The talking machine world (July-Dec 1922)

146 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD August 15, 1922 REPAIRS TALKING MACHINE TROUBLES AND HOW TO REMEDY THEM Conducted by Andrew H. Dodin Repair Adjustments That Help Trade! The corning of September means to many thousands of homes the ending of the vacation season, with the occupants straightening out their homes in preparation for the coming Winter. It also means, officially, that the talking machine again comes into active use after a rest of two or three months. How many dealers take advantage of the opportunity thus offered at this season of the year to have a salesman or repairman make an inspection trip among their customers to look over the various talking machines and adjust the many little things which may require it after the machine has been idle for some time? Perhaps nothing may be found wrong with the machine, and, in fact, in most cases the ma chine will be in first-class condition, but the mere fact that the dealer has shown enough interest in his customer to see that the machine is in perfect running condition should strike a responsive chord in the customer and sooner or later bring him, or her, to the store in quest of new records, or, perhaps, a larger or more elaborate type of machine. Seeing to it that the customer's machine is in proper playing condition is not to be regarded as profitless service to that particular machine owner. One of the ideas behind the move is that the customer is very likely to have friends calling at intervals and for them to hear a perfect playing machine and to learn of the dealer's interest is the best kind of an advertisement for that particular dealer's store. Such interest on the part of friends means further sales for the dealer. What better advertisement can a dealer have than a perfect playing machine in the customer's home? Surely it does not suffice to say, "I sell the machine: there is none better." Even the best constructed motor and sound box are liable, sooner or later, to go wrong, either through natural causes or through unskilled han dling by the owner. Under such conditions the dealer cannot afford to have representing his store a machine that will not play or plays indifferently. When he sells the outfit it is good business to sell with it upkeep service to a reasonable degree. It is one of the livest business-building opportunities at the dealer's command. The dealer may say "I do not maintain a repair department" or "I have all my repair work done at the shop of my jobber and he could not possibly do this for me." The conclusion is wrong, for this particular service should be the duty of one of your salesmen — the man who is in a position to take immediate advantage of buying interest. The salesman should be sufficiently versed in the minor adjustments of the motor or sound box to be able to make them in the home without difficulty. The motor that needs a new mainspring or the sound box that needs a new diaphragm should be sent to the repair shop. When the machine has been adjusted and put in good condition the salesman should bring into play his selling ability. If he has been observant he has found out by looking at the records what class of music the machine owner favors, and he can suggest new records of the same type. If he has with him samples of the latest records he can demonstrate them and sell them on the spot. This is being done every day in the week by certain dealers I know and with surprising results. ' The adjustments that a salesman is competent to make depend largely upon the salesman himself and the interest he has taken in studying the mechanical features of the machine. I suggest that he obtain from the manufacturer of the particular machine he is selling all the printed matter possible in reference to the construction and repair of that particular product. Let him study the matter carefully, take one of the motors in the store apart and then reassemble it and study the replacing of minor parts, such as a broken governor spring. He should learn particularly the proper places to inject oil, where gear grease is required, etc. He should wind the motor up full and allow it to run down, listening to the sound it makes in running so that he is enabled to determine whether it is noisy or if the springs jump, a sign that the motor needs to be sent to the shop to have more graphite put in the springs. The sound box should be studied carefully, particularly the manner in which the needle arm is tensioned. The salesman should be able to judge when the sound box blasts whether the trouble is in the tensioning of the arm or in the fact that the gaskets have become dead and do not hold the diaphragm tight enough. Experience is always the best teacher and practice makes perfect. A few days of work and study should make the salesman competent to discover and adjust the minor talking machine troubles and, in fact, to tell what is the matter with a machine that doesn't work. Grease Gun for Springs Gloversville, August 3, 1922. Editor The Talking Machine World: I understand that there is a grease gun made for the purpose of lubricating Edison spring barrels. As I would like to get one I wish to know where I can obtain it. So far I have been unable to find one. "Can you help me in this matter? (Signed) Walter C. Lair. Answer— You can obtain a grease gun for use in placing graphite in the Edison spring cage from almost any automobile supply store. It will probably be necessary for you to make some gauge or method of marking the handle of the gun so that you can easily tell the amount of graphite that you are placing in the cage. Andrew H. Dodin. VICTOR SHOP CHANGES HANDS The Victor talking machine establishment of A. H. Taylor, Inc., at Jamaica, Long Island, has been purchased by Mathushek & Sons Piano Mfg. Co., who operate a chain of retail piano and talking machine stores in the metropolitan district. PIANO BOOKS THE Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., technical library represents the only books written in English for the men who constitute the piano and player-piano industry of the United States. Each book covers its respective subject clearly and completely. Each volume is the standard work of its particular field. Every one of these books should be in the hands of every progressive man who wants to help keep the American piano industry the world's leader, both from an artistic and commercial standpoint. 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