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Presto

Issue: 1925 2041 - Page 5

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September 5, 1925.
PRESTO
CHRISTMAN
"The First Touch Tells"
It Will Pay You to Feature
the Famous
Studio Grand
in this neighborhood for two years. The industry
waited five months and then asked me to sell their
pianos, and T have sold fifteen of them.
You see Hospe has about twelve different makes
of pianos, and they must sell a lot of pianos if they
want to sell some of each. They can't push so many
kinds, and to push only one or two would let the
other makes out. If they had only half as many
different makes, they would sell more of one kind.
I would like the new Buyers' Guide, but it comes
out too late. I need one now, so send any edition
you have on hand.
ERNEST VOGET.
About small pianos; we believe that it may be
well for you to write to the Packard Piano Co., Ft.
Wayne, lnd.; also Story & Clark Piano Co., Chicago;
the Continental Piano Co., of Boston; the Starr Piano
Co., Richmond, lnd.; Bush & Lane Piano Co. All
of those industries produce small uprights and there
are others about which Presto Buyers' Guide will tell
you.
* * *
PORTABLE ORGANS.
Newton, Kans., August 25, 1925.
Editor Presto: Please tell me what you can con-
cerning the Billhorn portable organ, which, I under-
stand, is made in Chicago. I would like to know the
address of the makers of this organ and a little infor-
mation about prices, etc.
HENRY B. GEPHARDT.
(only 5 ft. long)
This little Grand has no superior and it
presents the very qualities that win the
prospect and makes the sale.
If you have a trade for Reproducing
Grands we ask your particular
notice to the
CHRISTMAN
Reproducing Grand
Billhorn portable organs are made by Billhorn
Bros., with offices at 132 West Lake street, Chicago.
Perhaps you are also familiar with the portable
folding organs produced by the A. L. White Mfg.
Co., 215 Englewood avenue, Chicago. Mr. White's
instruments are, in our opinion, the best of the kind
manufactured, and we suggest you write to the ad-
dress named.
MAKING MUSIC FOR
AUTOMATIC PIANOS
Admirable Characteristics of Timeliness and
Snappy Recording Make Sales Easy for
Dealers and Preserve Interest of Pa-
trcns in Coin-Operated Instruments.
GREAT FIELD TODAY
Rolls That Command Appreciation of Patrons Add
to Possibilities of Pianos, Organs and
Orchestrions.
Equipped with
A marvel of tone and expressive
interpretation of all classes of com-
position, reproducing perfectly the
performances of the world's great-
est pianists.
"The Ftnt Touch Tells"
lUg. U. t. P«t. OS.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
The growth of the sale of rolls for automatic
pianos has kept pace with the business in the in-
struments. The necessities of the automatic instru-
ment users naturally provide a stimulus to the pro-
viding of fresh music, but the makers of the rolls
deserve considerable commendation for the variety
and up-to-the minute character of their productions.
The attention of the manufacturers of the rolls to
newness and novelty in the continuous flow of rolls
from the factories is also an urgent necessity. With-
out a constant renewal of interest in the electric
pianos, organs and orchestrions, their receipts would
fall away and of course the failure to reap profits in
the instruments already sold would naturally have a
deterrent effect on new sales. To keep up the inter-
est the roll makers do their part by giving the char-
acter of timeliness to the numbers in the monthly
bulletins and the special releases.
The Popular Tunes.
Because of the transient nature of popular music
the producers of the music in roll form for the auto-
matic pianos, and other electrically-operated instru-
ments, must present the new popular rolls at the
very dawn of their popularity. The new popular
music must be in position in the instruments at the
earliest possible time after the introduction of the
songs and dances. The patrons of the automatic in-
struments in the cafes and other places in which they
usually are found are generally of the class that de-
mand up-to-dateness in the programs for which they
drop their nickels in the slots.
But the character of the recording is by no means
disregarded by the rolls manufacturers. The patrons
of the slot music like their music pepful. A roll of
music recorded without spirit, no matter how cor-
rectly played, would prove a dud for profits in the
slot. That is why automatic piano music today is of
the particularly lively kind that draws the nickels
from the pockets of the patrons to the inviting slots
in a continuous stream.
Helpful to Dealers.
