Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
INDICATIONS ON
PIANO PRODUCTION
Observations on a "Buyers' Guide" Ques-
tionnaire
The 1932-33 issue of the Presto Buyers' Guide of
American pianos, now in preparation by the Presto
Publishing Company, will show a considerable num-
ber of piano manufacturers as having "passed out
of the picture" within the past fifteen months, or
since the 1931 edition of this publication appeared,
while other reports and eliminations of descriptive
matter of pianos formerly appearing in the book,
indicate possible discontinuance or liquidation of va-
rious, piano industries that have been active in the
past.
Other replies speak of concentrating and lessening
manufacturing space, many of these indicating that
pianos which were formerly made either entirely or
partly assembled in separate and individual buildings,
or in independent factories are now turned out en-
tirely under one roof; by the same workmen, along
the same benches and under just the same working
conditions.
Thus many pianos bearing miscellaneous names
besides manufacturers' so-called "seconds" have been
turned out at various factories for a long time and
this business, together with the demand for estab-
lished names, names of instruments of long standing
and established reputation won in years of hard work
and at great expense and which by necessity, by
changed economic conditions, have merged with or
been taken over by the greater of two units. This
demand, as is said, has been sufficient with some fac-
tories up to these days of economic pressure, to keep
on making these instruments, independent each of
the other, in separate factories, each a unit in itself.
But now, as the Buyers' Guide reports say, the
merging process is on and the "one unit" factory
production is brought about and becomes a neces-
sity, as indicated in the Questionnaires referred to,
affecting, especially, organizations which have been
active in merging old-time names and businesses,
many of which names have been eliminated from pro-
duction except as occasional orders come in.
Still other replies sent for Buyers' Guide cor-
rections say that the senders are withdrawing from
wholesale and county-wide agency trade and cater-
ing only to retail customers, depending upon retail
trade at retail prices to compensate for the loss of
wholesale trade and greater output.
September-October, 1932
PROSPERITY-
CORRESPONDENCE
Recently two manufacturers, one in the piano in-
dustry, the other in the radios, showed a Presto-
Times representative several letters that they had
been receiving within a week or ten days from their
dealers; some ordering instruments; others telling of
selling experiences, prospects for future business,
special sales, etc., etc. The letters were inspiring,
they were "ej'e openers," showing that excellent
music business prevails in many parts of the country.
The piano manufacturer intimated that Presto-
Times too, could get valuable data by sending out a
questionnaire. "Send out an inquiry," said this gen-
tleman, "and some mighty interesting and valuable
stuff for copy can be secured. Ask Pearson or Frank
Wilking, at Indianapolis, Sampson at Boise, Vance at
Mason City, Platt at Los Angeles, Chrisler of the
Aeolian St. Louis house, William Schmoller of
Schmoller & Mueller, Omaha, Mr. Winter of the
Winter Music Co., Altoona, Pa., the Houck Com-
pany at Memphis, the Diggans boys and Isaac
Bledsoe at San Antonio, Henry F. Mayer at Paris,
Texas, almost any of the Baldwin Piano Com-
pany stores; most of the Jenkins Company stores, the
Grinnell Bros, stores, at least several of them that I
know more about, and others I could call off to you
and you will get some Prosperity letters that will
open the eyes of many of our manufacturers, be an
impetus to backward dealers and an inspiration to
the trade all over the country."
"In the manufacturing fraternity inquire of Mark
P. Campbell as to the outlook; and David Kimball
and Settergren and Hess of Bluffton; John Parnham
and Sales Manager Stone, of the Everett; the Aeolian
and American Corporation folks ought to have many
encouraging things to give out, and the Baldwin at
Cincinnati certainly have, for I see that their big
selling plan is carrying on successfully. Views as to
future probabilities and the ability of existing factories
to supply the probable demand would make interest-
THE PASSING OF LUDWIG TO RICCA
ing and valuable reading from such men as the Gen-
netts of the Starr Piano Company, George Miller of
The business of Ludwig & Co., manufacturers of
Lester Piano Company, the Messrs. Jacob of Jacob
the Ludwig piano, has passed to the Riccas, that is, Bros, and Mr. Gettell of Mathushek, Mr. Cone of
the house of Ricca & Son, headed by Hugo Ricca. Hardman, Peck & Company; those active heads of
Mr. Ricca has taken on a piece of work sadly neglect- the four northern Illinois factories, Van Matre (if
ed for some years past but is putting new life and Schumann, P. E. Mason of Haddorff, at Rockford.
activity into the enterprise, with results to reward
Edgar B. Jones of the Schiller at Oregon, and
his efforts.
Cyril Farny of the Wurlitzer factory.
