Presto

PRESTO
Presto Buyers' Guide
Analyzes and Classifies
All American P i a n o s
and in Detail Tells of
Fheir Makers.
E,tabiuhej 1884. THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
Presto Year Book
The Only Complete
Annual Review of the
American Music In-
dustries and Trades.
to c m t. } si.oo« y M r
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JULY 12, 1924
AS TOLD BY TWO PIANO TRAVELERS
How a Pair of Veteran Distributors of Good Instruments View
Present Trade Conditions, and Why They Will Not
Join the Chorus of the Glooms
Both were very prominent distributors of pianos.
And that means something more than even good
piano salesmen.
They have been taking orders for a good many
years. Both are not only large distributors of pianos,
but both have also been piano manufacturers, con-
trolling their own factories.
Neither is a manufacturer at this time.
One is the general representative of one of the pro-
gressive New York piano industries.
The other is in charge of the mid-west sales de-
partment of one of the largest of American piano
industries.
And both do a great deal of traveling, visiting the
trade throughout a very broad territory.
* * *
All of which means that the two piano men know
what business in this line means.
Which brings us to the important part of it all—
to the kernel of the nut we are trying to crack.
* * *
They Talk of Trade.
The two large distributors of pianos have called at
Presto office during this week. One on Monday;
the other on Wednesday.
So that there could have been no change in trade
conditions in the brief interim between their calls.
* * *
Just now it is customary to hear that business gen-
erally is bad. It is slow, and it is dull. We read the
same report in the newspapers. And there is danger
of business being still slower because of what we read
and hear.
This is why the two veteran piano men and what
they said is especially worth referring to.
And to repeat what they said is the purpose»of this
writing.
* * *
What They Said.
One of the two large piano distributors said:
"I have had the best trip to the Pacific Coast with-
in my experience, with perhaps one exception. I
gave up manufacturing because I could not produce
in proportion to my capacity to sell the instruments.
And I knew that the day had come when large pro-
ductiveness was essential to successful business.
"And I never did so good a stroke of business as
when I closed my shop and started out as a free lance,
to take orders for the kind of pianos I knew the
dealers needed.
"I do not mean the kind that all the dealers
thought they wanted. It is largely a matter of edu-
cation. The average piano retailer has too often only
a very superficial knowledge of what the industry at
large is doing.
"The average piano dealeV moves along, buying the
instruments he has become accustomed to commend-
ing and selling. He doesn't stop to learn much about
any of the possibilities of other pianos.
* * *
The Plodding Dealer.
"As a rule that may be a good plan. For the
dealer has, by his energies, given standing to the
pianos he sells in his community. Consequently,
the pianos must have a distinct value to his business.
"Nevertheless, it often pays the local piano dealer
to make comparisons and to consider whether or not
he may be missing something because of his con-
servatism, prejudicial or lack of understanding.
*
*
*
4
"I selected a line of good pianos and have found
sale for them, from Chicago to Frisco. And I am
enjoying life better today than ever before. I have
a better bank balance and get more satisfaction out
of life than ever before.
"And the trade at this time is better than I have
known it to be in all but the very best year of my
experience.
HOTEL RATES FOR
TUNERS' CONVENTION
Desirable Figures Quoted for Delegates by
Management of Hotel Wisconsin, the
Official Headquarters.
Piano tuners who plan to attend the fifteenth an-
"I do not tind any cause for joining the chorus of
'dull trade,' nor can I see that there is reason in most nual convention of the National Association of Piano
-Tuners, Inc., in Milwaukee, August 11 to 13 inclu-
of the complaining.
sive, are advised to secure rooms at the Hotel
* * *
Wisconsin as early as possible. The advantages of
No Cause for Complaint.
putting up at the convention headquarters hotel are
"But," and this with emphasis, "I know that it is obvious. Advantageous rates have been made for
my own special effort that has kept my order book delegates to the convention. The following are avail-
well filled. I do not doubt that were I to cease my able:
efforts I would lack orders and my customers would
Seventy-two single rooms without bath, at $2.00
join the cry of bad times.
per day.
"As it is, I won't let them do it. And I am just as
Thirty single rooms with bath at $3.00 and $3.50
certain that my next trip will be as good, or better, per day.
than the last as I am that the industries I represent
Eighty-three rooms with double bed without bath
have had a more than satisfactory six months thus at $3.50 and $4.00 per day.
far this year."