The roll productions today are forceful helps to the
dealers active in the sales of automatic instruments,
THE M. SCHULZ GRAND.
Olar, S. C, August 25, 1925.
Editor Presto: Please write in detail all you know
about the "Schulz" piano. Is it a standard piano?
Is it in the same class as Ivers & Pond? Do you
consider it just as good? Is piano pedal squeaking a
serious objection, or can it be stopped. If so, how?
Which is the proper way to clean a piano, dust and
spots, so not to leave any bad after effects?
In asking about the Schulz piano I have reference
to the Grand. Let me know all about the Schulz
Grand. Also send copy of your latest Presto Buy-
ers' Guide.
(MRS.) JAMES CHILTY."
Concerning the M. Schulz grand piano, we say
without hesitation that the instrument is in every
way a fine one and the product of one of the strong-
est industries, financially and otherwise, in the United
States.
So far as concerns the artistic merits of the two
pianos which you ask us to contrast, we do not be-
lieve there is a great difference. We prefer to say,
briefly, that should you purchase a Schulz grand you
will have reason to be proud of your instrument and
will never have occasion to regret your choice.
About squeaking piano pedals, we suggest the bet-
ter way is to secure the services of a competent tuner.
Usually a little black lead is all that is required, and
sometimes not even that—depending upon the cause
of the noise. It is not a serious matter.
As to cleaning a piano of dust, etc., it is well to use
a piece of soft cloth, perfectly clean—cheese cloth is
often used. It is not wise to try to oil an instrument
or to use any of the so-called "liquid cleaners." A
tuner can instruct you in this, also, or perhaps the
local dealer. Should you buy an instrument we sug-
gest that the dealer from whom you purchase it may
be able to give you all necessary advice.
The 1926 edition of Presto Buyers' Guide will not
be ready until late in October, and the 1925 edition
has been entirely exhausted.
electric pianos, organs and orchestrions in that they
are recorded with the pep and snap that brings the
nickels in a profitable stream into the instruments.
Marches, waltzes, jazz gems, dance favorites and cab-
aret hits and the very latest songs made familiar to
the public over radio are found cleverly grouped in
the new rolls.
The makers of the automatic music rolls are frank
in confessing that their vigilance in watching the
musical requirements of the patrons of the instru-
ments is a selfish response to a demand. In the old
days, time was no object in the production of rolls
for automatic instruments nor was the character of
newness in the repertories a thing to worry about.
It was easy to supply the nickel-dropping public in
the matter of selections. The public was not discrim-
inative and satisfied with almost anything that a
nickel started in the coin-operated instruments.
Now It Is Different.
Within the past five or seven years, however, there
has come a tremendous change in the attitude of
the people and the causes have been various. Phono-
graphs, theater orchestras, dance orchestras, bands,
vaudeville artists, and radio have all contributed to
the education of the people who listen to the music
of the automatic instruments. The result is that the
public must be provided with the latest, produced in
the best style when the nickels are dropped in the
slots. The necessity of the automatic roll makes is
the same as that of the playerpiano, and reproducing
piano music roll maker and the maker of phonograph
records—get 'em out quickly.
Must Keep Ahead.
The automatic music roll man must keep abreast
and in some instances ahead of the times; must be
alert so that he can put out hits when they are
hits. There is nothing so dead as a has-been hit in
a roll of music for an automatic instrument. A
playerpiano or phonograph owner may treasure an
oldtimer for musical or sentimental reasons and play
it over and over, but it is "can it!" for the passe
popular with the patrons of the nickel-in-the-slot ma-
chine.
The big list of review rolls every month provided
for the automatic instruments is a recognition of the
demands of the public, which pays readily for what
it wants. The hit review rolls have increased the
sales of the rolls and have aided in the further sales
of the automatic instruments. By combining all the
big musical hits on one roll the dealer sells more
rolls and the coin-operated instruments take in more
nickels.
ARKANSAS DEALER MOVES.
The Seale Music Shop, Ouachita avenue, Hot
Springs, Ark., has moved into a newly remodeled and
larger building, several doors from the former place
of business. Besides holding a remodeling sale in
the old store, it has had phonographs on exhibition
in one completed show window at the new store.
These instruments were labeled with cards bearing
a special remodeling sale price.
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