Presto

Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American Pianos
and in Detail Tells of
Their Makers.
PRESTO
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Trade Lists
Three Uniform Book-
lets, the Only Complete
Directories of the Music
Industries.
/• cm., nj$m. r ~
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1923
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
writer 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.
BUFFETT CLARINETS.
Harrisonville, Mo., April 6, 1923.
Editor Presto: I would like very much for you to
inform me of the names of the firms that are im-
porters of the genuine BufTett Clarinets. Also the
August BufTett clarinets.
MRS. O / C . ATTERBURY.
A number of large music houses import the Buffett
instruments. You can secure the genuine BufTett
clarinets and also the August Buffett clarinets of
either Carl Fischer of New York or Chicago, or
Lyon & Healy, Chicago.
* * *
THE "VOIGHT" PIANO.
Alva, Okla., April 7, 1923.
Editor Presto: I would like to be placed in com-
munication with the Voight Piano Manufacturer. I
wish to buy a steel frame for one of these instru-
ments and I will greatly appreciate your assistance
in helping me locate the proper manufacture.
J. W. MONFORT.
We do not know the "Voight" pianos, but there
was an instrument known as the Vough piano, which
was made by the Malcolm Love Piano Co., Water-
loo, N. Y. The industry named retired from busi-
ness a number of years back and the scales and pat-
terns were later secured by the Wegman Piano Co.,
of 26 Tenth Avenue, New York City.
It is possible you may receive what you want
by addressing the industry named.
* * *
C. F. GOEPEL & CO.
Picayune, Miss., April 9, 1923.
Editor Presto: When I was in Ohio, taking Presto,
there was a series of articles running in the paper
telling of playerpiano troubles and how to remedy
them. If they were collected in book form or so
they could be had I should like them. I want some-
thing to deal with player problems.
Are C. F. Goepel Co. still doing business? If so,
what is the address?
H. H. LABDELL.
While there have been a number of articles, such
as you mention, appearing in Presto, we can not now
recall just when they were published. Certainly these
articles were not put in book form. However, we
suggest that if- you write to any, or all, of the fol-
lowing you may receive some booklets upon this
subject:
Kohler Industries, Inc., New York; M. Schulz Co.,
Chicago, 111.; Gulbransen-Dickinson Co., Chicago.
C. F. Goepel & Co., the old and reliable manufac-
turers and wholesalers of piano supplies, are still
doing business, as they have for so many years past.
Their address is 137 East 13th street, New York.
You will find their standing advertisement in every
issue of Presto.
* * *
WOOD WORKING MACHINERY.
Wabasso, Minn., April 2, 1923.
Editor Presto: I have addressed a letter to C.
Christansen, 792 Grand avenue, Chicago, which is
listed in Presto Trade List No. 3, page 95. My letter
was not delivered. Would like to get present ad-
dress of the above firm, or some other that deals in
wood-working benches and tools, such as are used
in manual training classes.
J. J. HOFFMAN.
The Christansen concern seems to have retired
from business since the directory was printed. The
following wood working and machinery industries
may be able to furnish you with what you want:
Acme Wood Turning & Novelty Co., 730 W. Ran-
dolph St., Chicago; American Wood Working Ma-
chinery Co., 565 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago;
Rockwell Mfg. Co., 1334-6 South Rockwell street,
Chicago.
Of course there arc very many others located here
in Chicago, and should those named not be able to
supply you we will be glad to try again.
* * *
MUSIC PUBLISHING.
Eldred, Penna., April 7, 1923.
Editor Presto: Am writing you concerning an
article I saw in Presto of March 17th on "Seeking
Undiscovered Composers," and would like to enter
that contest. Would you kindly advise me where
to address them? Also, would like to ask you if
you could tell me as to reliability of the Keith's
Music Publishing House, of Long Branch, N. J. I
had an offer from them and didn't know if it was ad-
visable to accept.
Does "Presto Buyers' Guide" deal in sheet music
concerns? I take it that it is just for pianos and
musical instruments.
Could you also tell me where to address the
Billboard, as I now have my orchestrations about
ready for my new ballad.
MRS. MAY BELL ANDREWS.
All the information within our possession on the
contest subject was given in the article to which you
draw attention. As we understand it, the composi-
tions wanted are designed to be performed at the
stadium concerts at the College of the City of New
York. The manuscripts should be sent to Mrs. Wm.
Cowen, chairman, in the Fisk Bldg., New York City.
About Keith's, of Long Branch, we have no infor-
mation. We might be able to advise you if we could
see the proposition made by that concern. As a rule
we do not advise composers to deal with any but the
standard publishers.
Presto Buyers' Guide relates to pianos only.
The address of the "Billboard" is Cincinnati, Ohio.
* * *
MINIATURE PIANO.
Oconto, Wis., April 4, 1923.
Editor Presto: The school here has asked me for
a miniature piano—one made especially for schools,
that can be moved by boys from one room to an-
other. The teacher can look over it when playing.
