Klarinet Archive - Posting 000663.txt from 1999/10

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Metal Clarinets
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 07:39:00 -0400

At 10:46 PM 10/21/1999 -0500, Franklin Kercher wrote:
(Bill Hausmann wrote)
>>Which brings to mind a paraphrase of an old lawyer joke:
>>
>>Question: What do have when you have 100 metal clarinets sticking out of a
>>block of concrete?
>>Answer: Not enough concrete.
>>
>>Ya know that every time somebody inquires about a metal clarinet theres
>always some who instantly starts slammin' them. Sure there were a lot of
>clunkers made in metal, but if you look at whats available today in plastic
>or wood, new and used, you'll probably find more worthless clunkers than
>could ever have imagined. I've had to fix or try to fix some these clunkers
>and I honestly believe that some of the kids would have been better off with
>an old metal clarinet than what their parents were sold. My biggest chagrin
>is the quality of some of the instruments from Chia that many stores are
>selling to increase their proffit margin. Most repairmen I've met won't
>touch them. They break too easy and parts are made out of a rare alloy
>called unobtainium.
>>
Perhaps I should have noted that I am the proud owner of a metal clarinet
myself. It plays fine. But metal clarinets are just a fun and easy
target, like blonds, Kenny G., or Bill Clinton. I agree that the junk
coming out of China is appallingly bad and requires dealers with
nonexistent ethics to proliferate. I guess the siren call of $65 wholesale
and $400 or more retail is just too hard to resist. So please feel free to
quote my joke anywhere, substituting "Chinese" for "metal." :-)

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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