Presto

July 7, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
The American Music Trade Weekly
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
PRESTO P U B L I S H I N G CO., Publishers.
Editor
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
(C. A . D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
J. FERGUS O ' R Y A N
- - - - -
Managing Editor
Telephones, Local and Long Distance, Harrison 0234.
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com-
mercial Cable Co.'s Code), " P R E S T O , " Chicaflo.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1.25; Foreign, $4.
Payable in advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions, Cuba and Mexico. Rates for advertising on
application.
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if of
general interest to the music trade will be paid for at
space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen In the
smaller cities are the best occasional correspondents, and
their assistance is invited.
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the edi-
torial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of produc-
tion will be charged if of commercial character of other
than strictly news interest.
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is re-
quested that their subjects and senders be carefully indi-
cated.
Forms close at noon on Thursday. Late news matter
should be in not later than 11 o'clock on that day. Ad-
vertising copy should be in hand before Tuesday, 5 p. m.,
to insure preferred position. Full page display copy
should be in hand by Tuesday noon preceding publication
day. Want advertisements for current week, to insure
classification, should be in by Wednesday noon.
Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, JULY 7, 1928.
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur-
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
is not strictly news of importance can have
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they
concern the interests of manufacturers or
dealers such items will appear the week follow-
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the
current issue must reach the office not later
than Wednesday noon of each week.
IGNORING USED PIANO
In the energizing of piano selling, advising
sales manager's talks to salesmen include quite
a number of important "Dont's." Among them
is the admonition to discourage too much con-
sideration of the customer's old piano. Indeed,
it has become a rule among the most pro-
gressive salesmen to frankly ignore all con-
sideration of the old piano in recognition for
the sale of a new one.
Apart from the greater tonal merits of the
new instruments there is the element of mod-
ernity in the design of the latter as well as
decorative treatment to fit the artistic charac-
ter of rooms. The modernization of homes in
accordance with period schemes involves the
purchase of something suitably artistic. The
cheerful decorative schemes also call for
brightly treated piano cases. The salesman
who presents these considerations in appeals
to the prospects can politely set aside the sug-
gestion of a trade-in value in the antique.
But in ignoring the claims of the prospects
for impossible values in their old instruments,
the salesman has to battle the accumulation of
precedents from the earliest days of the piano
business. For too long the antiquity value of
the used pianos has been admitted and even
exaggerated by the trade, to easily eliminate
its consideration in sales. But the ridiculous
values put upon the used piano by customers
can be discounted to the extent of ignoring
any compensatory value.
The advice to dealers of one holding com-
pany in the automobile industry to discourage
the trading in of old cars is viewed favorably
musician was treated simply as the appearance
of a great person and audiences were made up
of curious folk who were more desirous of
seeing the celebrity than of hearing his art,
today the assemblages are more interested in
the music offered than in the individual
artists.
* * *
Speaking on "How to Improve Sales," Mr.
LESSON IN CONVENTION
R. J. Langley, recently elected vice-president
The recent trade convention in the Hotel of the British Music Trades Association, stated
Commodore, New York, had all the elements a fact and admonished a reproof when he said:
of a successful meeting—constructive criticism, "Half the music trade today is scratching
discussion, suggestion to prompt thought and around trying to prevent the other half from
encourage action in all the activities as well as getting on with it. The energy that is spent
the element of sociability which humanizes in blowing-off about people, if applied to sales
relations and renders men more sane. It was organization, would quickly revolutionize the
not an end in itself but an event marking pre- industry. The music industry has never pro-
paredness for new efforts in an admittedly duced a wiser policy than that of the Federa-
tion when it decided to devote its greatest
new day.
Such conventions tend to make people in effort to improve the teaching of music in out
the music trade observant of the true condi- schools, yet less than 40 per cent of the piano
tions detrimental or helpful to their business. trade are giving their whole-hearted support to
Their advantages to the man who lives "in a that work. If we fail to convert that latent
shell of obscurity" are obvious. What he hears desire of the child to produce a noise into a
and sees throughout the days of the conven- positive desire for the musical noise of a piano,
tion makes him distinguish between facts and and an ultimate desire in the resultant adult to
imaginings. Just listening puts him wise to possess a piano, then we deserve to be
himself; new thought prompts a more effective straffed."
course of action.
