Klarinet Archive - Posting 000280.txt from 1997/09

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Selmer repair
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 1997 20:22:31 -0400

On Sat, 6 Sep 1997, Bill Hausmann wrote:

> Your highly skilled, high-priced woodwind wizards may be just the guys to
> put the finishing touches on instruments for you ivory-tower types,
> full-time professionals, and well-heeled diletantes.

This says a lot for the information we have been receiving! After many
years of teaching public schools and working in over six states, I have no
doubt that I am not ivory tower! I'm not sure that, because I now teach
at a university, I do not understand young players. I do recognize
misplaced ego however.

But for junior high/high school students, two-hour-a-week amateurs, and those
> of us who spend our extra hundreds of dollars on silly things like
> food and clothing for our kids and agonize over whether to buy Vandoren
> or Mitchell Lurie reeds on the basis of price, that kind of work is
> simply overkill.

I have two students I started in 5th grade two years ago....both are
moving to R-13 instruments and will have the new instrument service done.
No sense getting a horn that is only 75% functional......and I have two
children thank you....no reason to pretend I don't understand
decisions...but I don't agonize over them....what would be the point?

Also....a comment about the extra money? I thought we were talking about
if the service made a difference...not if it was affordable. Obviously,
Bill is not able to appreciate the difference....and that is fine. But I
have students in junior high and high school who definitely notice the
difference....and it is nice to have the horn remain in superior condition
for the 10 year period that Brannen warranties his work.

> Local technicians who can keep an instrument playing within factory
> specifications at reasonable cost are all we need. Meanwhile, we all
> aspire to some day join your ranks.

Actually, while many local technicians are very good, there are also many
of them have no idea what the factory specs are, nor do they know what to
do to allow the horn to be at factory specs. The sarcastic last sentence
speaks for itself......there are many who are at a professional
level....if you do not aspire to join that level, don't make comments that
lead people astray especially if you haven't had the work done and can't
decide if you notice a difference or not!

Roger Garrett