Seventy-three roorns with double bed with bath
* * *
at $6.00 per day.
As They Told It.
Twenty rooms with twin beds without bath at $5.00
That is almost a verbatim report of the statement per day.
Forty rooms with twin beds with bath at $7.00 and
of one of the large piano distributors who called at
Presto offices this week and were encouraged to talk $8.00 per day.
This convention promises to be the largest meet-
because their messages promised to be inspiring.
The second veteran—representative of a very ing of piano tuners ever held anywhere in the world.
As such, its effect will be far-reaching and very
powerful industry—said:
"I have sold more pianos the past six months than beneficial to piano tuners in general and everyone
in any similar period of time since I started with my who attends this meeting is adding his mite to the
great sum total required to elevate the profession and
house.
make tuning a profitable calling.
"The industry which I represent has done more
Tuesday, August 12, will be the big day, with the
business thus far this year than it did the same period
big annual banquet in the evening. A good program
last year, by fully ten per cent.
of entertainment and music is arranged and a big
"Our output is very largely the small grand. And time is assured.
we are shipping more "straight" uprights than be-
A number of reproducing piano actions as well as
fore, every month the proportion showing a large regular player-actions will be on exhibition at the
increase.
convention, and those wishing to secure information 1
"I know all about the cry of dull trade. But I and expert advice on the player and reproducing
can not join any such cry. Whatever the future may piano will have a splendid opportunity to do so and
develop, it is certain that I have been doing all the will be well repaid for their time and trouble.
business that I could expect to do, even were the
world freed from all doubt and settled down to a
A BUSINESS ANALYSIS.
state of absolute content and buoyant progress."
Manufacturing
production, as measured by the De-
* * *
partment of Commerce weighted index for sixty-five
Never a "Bunk Shooter."
commodities, based on 1919 as 100, declined from 118
No one in the music trade has ever, to the knowl- in April to 111 in May and may be compared with
edge of this paper, charged Presto with dealing in
135 in May, 1923. Commodity stocks on May 31,
"bunk," or of climbing to blue skies on a ladder of
as seen from the weighted index for forty-five com-
sunbeams.
modities, based on 1919 as 100 and corrected for sea-
A trade paper must be practical or it will be noth- sonal variation, stood at 142 as compared with 136
ing. And had the two large distributors of good at the end of the previous month and I l i a year ago.
pianos spoken boastingly, and with no words designed The index of factory employment throughout the
to qualify their, statements, there might have been, a United States, based on 1923 as 100, stood at 91 in
May as against 95 in April and 102 in May of last
shadow of doubt.
But both concluded with practically the same esti- year. Decreases from the preceding month were gen-
eral except in the brick and cement industry.
mate of the causes of their success.
* * *
At a. time, they said, when so many are pausing in
CHARLES GRUNDY IMPROVES.
their efforts to tell the world how hard it is to do
Charles
Grundy, general representative of the
business, the opportunity opens wide for any others
who prefer to persist. It is a time to determine to Premier Grand Piano Company, New York, is still
change the course of even nature itself and to force confined to his home, 1439 East Marquette road, Chi-
fertility in land that seems barren, but really is not cago. He has been ill since his return from the
music industries convention in New York, where he
so.
developed an aggravating case of "flu." Presto is
What one man may do others may do also. It is informed this Thursday that Mr. Grundy is much
the man who refuses to recognize the impossible that improved, though still confined most of the time to
wins. It is a long step toward failure to enter with his bed. He wants' his friends and customers to
faltering feet.
know that he will be among them again in the near
* * *
future.
A Peaceful Battle.
Selling pianos is a sort of battle field. So is sell-
OVERBROOK PIANO CO. OUT.
ing almost everything else. The success in overcom-
The
Overbrook Piano Co., which was established
ing is the way to real accomplishment.
in Philadelphia several years ago, has given it up
And that's all. It is what the two piano distrib- and mail is returned to senders marked, "Out of
utors said when, in the face of all the noise about bad Business." The impossibility of creating a profitable
business, they came- in from "the road" and told piano industry on a purely local basis is thus again
Presto about the best six months of their experience demonstrated. It is so largely a matter of prompt
in many years in the field.
and efficient production that the modern piano indus-
Both agree that if they want a thing done, the best try must look beyond its immediate boundaries if
way is to get out and do it.
anything like a large success is to be had.
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