Presto

F»RESTO
December 11, 1920.
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
Inquiries must bear the signature and address of
zuriter in order to receive attention. Answers thought
to be of general trade interest will be published. If an
answer is not of general interest it will be mailed pro-
vided stamp is inclosed.
THE "HOLLENBERG" PIANO.
Cape Girardeau, Mo., Nov. 27, 1920.
Editor Presto: Can you give me any information
regarding" the Hollenberg- piano, of Chicago? If
so would appreciate it very much.
Yours respectfully,
E. M. GIBSON.
The Hollenberg piano is marked by the Hollen-
berg Piano Co., of Little Rock, Ark. It is an old
and thoroughly responsible institution. For a great
many years pianos bearing the name were made
by a large Chicago industry and, presumably, that
is still the condition.
* * *
THE DANQUARD SCHOOL.
Madison, Wis., Dec. 3, 1920.
Editor Presto: Please send me the address of
the Danquard Player Schools of New York that
you spoke of in a recent issue.
Very truly yours,
RONO J. L'ANGLAIS.
The address of the Danquard Player Action
School is 604 West Fifty-first street, New York
City. The school has been in active operation for
years and is eminently successful.
MELLOWTONE TRADE MARK.
St. Louis, Nov. 26, 1920.
Editor Presto: We have received one of your
phonograph directories upon which we want to con-
gratulate you.
We also want to inquire at this time for the ad"
dress and further information of the Mellowtone
Manufacturing Company, Miller City, Montana,
which is mentioned on page eighteen of your list
of phonograph manufacturers.
Jesse French Piano and Organ Company trading
as Field-Lippman Piano Stores own the trade mark
"Melotone" and we have been successful in stopping
the use of any infringing names, through our legal
department, and in ali cases have been able to ac-
complish this without suits, as our ownership of the
name by many years of use and registration in the
patent office is so complete that any firm using an
infringing name is very glad to have that fact
called to their attention and are glad to stop the
use of it to save a suit for damages in which there
could be but one possible outcome.
As we cannot find the name of the Mellowtone
Manufacturing Company in Miles City, Mont., and
as there is no Millers City in Montana in either
Dunn's or Bradstreet's, we would appreciate your
helping us to get the correct address of this firm.
Yours very truly,
F I E L D - L I P P M A N PIANO STORES,
per W. A. Lippman.
The concern calling itself "Mellowtone Mfg. Co."
does not answer requests for particulars. The name
was listed in Presto Phonograph Lists No. 2 be-
cause the address was sent in by an agency em-
ployed in the compilation of business literature. We
have tried to get in touch with the Mellowtone Mfg.
Co., but without success although the fact that let-
ters sent to it at Miller City are not returned by
the post office, indicating that the address is correct.
* * *
PLAYERPIANO SCHOOLS.
Ohio, 111., Dec. 1, 1920.
Editor Presto: Would you kindly write me of
a good first-class school that teaches the mechan-
ism of the playerpiano in all its branches? As I
think you would be in touch with the best of those
schools I will be thankful for the information.
Respectfully,
LOUIS GALGANO.
A very good school of the kind about which you
ask is Polk's School of Piano Tuning, Valparaiso,
Ind. C. C. Polk is a veteran tuner and expert in
all departments of the industry and his school has
a thoroughly equipped playerpiano department.
There is also a very good special school of player-
piano mechanism in New York City. It is the Dan-
quard Player Action School, of 604 W. Slst street.
* * *
FINE RUBBING MACHINES.
Calexico, Cal., Nov. 28, 1920.
Editor Presto: Enclosed please find my check
for $2.00 for subscription for a year to the American
Music Trade Weekly.
Will you please inform me if there is some house
that carries in stock rubbing machines for finishing
fine phonograph cabinets? I will appreciate any in-
formation on this subject.
Yours very truly,
I R E N E O ROMERO.
About rubbing machines for finishing cabinets, it
is our understanding that the best article of this
kind is produced by the Curtiss Machine Corp.,
Jamestown, N. Y. We also suggest that Lesley's
Chemical Co., Indianapolis, Ind., makes a specialty
of supplies of this kind and they especially produce
rubbing blocks, varnish, stains and fluids which are
used successfully by a good many manufacturers of
phonographs.
* * #
PHONOGRAPHS AND PIANOS.
Lansing, Michigan, November 24, 1920.
Editor Presto: Enclosed please find check for
$2.00 for 1 year's subscription to Presto. What do
you know about the Lyric Record? The Operollo
Phonograph?
Can you advise me of some very moderate priced
piano to handle? Something I can use as a leader
to reach the people of moderate means. What do
you know about the Mastertone Phonograph Co.
and machine?
Yours very truly,
ERNEST C. MOORE.
The Operollo phonograph is listed as being manu-
factured in Detroit, Mich. We know nothing fur-
ther about it. The Mastertone was made in New
York City but a recent communication from there
say? that it has been discontinued. The name is
one which has been used quite commonly in the in-
dustry and there may be others in the market of
which we know nothing. We are not posted as to
the Lyric record though it is said to come from the
Goodvear Rubber Co.
It may be well for you to consult a Presto Buyers'
Guide for suitable pianos and we will pass upon any
instruments you may think you would like to handle.
* * *
THE DEFUNCT "WRIGHT".
Marysville, Kans., Nov. 30, 1920.
Editor Presto: We are writing to you to see if
you can give us any information where the Wright
piano is made. The name on the metal p!ate is
"Wright Piano Co., New- York," and also on the
fall-board.
This is a playerpiano of which we wish to send
the action to the factory for adjustment.
Yours very truly,
FANNEN PIANO CO.