If you know of such a piano factory, or house,
please forward this letter to them as this is very
urgent. They want the piano in a hurry.
W. L. LOYD.
There are a number of small pianos which are
made with reference to the needs of schools. We
suggest that among these industries are the Smith,
Barnes & Strohber Co., Chicago, who manufacture
the Strohber Diminutive; the Miessner Piano Co.,
110 Reed street, Milwaukee, Wis., which industry
produces the well-known "Little Piano With the
Big Tone" which was devised by Mr. Otto Miessner
especially for school purposes; the Chase-Hackley
Piano Co., Muskegon, Mich., and The Cable Co.,
Chicago, the latter great concern having recently put
out an especially made piano for the purpose in ques-
tion called the "Midget."
There are a number of others, but the ones named
are certainly admirable and we believe it would pay
you to write to them.
* * *
TWO GOOD PLAYERS.
Syracuse, Kansas, April 5, 1923.
Editor Presto: I have been figuring on a player-
piano for quite a while, and there are two dealers that
are offering to fix me out with an instrument.
One has Smith & Barnes and the other a Kimball,
and they both seem to be good instruments, although
I can own the former player for a little less money
and I can't see the difference in them—and I would
like to have your confidential advice in this matter
so that I will know what to do—as I don't want to
have anything on hand that I may not be satisfied
with.
Please let me know which of these to buy, or
would it be best for me to buy some other kind?
C. B. ARNOLD.
Both of the instruments are in every way admir-
able and the products of 'responsible industries.
There can be no doubt about the desirability of the
instruments you name, though we do not see why
BEGINNING OF A NEW
NEW YORK PIANO CENTER
The Sohmer and Chickering Will Have Head-
quarters on 57th Street, North of Present
Piano Zone.
The building which has become known as "Knabe
Hall." will not much longer be the New York home
of the Chickering & Sons instruments, of Boston.
New Yorkers see in the move, the starting of a new
Piano Row, for the building will be on 57th street,
which is considerably further north than the present
music trade center in the metropolis. And the fa-
mous Sohmer piano will also have a new building on
the same street.
A twelve-story building is to be erected at 27 and
29 West Fifty-seventh street for Chickering & Sons.
The Phipps estates bought the property recently for
the purpose of making the improvement for the piano
concern, which had agreed to pay $1,400,000 for the
use of a structure to be erected for them, for the next
twenty-one years.
The advance of another piano company to the
north side of Fifty-seventh street, which has been
rumored for several days, has also been verified. It is
that Sohmer & Co. will have a better home on Fifty-
seventh street. The Chickering building will be erected
on the forty-eight feet of frontage now covered by
two four-story dwellings. The architects estimate
that $500,000 will be the cost of the structure. The
property is just west of the chateau-like residence of
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt on Fifth Avenue, from
Fifty-seventh to Fifty-eighth street.
Bainbridge Colby is erecting a tall building on the
north side of the Fifty-seventh street block. When it
is ready, some time next month, Sohmer & Co., piano
manufacturers, will take possession of part of it.
Since the shitting of art to this section of Fifth ave-
nue it was expected that music concerns would soon
follow.
The development of a new music center has been
started. Other musical instrument manufacturers and
dealers will seek locations in Fifty-seventh street, it is
believed.
the price should be quoted any lower on the one
you say is so cut than the other instrument.
As we have said, both are admirable in every way
and whichever you buy would probably give you
perfect satisfaction.
* * *
THE OSBORN GRAND.
Wausa, Nebr., April 6, 1923.
Editor Presto: Enclosed find 50 cents for which
please send me the latest "Presto Buyers' Guide."
Will you please tell me if the Osborn Grand is a re-
liable piano to buy.
A. F. W I T T .
The Osborn piano is no longer being manufac-
tured. Since Mr. Osborn's death the industry went
into bankruptcy and the assets were recently sold at
auction; consequently, the Osborn piano is practic-
ally extinct and in buying one it is necessary to as-
sume all the responsibility yourself.
There are other small grand pianos which may
be had for little more than the amount of money
the Osborn was sold for, which are giving the best
of satisfaction. As you know, however, the Osborn
was made and sold for the lowest priced grarid ever
produced.
* * *
THE CHICKERING CENTENARY.
Clovis, New Mexico, April 6, 1923.
Editor Presto: Understanding that you are going
to get out a Chickering Edition, I am enclosing an
article that was published in our local paper that
would possibly be of interest to the public. I have
mislaid the original letter from the Chickering Divi-
sion, but this article is an exact copy.
G. C. FALKNER.
The article appeared in last week's Presto. An
editorial in this issue covers the subject of the cen-
tenary celebration quite fully, and the great adver-
tising publicity of the American Piano Co.'s agents
throughout the country, together with the trade paper
announcements, covers the matter so fully that no
special edition seems necessary. There is history in
this week's editorial which must be of interest to all
piano dealers.
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