Presto

PRESTO
February 28, 1925.
RECORDS THAT PEOPLE WANT
That Is the Kind Profitable Trade Requires, the
Only Trade That Counts.
The appeal of the talking machine record and not
the price is what makes the numbers move. Of
course the sacrificial cut in price will bring the bar-
gain hunters who are always to be attracted by low
prices but in the scheme of profit-making that kind
of business does not count. It is hard to make the
phonograph owner with the appreciative taste buy
what he doesn't want, even at the lowest prices,
whereas he will come unsolicited for the number he
specially desires.
It depends on the dealer to make his record de-
partment a lively and profitable one. It largely de-
pends on looking ahead. It needs energy of course
but understanding of the possibilities of this or that
number and quickness of action is what leads to
profits and business expansion in the talking machine
record business.
When business can be achieved by the alert man
who foresees the possibilities, the complaint about
poor record sales sounds like the bleat of the lazy.
A dealer in a certain midwest city a little while
ago wrote a letter of complaint about the excessive
number of so-called unsaleable records on his shelves.
His complaint was that the new hits were produced
so rapidly, no record, no matter how good it may be
has chance for full exploiting. But the experience
of a competitor of his was the best commentary on
his attitude.
The city has about 200,000 population and at that
particular time had a local event of great interest to
people of the city at home and living elsewhere. A
new song by a local composer celebrated the event.
Bands played it and everybody sang it or tried to
sing it. Anyway it was an instantaneous hit in records
and the competitor was quick to see his chances. In
a week he sold or took orders for 8,000 records al-
though the record had only been made for delivery
late in the week of the event. Since then his sales of
the record have reached 10,000.
SPUR COMPOSERS FOR ORGAN.
Unfortunately for the reputation of the modern
organ, composers have allowed themselves to be out-
stripped by builders. Here is an enormous quantity
of potentialities in music, and so few composers have
undertaken to study them out that most of them are
still undiscovered. It is about the biggest field of the
generation, and practically untrodden. Organists and
21
SHOWING Q R S ROLLS IN DALLAS
The above window of the Will A. Watkins Com-
pany, of Dallas, Texas, was put in as a tie-up with
two well known and widely advertised musical prod-
ucts. Q R S Player Rolls are very much in evi-
dence as a background for Gulbransen registering
pianos. Robert Watkin says this kind of tie-up pays.
symphony orchestra combined forces a few nights
ago at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, in an effort, accord-
ing to the prospectus, to demonstrate the resources
of the organ as a solo instrument and likewise in com-
bination with the orchestra. The demonstration was
perfectly successful as far as it went, but it proved
something else as well—namely, that there is room
for a large amount of good organ music which has
not yet been written.
The school in connection with the musical mer-
chandise department of the Kesselman-O'Driscoll
Co., Milwaukee, has materially increased the sales
of band and orchestra instruments in the store.
SLINGERLAND
May Bell
VIOLIN, CELLO AND DOUBLE
BASS WOUND STRINGS
OF SUPERIOR QUALITY
Guaranteed for thirty days after they are sold
SEND FOR CATALOG
S. SIMON
8106 Chappell Avenue,
OTTO R. TREFZ, Jr.
PIANO BASS STRINGS
PIANO REPAIR SUPPLIES
2110 Fairmount Ave.
Slingerland Banjos
CHICAGO, ILLS.
are sold the country over because
they are Highest quality and sold
at a reasonable price.
Over 40 Styles of Banjos, Banjo Mandolins, Tenor Banjo*
and Banjo Ukuleles, to select from.
Write for Catalogue
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
SLINGERLAND BANJO CO.
1815 Orchard Street
CHICAGO
The Piano Repair Shop
Pianos and Phonographs Rebuilt by
Expert Workmen
Player-actions installed. Instruments
refinished or remodeled and actions and
keys repaired. Work guaranteed. Prices
reasonable.
Our-of-town dealers' repair work solic-
ited. Write for details and terms.
THE PIANO REPAIR SHOP
339 South Wabash Ave.
Chicago
C. G. CONN, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.
C. D. GREENLEAF, Pre«.
J. F. BOYER, Sec'y
World's largest manufacturer* of High Grade Band and Orchestra Instruments. Employs 1,000
expert workmen.
All of the most celebrated Artists use and endorse Conn Instruments.
Famous Bandmasters and Orchestra Directors highly endorse and recommend the use of the
Conn Instruments in their organizations.
Conn Instruments are noted for their ease of playing, light and reliable valve or key action;
quick response, rich tonal quality, perfect intonation, tone carrying quality, artisticness of design,
beautiful finish and reliable construction.
Conn Instruments are sent to any point in the U. S. subject to ten days free trial. Branch store
or agencies will be found in all large cities. Write for catalogues, prices, etc.
C. G. CONN, Ltd.
DEPT. MS.
ELKHART, IND.
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