C. A. Fannen.
The instrument about which you ask was manu-
factured by the J. E. Davis Piano Co., whose fac-
tory was at 87 Southern boulevard, New York City,
and of which the Wright Piano Co. was a subsidiary.
Mr. Davis failed in business several years ago and
the industry w r as discontinued; consequently we do
not see how you can get any relief from that source.
We suggest, however, that the better way would
be for you to turn the matter over to some good
piano tuner and regulator. Any good workman
should be able to put the action in fair condition.
It is seldom necessary to send an instrument or ac-
tion to the manufacturers for adjustment of that
kind.
However, inasmuch as the instrument about which
you ask is a playerpiano it may be possible that
you can find somewhere about the player-action the
name of the maker for we do not believe Mr. Davis
made his own pneumatics.
HELPS WEAVER SALES.
Plates of advertisements of the Weaver piano,
with mortises for adding name and address of deal-
er, will be sent free to applicants who will use them
in local newspapers. These advertisements con-
tain the same thing that has made the copy used
in magazines produce so many good inquiries that
resulted in sales for many dealers of the Weaver
Piano Co., Inc., York, Pa. The company feels
sure that the liberal use of these plates in local
newspapers will lead to profitable sales for the piano
named.
JACK HENDERSON IS MARRIED.
Another live young piano man has done the right
thing—as usual. Jack Henderson, son of J. C.
Henderson, eastern representative of Lyon &
Healy, took to himself a bride on the evening of
November sixteenth. The bride is a daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence B. Tully, of Washington,
D. C, in which city tiie young couple will reside.
Air. Henderson is now a successful traveler in the
phonograph trade. His friends everywhere will
wi=h him joy.
REPUBLIC RECORDING
ARTIST'S NEW EFFECTS
How Popular "Hits" Are Produced, While
Still "Hot" for Purposes of Trade in
Playerpiano Music Rolls.
Recently the Republic Player Roll Corporation,
of New York, brought out the "Replitas" effect in
their roll of "Avalon", which aroused many approv-
ing comments from various parts of the country.
The latest innovation is the peculiar rythm used
in the recording of "The Hula Blues". This roll
gives a unique sensation of motion through a new
figure used in the bass by the recorder, Adrian
Bollini, which makes one think of the mountainous
swells and daring surf riders of Hawaii. Everyone
on hearing the roll the first time immediately
thinks how suitable the rendition is, for it certainly
draws a picture of enjoyment on tropical seas with
the ro'l of the ocean giving rhythm for the dancing
of natives on the beach.
The Republic recording staff is working hard on
its new list, almost complete, of strong "hits" for
January. During the first nine months in its new
location the Republic Player Roll Corporation has
developed a finely coordinated staff, which is so
close to the source of all popular hits that it is
simply a matter of a few hours to meet the demand
for any new one. The musical department under
J. Milton Delcamp is constantly in close touch with
the publishers, and all first nights of Broadway
shows, are attended so that the hits can be picked
out without a moment's delay. For instance, "Af-
gar," "Hitchy Koo," "Broadway .Brevities," "Green-
wich Village Follies" and "Ziegfeld Follies" (now
on the road), the biggest musical hits on Broadway
this year, are all to be found in the Republic Bul-
letin.
It generail}' takes a few weeks to make a bona
fide hit out of a song, but whenever a number scores
overnight, the Republic recording artists are on the
job immediately and can turn out a pleasing rendi-
tion of the new piece within a few hours after its
birth.
A new plan which will be sure to please the
trade is starting the roll with the chorus. Many
a possible sale is missed by dealers because the
salesman must play through an introduction and
verse before he reaches the chorus, which gener-
ally contains the punch of the piece. If a customer
does not like anything in the introduction or verse
he is likely to have the piece stopped right there
and he never hears the best part, the chorus. The
new idea of starting the roll with the chorus is
bound to result in much bigger sales on many pieces
because it is making- sure that the show window
is in front of the store instead of the back.
CONFESSES TO KILLING
LEEDS VAUQHAN WATERS
Navy Deserter Arrested in New York Said to Be
Man Wanted for Hotel Murder.
John Reidy,. a deserter from the United States
Navy, confessed this week, according to Capt. John
Coughlin, in charge of the detective bureau, New
York, that he killed Leeds Vaughan Waters, grand-
son of the late Horace Waters, piano manufacturer,
in the • Plymouth Hotel, 257 West Thirty-eighth
street, in a drunken brawl on November 3.
Reidy, who told the police he was 24 years old,
but looks scarcely 18, was arrested after his story
leaked out through men who have made a practice,
the police said, of "trimming" wealthy young men
on Broadway. Roland Noak, alias Herbert Kreb,
was arrested with Reidy as a material witness. Both
are known to the police.
According to Reidy, as the police gave out the
alleged confession, he met Waters in the subway
station at Times Square at 4 o'clock on the morn-
ing of November 3. Waters bought some drinks
in a saloon on Eighth avenue and they went to the
Plymouth Hotel, where Waters registered as Tal-
bert and Reidy as James Dunn. After they went
to their room they began to quarrel, Reidy said,
and he hit Waters on the head with a cane. Waters'
head struck the bedpost as he fell and he died al-
most instantly.
The scuffle between Waters and Reidy caused a
commotion in the Plymouth Hotel and a clerk went
to the door of their room a few minutes after
Waters was killed. Reidy told the clerk there would
be no more noise and he left without investigating.
Waters' bod}^ was found the following morning.
The identification of Reidy as James Dunn, who
registered at the Plymouth with Waters, was made
by John Carey, clerk of the hotel. 1 Reidy's hand-
writing was compared with the signature in thi'
register ?nd completed the evidence against him,
the police said.
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