Presto

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.
F R A N K D. A B B O T T
- - - - - - - - -
Editor
(C. A. D A N I ELL—1904-1927.)
FERGUS O'RYAN
_ _ _ _ _ Managing Editor
J.
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 , " Chicago.
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. Rat;s 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 or 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, OCTOBER 13, 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.
START A PIANO CLASS
How many piano dealers throughout the
country are taking an active interest in the
movement for piano class teaching? What
proportion of the dealers understands the va-
rious systems provided for class piano teach-
ing purposes? It is true that a considerable
number of piano merchants realize the pos-
sibilities of the movement and actively have
taken steps to put the scheme into operation
in their stores. But it also is true that too
many dealers are ignoring the great oppor-
tunity created for them.
The piano teaching movement is as serious
as the circumstances which make it necessary.
The decrease in interest in pianos noticed for
some years has been the reflection of a con-
dition of mind in the public. A lessening of
desire for the piano for several years has been
in equal ratio to the diminishing of under-
standing in the piano playing art. Piano sales
are natural results of piano lessons.
The love of music is not enough to cause
special favor for pianos. But the piano trade
can capitalize on the increase in the interest
in good music made possible by radio and
other agencies. For quick effects that result
in piano sales there is nothing to excel the
movement to increase students of the piano.
Any of the systematic methods for the acqui-
sition of a piano education which have been
winning their way afford the opportunities for
which the piano dealers have been waiting.
Any somnolent piano store can be quickly
turned into a busy place of piano instruction
by the owner's adoption of one of the methods.
The trade has been made aware of the various
systems framed and perfected by trade asso-
ciations, manufacturers and retailers. National
trade associations and individual manufactur-
ers are prepared to organize a system of group
piano teaching in stores and to help the dealer
to operate it.
The group piano classes in a store renew a
decreased piano character where such a detri-
mental condition has been permitted to come
about. The piano classes evoke enthusiasm
in the employes, produce piano prospects
quickly and inexpensively and provide the op-
portunities for profitable and numerous sales.
October 13, 1928
produced a few hundred uprights of desirable
models last year.
While the grand models in the pianos named
above have the greatest favor with buyers, the
desire of customers for the upright models
continues to be expressed. And often the peo-
ple requiring the uprights are strong in their
likes for them and firm in their determination
to take nothing else. The attachment to the
upright may be attributed to several causes,
and the reasons for insisting on their demands
often seem without reason to the exasperated
dealer or salesman.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
A PLEASANT REVELATION
(From Presto, October 9, 1898.)
A reaction in the building activities in Amer-
The reed organ has taken on a new life in a way
ican cities is increased desire for homes— almost startling. The Chicago Cottage Organ Co.
now turning out more of these instruments than
houses, bungalows and cottages. These, the is
ever before in the history of the house. Mr. H. D.
public considers, are places to live in as dis- Cable says the old-time record is being beaten. The
tinguished from apartments in buildings of average just now is 60 organs a day. Figure it up.
Nearly eighteen thousand a year.
greater or lesser loftiness, where, it is said,
Mr. Jas. K. Gi'l, cf the Straube Piano Co., is still
people only "exist." One of the conditions at his home, where he has been confined for some
favoring the building of homes is the exten- three weeks past.
The Bergstrom Music Co. has been incorporated in
sion of city limits occurring in many munici-
Honolulu to succeed to the old firm established by
palities.
Mr. Bergstrom, who will be remembered as at one
As cities grow in population the real estate time having been engaged in organ manufacture in
on which the small residences stand becomes San Francisco.
The trade of the middle-west can present no more
too valuable for use for such a purpose, so the consistent
or broadly enterprising member than Col.
apartment building, housing many families is Jas. A. Guest, of Burlington, Iowa. Nor is there a
inevitable. Their increase in number in re- piano house more widely or favorably known in Iowa
on westward to the Golden Gate. Colonel Guest,
cent years has had a detrimental effect on the and
though still in his prime, is entitled to be classed
piano business.
among the veteran piano dealers of the west.
