever held; nei-
ther was it the worst. But, had times been different,
probably it would have been one of the most glamorous
conventions which has ever been
held by this organization. Our im-
pression, however, was that the
piano manufacturers did consider-
ably better than they expected to
do. Furthermore, there were several
instances where new products were
displayed and they created consid-
erable interest. Not as many of these
appeared as usual, but some of the
manufacturers made an effort to
show at least one new model. The
CARLETON CHACE
drop in attendance under that which
occurred last year was considerably smaller than was
expected. Some of this was due to the terrific floods
which took place in the Kansas City area and many
dealers from that section could not attend. There was
10
| OR those dealers who are handling television, the
future may be a little brighter since the changing
of the credit terms controlled by Regulation W.
Now television sets can be sold with a 15 per cent down
payment, and as long as 18 months to pay. Previously
this was 25 per cent down and 15 months to pay. Every-
body handling television complained that these terms
hurt, and that was the reason that we all saw distress
sales, auction sales and other methods of trying to liqui-
date television stocks which were very high. In fact, ac-
cording to Glenn McDaniel, President of the Radio-
Television Manufacturers Association, factory inventor-
ies as a result of the severe credit terms had risen from
50,000 units last November to 744,000 in the week end-
ing on July 13th last. Meanwhile, production had plum-
meted, he said, from 218,000 weekly in October to
26,000 in the last week in June, and industry employ-
ment had begun to dip accordingly. Another factor
which has a tendency to cause retarding of television
sales, is the continued argument over color television.
There are undoubtedly thousands of people who want to
buy a television set and could afford to do so at the prices
which prevail at the present time, but they are hesitating
because they are confused regarding the color situation.
The latter, however, is such that it may be a very long
time before all the "bugs" are ironed out of the conflict-
ing color systems so that people can go into a store and
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, AUGUST. 1951
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