'WAY BACK IN PRESTO
The convention in itself was the result of
organization and in that way showed the neces-
(From Presto, July 9, 1890.)
sities of cooperation in anything of a promo-
Few pianofortes warerooms are more elegantly ap-
tional nature. In official speeches and resolu- pointed or better fitted up for daily business con-
tions ; in spirited unofficial talks it was made venience than those of Mr. Louis Dederick, manager
clear that increased sales were urgent require- of the Chicago house of the estate of the Albert
branch in this city.
ments. And it was also made clear that sales Weber
Mr. Platt Gibbs of the Chicago Music Company
today are more the results of personal perform- will, it now seems, get located in his new store this
ance than ever before. But today the dealer's month. He has spent several thousands of dollars
arrange the premises.
outside encouragements are many. Well or- to Mr.
Chas. Jacob of the firm of Jacob Bros., New
ganized promotional plans provide a back- York, was a visitor to Chicago during the past week.
ground for his advertising and his personal Mr. Jacob is one of the brightest and most enter-
prising pianoforte manufacturers in the trade.. Mr.
appeals. Showing the dealers and salesmen Jacob
having become interested in the Mathushek &
these accompaniments of opportunity was a Son Piano Co., his energy and ability have helped
most enlightening feature of the convention. to the rejuvenation of that concern.
Adam Schaaf has moved into his store—the ground
But also impressed was the fact that the aids floor—276
West Madison street. He has a handsome
did not automatically result in sales, but were place of business and a fine line of goods.
Clayton F. Summy has offered to furnish sheet
effective plus head work and leg work.
by some piano sales managers. "Why not
retain the old car to use for a lot of purposes
which would mar the duco freshness of the
new one," is a suggestion that fits the piano
trade. Keeping the old pianos for use in the
children's playroom at least would keep them
out of circulation.
The influence of American "jazz" music in
foreign countries on the sale of American-
made musical instruments has been very pro-
nounced, and it is conceded that vast increase
in the exports of American instruments asso-
ciated with jazz music, is significant of a popu-
lar demand for that type of music. During
the calendar year 1922 shipments of band in-
struments from here to England were valued
at $3,514 and after a consistent increase each
year the shipments in 1925 amounted to $121,-
034. Owing to the great strike, shipments fell
off in 1926. But the shipments for 1927 were
bigger than those for any previous year.
* * *
Tn spite of the itinerant jazz bands, the num-
ber of "jazz acts" in vaudeville and the usual
character of the music of the small town mo-
tion picture theaters, the people in the smaller
places are becoming more and more appreci-
ative of good music. The interesting fact,
which concerns the music dealer, is the im-
proved attitude of the people should have
a helpful influence on such activities as the
National Piano Promotion Plan sponsored by
the National Piano Manufacturers' Associa-
tion. The new expression in music matters in
the smaller places was an interesting change,
is generally agreed. Whereas in the past a
concert or recital by some famous singer or
music free of charge to pupils who receive the fifteen
free scholarships issued by the Chicago Musical Col-
lege to talented and deserving pupils.
Absolutely thirty-a-day and nothing less is the
Story & Clark output in July for their organs. All
high grade, too!
Paul G. Mehlin, Jr., returned to New York on
Wednesday last from a business trip West and re-
ports trade as being in an excellent condition, con-
sidering the season; sales of the M E H L I N piano are
very lage, the late combination having given it a great
boom.
On the 30th of last month the partnership exist-
ing between Wilson K. Smith, Henry W. Crawford,
Joseph G. Ebersole and J. Llwellyn Smith, under the
firm name of Smith & Nixon, was dissolved by mutual
consent.
Should the Kimball skyscraper go up on the Wa-
bash and Jackson street site, Presto proposes to take
time by tne forelock and herewith congratulates not
only the W. W. Kimball Co., but the heavens as well.
Following is a list of letters relating to musical
interest received at the Chicago postoffice that have
been advertised during the present month: Central
Music Co., Wm. Tonk & Bro., Bradt & Shipman,
Brophy Bros., Burrows Bros., Sterling & Co., Wilcox
& White, Central Music Co., Chase Piano Rooms,
Hitchcock & McCargo.
There is also mail for the Chicago Theatrical Out-
fitting Co. and for the Crown Machine Co., which
latter should probably go to Geo. P. Bent, manufac-
turere of the Crown sewing machine as well as the
Crown pianos and Crown organs.
Mr. Henry L. Mason had a proposition for the
consideration of M. T. N. A. at Detroit this year. It
was for the establishment of a Mason & Hamlin
award to composers in connection with or under the
auspices of the Mason & Hamlin Organ & Piano Co.
The Postmaster at Lamed, Kans., says briefly that
the reason the late firm of Clemens & Stitt of that
place do not receive the Presto is because they left
between two days; address unknown."
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