Klarinet Archive - Posting 001342.txt from 1997/10

From: jensmore@-----.net (Moren, Jennifer)
Subj: reply to quetion/music store story added
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 22:54:25 -0500

> > Date: Friday, October 24, 1997 10:03 PM
> >
> > In resonse to comments about my comments about question and adding a
true
> music store horror story...
>
> (this is out dated, but my mail tends to take detours before it reaches
its
> destination! Thanks for sending it back Dee!)
> >
> > My apologies to those offended my remarks, which lean heavily on the
> > sarcastic side. I plead ignorance on the Zandra reeds, but cannot
> honestly
> > recommend them without encountering them. Most "mystery" reeds tend to
> be
> > a let down one I try them! However, the music store that I am
referring
> to
> > DID intend to take advantage of people. I was in charge of ordering,
> > approving, selling and maintenance of all instruments and merchandise.
> > This store sold everything at list, unless someone cared to haggle over
> > instruments. One owner actually offered different prices based on
> > experience, school district, even appearance. This included higher
than
> > list on rare occasions. Before I quit, I was forced to approve rental
> and
> > lower line instruments to be sold in "excellent working condition" that
> > were rigged, red rotted, leaking, cracked, out of regulation, et al..
> Leak
> > lights and pad feelers tell a lot for woodwinds and few of these
> > instruments were up to par. An adult can squeeze the keys and make
> things
> > close, but a small child can't. Many students quit when the horn
> wouldn't
> > play for them or the keys fell off and the parents blamed it on them!
> One
> > of my favorites is when I saw the repair man soaking an old wooden
> clarinet
> > body in water to "revive" it. Later, a girl came in and bought the
newly
> > overhauled "Thibouville" clarinet and a dampit to keep in it (at the
> > recommendation of the owner). She started lessons with me a week later
> and
> > was very careful with her new clarinet. The next week, it had three
> cracks
> > and the store owner would not honor the warranty because she didn't use
a
> > dampit. When the girl showed him the dampit in the case, he said she
> kept
> > it too wet so it was her fault it cracked!!! Now how DID he buy those
> two
> > Cadillacs...
> >
> > Plastic clarinets work fine for young children or marching band,
however,
> I
> > have not heard one that compares in sound to a wood one, even with a
good
> > mouthpiece! If a brand exists, I would like to know more about it for
my
> > younger students. I repeat again my experiences with Armstrong
clarinets
> > (UMI)... They are Americas version of Chinese clarinets! If you want
> > plastic, spend an extra $60 for a Yamaha or Selmer 300. The Yamahas
have
> > better intonation and construction than all of the major brands that I
> have
> > worked with and feel similar to pro instruments! The mouthpiece and
reed
> > are still the most important items, despite what horn they are on.
> >
> > Mitchel Lurie reeds are great for beginners. They are inexpensive, easy
> to
> > find, consistent, and play "out of the box". I also find that they
wear
> > out quickly and have a brighter sound than either Vandoran regulars or
> > Vandoran V-12's. V-12's also tend to play well out of the box and
sound
> > great, but tend to cost more than the above.
> >
> > By the way, not all music stores are a rip off, but many are. Also, a
> used
> > Armstrong goes for $300 - $500 around here. A new buffet E-11 is on
> "sale"
> > for $760. Another store 1/2 hr. away has it for$560. So, call me a
> > hypocrite to want my students to have the best that they can get for
> their
> > money! The store will be happy to send you a lovely new Armstrong
> clarinet
> > for $635 plus rental fees and tax for supporting them... what a
bargain!
> >
> > These are my personal opinions from my various encounters... take them
as
> > you will!
> >
> > Jen
> >
> >
> >
> > > Moren, Jennifer wrote:
> > >
> > > >I
> > > > worked at one of those over priced rip the ignorant customer off
> music
> > > > stores for three years. Our school rental program consisted of
> mostly
> > > > Armstrong/King instruments and some Yamaha and Selmer...
> > >
> > > Very few stores really want to rip off the customer. You don't get
> > repeat business
> > > and recommendations that way. Also when it comes to prices local
> stores
> > must charge
> > > more, the overhead relative to sales is much higher than the large
mail
> > order
> > > companies have to deal with. Unfortunately the parent may be partly
at
> > fault as they
> > > don't want to invest a lot of front. And they do not have the
> knowledge
> > to
> > > understand that there is more difference in quality between a Bundy
and
> > Signet than
> > > there is between a VW and a Mercedes.
> > >
> > > No arguments up to here.
> > >
> > > > Now, the bad points:
> > > > 1) They're plastic. A good sound is very unlikely
> > > >
> > > I doubt that plastic is the big problem. I have tested a friends
> (Vito)
> > plastic with
> > > a good mouthpiece and reed and it sounded and played well. Yes my
pro
> > wood sounds
> > > better but the plastic had quite a good sound. This single test plus
> > postings I have
> > > read from others indicate the major factor is the junk mouthpieces
that
> > come with
> > > them.
> > >
> > > Items 2 through 5 are indeed bad design and bad quality.
> > >
> > >
> > > > 6) I have never heard of a "Zonda" reed, which could be
> > frightening. If
> > > > that reed cost's under $1.50, you get what you pay for...
> > > >
> > >
> > > Zonda is a relatively new brand of reed. Many people have tried them
> > that subscribe
> > > to this list and also post to the bulletin board. Although I have
not
> > tried them
> > > myself, they have generally received very positive comments. By the
> way,
> > I can get
> > > Vandorens and Mitchell Luries for under $1.50 each when I mail order
by
> > the box.
> > >
> > > > ... You should be able to unload it in the paper for $300 to some
> other
> > sucker.
> > >
> > > If it is that bad, the person should just junk it. It is just a tad
> bit
> > hypocritical
> > > to castigate local music stores for ripping people off and then turn
> > around and
> > > encourage a private individual to do that very same thing. Besides,
> they
> > could keep
> > > as a spare for such things as marching or to learn minor repair
> > techniques.
> > >
> >