The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-01-26
ooNosan,No p,AMos.

OONOoUNuN0 PuNVOSs
One Or Two Popular 1rieks u the Mu.
sleal 1nstrumsnt Trade.
At least once in the course Of evcry
mans life he feels called upon to can.
vass the matter Of buying musical
instrument The city man is naturally
inclined TO the piano. the country man
Is divided between the piano and the
organ, and the organ usually wins ON
account Of its lower price. II does
not follow that every man confronted
by ths problem solves II by making q
purchase. but a great many Of thom
do, and Of these the maj jority are sore.
ly puzzled ., to what piano they ought
10 buy and how much they ought to
pay for 1t. I suppose my advice has
been asked on this matter more times
than have been asked to lend dol.
lar till Saturday. Il has always been
harder to give the advice satisfactori.
ly than to raise the dollar. There
are tricks in every trade but ours" is
favorite proverb among gamblers.
and the tricks IT tho piano trade arc
numerous and difficult to fathom.
Ono Of them Is interesting a. IL
concerns the public erformances Of
great players. Who has not been
struck with the broadcast advertising
Of the leading houses and the glowing
testimonials from noted musicians
printed on concert programmed Every
body knows that such people as Liszt
Rubinstein. Won Bulow. and presume
bly, little Josef Hoffman,. and other
great pianists of tho day. have been
overwhelmed with gifts of splendid in
struments from manufacturers all over
the world. A testimonial in acknowl-
edgment Of the honor is a natural and
courteous thing. and many Of those
printed on programmes were obtained
in this way. ! talked with tho man.
ager Of one Of the most noted piano
houses in the country the other day.
and for the benefit Of suffering pub
lie will transcribe what he said.
Few pianists," he said. ''get their
engagements to play direct from the
managers Of entertainments Il IL .
part Of our business to secure artists .
hearing. and, consequently, the plan.
lists make their applications to us
We keep track Of all the symphony
and classical concerts in the
country, and, early in tho season and
at other times. offer to the managers
the services of well-known pianists -
soloists. The understanding is that
the artist shall use our piano. We will
not act as agents for any pianist who
will not agree to use our instrument
and none other. The artists. a. rule,
are very faithful to the contract and
know Of one (mentioning the name
Of famous and popular player) who
will not play, even In private house
to private and friendly audiences, nm.
less our instrument ID furnished for
her. That may be carrying the scheme
too far. but it is we'll for US and we do
not object. In this way we keep our
instruments constantly before the pub
lie in q favorable light It 10 good
advertisement for ~, that an expert
player prefers our piano and will use
no other. The fact is, that few play.
ers have such . decided personal
choice between the four or Ave leading
instruments. tits all matter Of bus
mess
.And about prices No man who
knows any thing ever expects to pay
the asking price for piano. There
are one or two houses in this city
where the price Is kept steady at
the asking figure. but that 10
only to prevent too great q trade
at the headquarters Our bulk
Of business. of course. 10 with tho mid
dlemen. and 1t is our policy to favor
them. The result is that you can do
a great deal better than to buy your
instrument Of the main house. A
great many people do that because
they then feel sure that they are get
ting an article that Is all that 10 repre-
sented to be. But a. o matter Of fact
the difference in price IL 10 great b.
tween the figure named here and that
by the middlemen. that 1t viii pay any
body to 60 out Of town to make the
purchase. For instance. You could
60 down to Richmond, Va, or any
city In the interior Of New York or
Pennsylvania, buy one Of our instru-
ments there. and save enough money
to pay for the trip. including al OK
penses and the freightage ON the piano
back to the city. You could even 20
as far as Atlanta and save enough TO
cover the expenses Of the trip and .
day or so In the city. There ID another
reason why we keep the price steep and
stiff in tho main house. Not only VIII
there be enough trade to justify It but
the expenses Of the main house are
enormous. and greater returns are
necessary to meet them."-M T. Cbr