Klarinet Archive - Posting 000509.txt from 1997/05

From: Gary Hopkins <ghopkins@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Does anyone know about this one..
Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 23:49:00 -0400

As a rule, NEVER pay what a pawn shop asks for anything.

Just a little pawn shop story. I worked in a music store in Ft. Worth,
Texas....One day I walked across the street to check out one of the local
pawn shops, and found a Buffer R13 clarinet that they had priced at
$29.95....I was so dumbfounded that I just bought it without trying to talk
them down on the price......I was happy as a clam.....However, the next
week....one week to the day, I walked across the streed again to see what
they had. I was absolutely flabbergasted (Texas word) to see they had
another R13 priced at $29.95....I decided to try to talk them down...I ended
up paying $19.95 plus sales tax (.0825). That was about seven years ago. I
overhauled each clarinet and sold them each for $675....I did put a new case
with one of the instruments. I know that will never happen again, but it
sure is a great memory to have.....By the way, I am a clarinet player. I
didn't like the way either instrument played, or I would have kept one or
both of them.

Gary