The "Wissner" representative, Mr. Frank H. King,
Everything that helps along the home life
through Chicago, westward bound, on Tuesday
and affords opportunity for developing intel- passed
last. He was up and away before the sun had fairly
lectual and cultural refinement proves helpful risen from the lake, nnd his friends—and Mr. King
to the piano business. Homes are places for has friends everywhere—heard of his presence only
pianos. In the expanding suburbs the home after he had gone.
Pa., "Morning Tribune," of Septem-
owners are people who can enjoy pianos with- ber The 20 Altoona,
contained an extended notice of the opening
out danger of "disturbing the peace" of neigh- of F. A. Winter's newly re-fitted music house.
bors who have no soul for music. The in- Mr. Otto Wagner, of the extensive Mexican music
crease in the number of homes made oossible house of A. Wagner & Levien, successors, expects
to be in the States shortly. Mr. Wagner will make
by the exigencies of the realtors and builders quite a trip, visiting Chicago, New York and other
may stimulate the resumption of the old- large centers.
Music trade "journalism" must be credited with still
fashioned custom of doorbell ringing and tell-
new idea. One of the New York trade papers
ing the folks what is needed to make the home another
printed a full-page advertisement bearing the adver-
completely happy.
tiser's announcement that "this page has been paid
CALLS FOR UPRIGHTS
A correspondent writing to Presto-Times
from an Ohio city this week says: "Will you
please advise me if it is a fact that Chickering
& Sons no longer makes an upright piano? A
friend of mine went to a Chickering store and
they could not show her one and assured her
that they were no longer made in an upright."
The incident calls attention to a condition in
the trade and the occasional difficulties of some
dealers in being unable to supply requirements
of customers. As the manufacture of Chick-
ering uprights has been discontinued, an in-
sistent call for one naturally creates a dilem-
ma for the dealer.
Dealers representing Steinway & Sons had
similar experiences following the discontinu-
ance in the manufacture of its upright models.
The wide search for a new Steinway upright
to fill the order of a customer who insisted on
that type, is an interesting story told by Henry
Dreher while head of the Cleveland piano com-
pany bearing his name. A new Steinway up-
right at a price about equal to the lowest-
priced Steinway grand was finally found for
the customer.
Other Steinway & Sons dealers had similar
experiences to those related by Mr. Dreher
and in response to repeated calls, the house
for." Isn't that a sort of back-slap at the trade
paper?
Mr. A. Palle, American manager of Herrburger &
Co., manufacturers of the celebrated "Schwander"
action, has gone on a flying trip to Paris.
Mr. Harold Marshall, of the firm of Marshall &
Sons, Adelaide, Australia, and Mr. Charles Tait, of
Allan & Co, Ltd., Melbourne, have been in Germany
for the past six weeks or two months, and have made
large purchases of various lines of musical instru-
ments there.
The American music industries will not be the last
to invade Cuba and Porto Rico. Mr. C. N. Post,
of Lyon & Healy, already has his eyes turned thither-
ward and he will make a trip to Uncle Sam's new
countries before very long.
S. M. Lutz, of Decatur, 111., who recently opened
a store in Springfield, made an exhibit at the State
Fair, and among his goods displayed was a line of
Adams Bros.' guitars, made at Dwight, 111.
Six of the A. B. Chase piano factory boys answered
the country's call for volunteers to fight Spain: F. A.
Wilson, Wm. Schafer, Fred Everson, Merritt Man-
ahan. Max Zurcher, and H. Koenig. The boys at
the factory have decorated the benches where they
formerly worked with bunting and flags in honor of
the ones who went to the front.
The employes at the Starr piano factory in Rich-
mond, Ind., last week shipped a large box to the
boys of Company F, 161st Indiana. The box con-
tained many things which will delight the Richmond
soldiers, among them being many cans of fruit and
over 400 packages of tobacco.
"One of the most interesting of musical publications
is Presto of Chicago. Its special editions should
prove of particular interest to musicians, as they
are prepared with a view to completeness of detail
which adds to the value of them. The Presto export
edition is issued this month, printed in both English
and Spanish."—Sunday Boston Times.
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