Presto

March, 1932
PRESTO-TIMES
THE SETTERGREN GRAND PIANOS
For
1932
ARE MODELS OF
ELEGANCE AND EXCELLENCE
Investigate the Settergren Proposition
Bluffton,
B. K. SETTERGREN CO.
Indiana
U. S. A,
•ill
been in business for many years, both managers have
been through the routine of the factory and both do
wonderful work, as their customers that have their
In a letter to Presto-Times stressing the impor- key work done by real key men tell them so, and
tance of dealers sending out used pianos that have their prices are so reasonable that there is no excuse
been sold in a suitable condition for use, L. E. Mc- for one piano going out looking like a junk heap; its
Mackin, of the McMackin Piano Service, Des Moines, bad business for the manufacturer, bad for all con-
la., gives this interesting communication which will cerned, and furthermore it is not square to the public.
be read by dealers with especial interest, as it brings Give the public musical instruments, and if you cannot
home to them the importance of having used pianos fix up used pianos so they will play, junk them and
you will be the winner."
put into good and saleable condition.
This letter is not a fling at the music trade in gen-
Mr. McMackin's article bears the caption, "Hints
eral
nor directed to all dealers, for most of them
for the Used Piano Department."
"One going to buy a used automobile may find know how to put in selling condition second-hand
that the car he is looking for has been partly over- pianos, but it is directed to that class of dealers who
hauled, with a new coat of paint, etc., but if the do not take advantage of the opportunities offered for
car shows that it is not worth much attention out it making used pianos saleable.
Yours for better service,
goes to the junk heap. Before entering the automo-
bile shop you will notice an advertisement in the win-
(Signed) L. E. McMACKIN,
dow which reads something like this: 'Let us service
McMackin Piano Service Company,
your car,' and this notice has all the embellishments
Des Moines, la.
that go with similar propositions about what you are
entitled to in the way of a smooth running car. Of
course they would like to sell you a new car, but they HOW SNYDER'S MUSIC SHOP DID IT
understand that many folks nowadays cannot buy a
From Tujunga, Calif., Marshall Breeden, now con-
new car if they have a car that with a little overhaul- nected with the Free Press, published at that place,
ing will run them another year. There are thousands sends Presto-Times an interesting account of how a
of pianos that should go to the junk heap—no doubt local music and radio dealer, Mr. Bob Snyder, at
of this—and on the other hand there are a great many Tujunga overcame the inconveniences of a bank fail-
pianos that need the attention of a good repairman ure and by helping himself helped his customers and
to be sold to some one who would like to have a others.
piano but cannot afford at the present to buy a new
As Mr. Breeder's story goes:
one. No doubt many dealers have lots of used pianos
"The local bank failed to open its door. Snyder
but have they given them the proper service to make found it out when he went to make his early morning
them appear ? ? ? ?
deposit. With the rest of the town business men he
"When you walked into that music store did you milled around the front of the bank. Snyder, no
see a sign in the window, 'We tune and service your doubt, did his share of the cussing at the financial
pianos and have a fine lot of good used pianos that disaster, but while he was cussing he was also think-
have been thoroughly overhauled, key boards re- ing. Then he went into action.
paired or replaced with new keys, actions, put in
"He took his checks to the bank in the neighboring
first-class condition,' etc., to those who are not able town of Montrose and cashed them. He brought
to buy a new piano. The dealer who is not alert and the money back to his music store in Tujunga, and
sends these used pianos out in bad condition when put this sign in the window:
with a few dollars they could be put in fine playing
' " C O M E IN.
condition is the worst menace to the piano trade. He '"SNYDER'S RADIO SHOP CASHES CHECKS.
does not advertise the tuning department; tuning
' " N O CHARGE.'"
means nothing to him; it's get rid of them and get a
Since
there
was
no bank, and since many people
down payment. There is a second-hand dealer in Des
Moines, la., who sends the writer three and four had good accounts in other towns Bob started right
key-boards to be recovered a week and he stated that in to do a good check cashing business.
The Result
the secret of his success in second-hand pianos and
the most sales power, 'The Silent Salesman,' was the
The people have the habit of going to the Snyder
key-board. There are two good key repair shops Radio Shop to cash small checks. This has pro-
that advertise in the Presto-Times. They both have duced quite a lot of new business for the shop. While
A PLEA FOR BETTER SERVICED
USED PIANOS
Snyder made no direct effort to make sales, yet by
printed signs and an attractive display he called the
many visitors' attention to his radios. The result
has been many new cash and contract sales. He
says that it is surprising how many people do not
know of the advance in radio construction and in the
lowering of radio prices.
"This check cashing idea has proven a good thing
for me," Bob says, "and the only cost is the gasoline
to Montrose every day. Over there I deposit the
checks I have taken in and draw enough cash to
handle the business over here. It certainly has
brought a lot of new customers to my shop."
CHICAGO PIANO AND ORGAN ASSOCIA-
TION MEETINGS AND LUNCHEONS NOW
AT THE AUDITORIUM
The Chicago Piano and Organ Association with
which the Piano Club of Chicago has allied itself, has
changed its monthly meeting place from the Great
Northern Hotel to the Auditorium and to the rooms
familiar to the Chicago music trade men as former
meeting places and headquarters for music trade
activities. The March meeting will probably take
place some day of the last week in the month and
members are urgently requested to be present. There
is always much of interest at these meetings; im-
promtu talks and round table discussions that are of
real value to music trade men.
SCHILLER
ANNUAL MEETING AND
ELECTION
At the annual meeting of stockholders of the Schil-
ler Piano Company held at Oregon, 111., these officers
were elected for the present year:
Edgar B. Jones, President.
Charles D. Etnyre, Vice-President.
B. F. Shelly, Secretary.
Cyrus F. Jones, Treasurer.
The directors elected are E. B. Jones, Walter C.
Scott. B. F. Shelly, Charles D. Etnyre, J. C. Seyster,
G. R. Haas and Cyrus F. Jones.
NEW MEHLIN & SONS EXECUTIVE OFFICES
In their new location at 509 Fifth avenue, New
York, Paul G. Mehlin & Sons are uniting their gen-
eral executive offices with their New York sales
warerooms, a consolidation which will insure more
convenience than could be had when the offices were
at West New York, N. J.
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