Presto

FRESTO
WHERE DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED
Under This Head Presto Will Answer Any Question Pertaining to Pianos, or
Other Subjects of Direct Interest to the Trade and Musical Public
August 7, 1920.
Agency, Albert G. Hancock, manager. The concern
named was affiliated with the Columbia Insurance
Co., of Jersey City, N. J.
It might possibly be well to write to the latter ad-
dress, though we believe that any local insurance
agency would place a risk upon your instrument.
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WANTS COMMERCIAL PIANOS.
Boulder, Colo., July 31, 1920.
Editor Presto: I am in the market for a few
records, as do several other of the large concerns.
Inquiries must bear the signature and address of
writer in order to receive attention. Answers thought The Columbia is distributed in your state by the low priced pianos and I will appreciate any refer-
to be of general trade interest will be published. If an Columbia Graphophone Co., 911 Western Ave., Seat- ences that you are able to give me regarding the
answer is not of general interest it will be mailed pro- tle, and the Columbia Stores Co., 161 South St., Spo- same.
vided stamp is inclosed.
I am looking for a piano that I can sell for around
kane. In all probability you can get your supplies
$350 or $375 and one that I can depend on and be
at either, or both, of these agencies.
PIANO INSURANCE.
There are, of course, also general distributing able to get a pair profit I prefer to buy of same-
Charlotte, Mich., July 23, 1920.
companies which make a practice of handling rce- one in the Middle West.
I am very anxious to get a deal started for these
Editor Presto: The Baldwin Company referred ords from various industries.
pianos and I will thank you for an early reply.
us to you as to a Baltimore insurance com-
* * *
Very truly yours,
pany. We will appreciate very much if you will
ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
send us the address of this company. It is a com-
RAY E. MCALLISTER.
Cincinnati, O., July 28, 1920.
pany that issues insurance on pianos for any loca-
Pianos
to
retail
at
prices
mentioned are not plen-
Editor Presto: In the interest of one of our
tion that they may be taken to. Thanking you, we
tiful at this time. We assume that you refer to
clients,
a
manufacturer
of
mechanical
accounting
de-
are,
vices, we are desirous of securing information re- straight pianos, and not playerpianos and, as no
Yours truly,
garding uniform systems of accounting adopted or doubt you know, at the present time the production
THE CHARLOTTE MUSIC CO.
of these instruments, at any price, is not far in ex-
recommended in the various fields of business.
While we are net certain that the enterprise to
Will you kindly advise whether any of the na- cess of the demand.
There are a good many industries manufacturing
which you allude is still in existence, it was known tional or local associations in the musical field have
as the Piano Underwriters Agency, Albert G. Han- devoted any attention to this subject? If possible, good commercial instruments and we suggest that
cock, manager, Baltimore, Md. As we understand we should like to have the names and addresses of if you are a reader of Presto you will find their ad-
it. the agency named was affiliated with the Colum- the secretaries of such associations. If you can also dresses readily. If you have Presto Buyers' Guide
bia Insurance Co., Jersey City, N. J., therefore, we furnish a list of the articles appearing in Presto, that you will find all the pianos listed and analyzed. We
believe that if you write to the lattei address you would likewise be of considerable advantage.
have given some in a special letter and all of the in-
may get quicker action.
dustries named are producing good pianos, though
Very truly yours,
not so high priced as some others. Perhaps other
We have the impression, however, that the enter-
THE RALPH H. JONES COMPANY.
prise was not especially successful and it is quite
Systems of accounting as adopted by the musical manufacturers who will read this may care to cor-
possible it may have abandoned operations, in which instrument manufacturers and dealers is a subject respond with Mr. McAllister.
• • *
event we do not know of any similar enterprise.
which has been many times discussed in this paper,
GOOD STANDARD NAMES.
and to this time we have not been able to find any
* * *
systematic plan especially applicable to the musical
Garnett, Kans., Aug. 3, 1920.
MANDOLIN ATTACHMENTS.
trades.
Editor Presto: We are in an argument at this
Lawrence, Kans., July 28, 1920.
The general headquarters of the Musical Indus- place of business about a "Stencil" piano. The writer
Editor Presto: Some time ago I noticed an item
Chamber of Commerce, the national organiza- of course thinks he is right in maintaining that the
in your paper of a mandolin attachment for piano, tries
tion with which are affiliated all of the departmental Kingsbury and Bond are both "Standard" pianos,
for something like $1.89 or $1.98.
associations of the musical industries and trades, is while the other fellow is equally as confident that
I would thank you if you could give me the name 105 W. 40th St., New York. The secretary of the they
are "stencil."
of the company advertising this attachment.
organization is A. M. Wright, of the Mason & Ham-
We
are referring to The Cable Co.'s "Kingsbury,"
Yours very truly,
lin Piano Co., Boston.
and
the
Packard Co.'s "Bond" Would also like
B. EDWIN LANG.
* * *
something on the P. C. Weaver piano, of Ottawa,
While there are several companies of the kind re-
111.—or Elgin, we should say.
BOOKS ON TUNING.
ferred to, as well as some that make completed at-
Please give us a good, concise report on this mat-
San Francisco, July 28, 1920.
tachments which are used by well established piano
ter, and it will help to clear up the mystery which
Editor Presto: Kindly let me know the title of enshrouds us at present.
industries, we assume that what you refer to is the
series of metal-tipped strips, or pendants, produced the books, as well as the publishers, on a "Piano
Sincerely yours,
by R. H. Schroeder, 382 E. 197th St., Bronx, New Tuning" and "Constructive Piano."