I could
The Ludwig factory is, for the time being, kept in go on and name dozens of others whose views on
operation with George Henkelman in charge of man- piano output and production would be very inter-
ufacturing operations. The first thing to do was to esting reading at this time, but these will give you,
to use a too common expression of the day, a 'mouth-
clean up the old Ludwig stock on "casters," which
ful' to feed on."
was hastily done and most of this completed product
was sold on a deal to Wanamaker, followed by exten-
sive advertising in the New York papers by Wana-
Good Trade Ahead
maker. A considerable lot of these instruments were
"Really," continued this entertaining manufacturer,
player pianos, which were offered as low as $95 and "I see a successful piano trade just a little way ahead
advertised under the caption, "Ludwig-Built and of us at this time; an array of sales that is going to
Wanamaker Guaranteed."
tax the capacity of the factories destined to supply the
Thus the Ludwig business passes from the hands demand.
of the two former owners, who have sadly neglected
"One reason for this is the disposal of an immense
"carrying on" for some years past, to Ricca, who quantity of repossessed and 'second hands' of vari-
becomes, to all appearances, an active and Napoleonic ous and innumerable vintage; a weeding out that has
figure in the piano industry of the Bronx district.
been going on for these several years past and which
has represented more than a half of the pianos sold,
STORY & CLARK GENERAL OFFICES RE- some say 60 per cent of the business, and only a
few days ago, while discussing this phase of the piano
MAIN AT 173 N. MICHIGAN AVENUE.
and dealer situation Mr. E. B. Bartlett of the W. W.
The Story & Clark building at 173 North Michigan Kimball Company, said he believed that not over 20
avenue, Chicago has been sold, but the Story & Clark per cent to 25 per cent of the pianos sold in this
offices will remain at that location as the Chicago country during the past twenty-four months were
headquarters and also display rooms on the fourth stock ordered and received within that period. Mr.
Bartlett, also in referring to the great number of
and fifth floors.
pianos taken back on repossession and exchange, re-
marked that many were exchanges for radios, thus
MR. PEARSON BUYS ADDITIONAL BUSI- saving a cash purchase of that instrument. Mr. Bart-
lett considered that later on those former piano own-
NESS PROPERTY
ers would want to replace pianos in their homes, as
An important real estate deal has just been con- would the thousands and thousands of others
summated at Indianapolis, Ind., by the purchase by who had lost their instruments by repossession,
J. S. Pearson, treasurer of the Pearson Piano Com- exchange, etc. This made room for, practically, a
pany of the three-story building at 233-235 East new era of piano selling, and with this elim-
Washington street, opposite the Court House. The ination of the old stock, and by 'old stock' I
property adjoins other property owned by Pearson include old, shop-worn, unsold instruments, there
near the same location and will give the owner a will be the inevitable call for new goods and the
business property frontage of more than fifty feet in demand of the merchant whose good fortune lets him
remain in business, will require up-to-date models
the retail stores district.
and finishes—a new product, new, and newly made
from lid to caster."
Shortage of New Stock
"It is pretty well understood in the trade," con-
tinued the p. m., 'that there is a shortage now of
'brand new' goods; that many factories have not
for quite a while back been building with all com-
ponent material new and fresh; in fact, that the busi-
ness of some manufacturers has been entirely of
cases that have been on hand for years, thus com-
pelling them to fill such orders as came in as best
they could, made up from old cases and material
much of which had been on hand from the early days
of the 'depression.'
A Result of the Late Cleanup
"Several radio factories are very active just now
and others more or less busy but that industry has
not undergone a cleaning out experience as in pianos.
As a result of this cleaning out of old pianos, coupled
with failures among piano manufacturers and with-
drawals from manufacturing, the temporary discon-
tinuances and semi-discontinuances and frightened
condition of others, resulting in factory shutdowns,
I cannot see where enough pianos will be turned out
by the remaining factories to meet the demands of
dealers for the pianos which must be salably con-
structed and made good and ready for the hands of
the salesmen of today."
Cutting Output; Elimination
This manufacturer brings up subjects of worth-
while attention and yet, aside from the things he
suggests, there are other matters well worthy of
serious consideration; for instance, the cutting down
in piano manufacturing capacity and taking off the
market many well known pianos, for there are prob-
ably a dozen fewer piano factories operating today
than there were a year ago and many pianos, the
product of well-known makers, have been cut off
and discontinued. There has also been a cut-down
in production all along the line. If this condition
continues how are dealers to he supplied and who
will supply them?
For the year before, the year ending June 30, 1931,
there were about fifteen assignments, liquidations, etc.,
not including some mergers and "takeovers" such as
Bush & Gerts, taken by Haddorff, Schaff Brothers and
Julius Bauer & Co., consolidated with Wurlitzer, and
A. B. Chase, Emerson, and Lindemanu, taken by
Lester Piano Company.
Questionnaires
Acting on the tip of the manufacturers quoted, in-
terrogatories were sent out from the Presto-Times
office. First to general music dealers, and then a
few to manufacturers to find out what some of their
dealers might have to say and what they, themselves,
thought of conditions.
Replies
And the replies: what letters! Many of them "eye
openers." Letters filled with enough enthusiasm to
set the whole piano selling fraternity aflame with
energy. For instance, the first dealer's reply was a
real inspiration. It reads, in part:
"* * * Strange as this may seem to you, we have
been selling pianos and making good deals. Will you
believe me when I tell you that last month we sold
forty grand pianos; twenty-two of them of one make.
You can verify this by writing our different factories.
The piano business has never been dead and I am
frank to tell you that there are more good sales now
than there ever were in the past because it has taken
away from the piano man the customer who buys a
piano when he is living from hand to mouth. That
customer is the one who has caused so much havoc in
our business. Now 90 per cent of our deals are made
with people who have the money, and they probably
have it invested where they are afraid it will not be
safe and these people are buying pianos. Yesterday
we sold a "J. F." grand and will receive one hundred
and fifty dollars a month. Last night we sold an-
other grand and the sale was divided into just three
short time payments. Really, 'Mr. Presto,' there is
piano business for the man who works. I cannot
tell you what we are doing that other dealers are
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