GARNETT PIANO CO.
Yours faithfully,
York City.
By F. ANDERSON.
HISAKAKAMURA.
The strips referred to are designed to be glued
There
can
be
no
question
whatsoever about the
to the muffler rail, allowing the hammers to strike
There are a number of good books on piano tun- legitimacy, or standard character, of the piano
above the brass tubes.
ing, and perhaps the most convenient is the "True names mentioned. In a few words, we may analyze
The price of the strips is $1.75 per set of 88 pieces, Piano Tuner," published by the John Church Co., those three names and you will at once realize that
and the dealer or tuner is supposed to attach them Cincinnati. Ohio. Oliver Ditson Co., Boston, also if there are any names associated with musical in-
himself.
has an inexpensive book on the subject. One of the struments which deserve to be characterized as
most comprehensive books along this line is put "standard," then the ones which you name belong
* * *
forth by the E. Lyman Bill Estate, New York City. to that class.
CONVERTIBLE PLAYER ACTIONS.
There is another intelligent book called "From
Champaign, 111., July 27, 1920.
"Kingsbury" is the name of a line of pianos and
Editor Presto: Will you please tell me who is Piano Tuner to Player Expert," by Harry E. Drake, playerpianos prodticed by The Cable Co., Chicago.
making player actions to be put in used pianos or which is produced by J. & J. Goddard, London, Eng- The late Mr. Kingsbury was internationally known
land.
65-note players—to replace with 88-note I mean.
by his connection with the house referred to. He
Presumably Kohler & Chase or Sherman, Clay & was a stockholder in The Cable Co., and even in the
Respectfully yours,
Co., of your city, could advise you on the subject up- predecessor of that company, the Chicago Cottage
WM. BRYAN.
on which you write.
Organ Co., of old. Mr. Kingsbury was an officer
Player actions designed to be applied to used
* * *
in those companies and his name was, very natur-
pianos are now made by the Chicago Player Action
ally, applied to one of the lines of the industry with
TUNER'S ASSOCIATION.
Co., Rockford, 111. (a division of the Schumann
which he was so closely associated.
Akron, O., Aug. 1, 1920.
Piano Co.) and the Lindeuberg Piano Co., Colum-
''Bond" is, as you no doubt know, the name of the
Editor Presto: I know there is an association of
bus, Ohio.
While there are a number of other industries en- tuners of which mention is occasionally made in my president of the Packard Piano Co. Originally the
gaged in the same specialty, we believe that the two Presto. And I think I would like to become a mem- Bond piano was the product of a separate industry
known as the Bond Piano Co., which was affiliated
ber of it.
named will give you perfect satisfaction.
How can I arrange to do that? I think there are with the famous old Packard Piano Co., of Ft.
* * *
members in Cleveland but none here that I know Wayne, Ind. Later the Bond was taken into the
VICTOR AND COLUMBIA RECORDS.
fold of the Packard Piano Co. and is now produced
about.
and marketed by that industry. Of course, there is
Yours truly,
Raymond, Wash., July 28, 1920.
no way by which it might be possible to distort the
H. L. LOBDELL.
Editor Presto: Will you please put me in touch
with some reliable firm that can furnish me with
The office of the National Association of Piano name "Bond" into that of the so-called "stencils."
"P. C. Weaver" is the name of an expert piano
Victor and Columbia records? We are selling Tuners is at 26 East Oak St.. Chicago. The secre-
phonographs md find it very difficult to get Victor tary is W. F. McClellan, and he may be addressed at maker who died some 20 years ago, after he had es-
tablished the industry under his own name at Ot-
and Columbia records to sell. Please give me the the number just given.
address of any firm that you know that I could ob-
Without doubt, should there be a branch of the tawa, 111. The P. C. Weaver Piano Co. was later
tain them from.
National Association nearer your home city, Mr. purchased by E. P. Johnson, who converted the old
Yours very truly,
McClellan will so advise you and give you full in- company into the newer industry which bears his
name.
McCOLEMAN MUSIC CO.
formation concerning membership requirements.
Presumably you have a copy of Presto Buyers'
It is our understanding that the regular distribu-
* * *
Guide,
and if so you will find the distinction clearly
tors of the phonographs you name also handle, in a
PIANO INSURANCE.
drawn as between "stencil" instruments and those
wholesale way, the records of the same industries.
bearing standard names.
Brooklyn, N. Y., Aug. 2, 1920.
Presto Trade List No. 2, which is the Phonograph
We cannot understand how any one who has any
Editor Presto: Could you advise me address of
Directory, contains lists of the distributors of the piano
knowledge
at all of the piano trade could classify
underwriters
insurance
companies
and
what
is
various talking machine industries, including both rate for a single player, to be insured by owner?
any of the three names, to which you draw our at-
the Victor and Columbia. In your own state the
tention, as other than legitimate and standard.
Yours truly,
Victor is distributed by Sherman, Clay & Co., Third
GEORGE MESSIG.
Avc. and Pine St., Seattle, and the same house has
A. H. Howes, manager of the piano department of
a distributing branch at 427 W. First Ave., Spokane.
We have no knowledge of any special under-
The general headquarters of the Columbia Phono- writing agency such as you inquire about. A few Grinnell Bros., Detroit, Mich., has been appointed
graph Co. is in New York City. Lyon & Healy, of years ago there was such an enterprise in Baltimore State Commissioner for the Retail Piano Merchants'
Chicago, make a business of distributing the Victor which was known as the Piano Underwriters Association.
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