Klarinet Archive - Posting 000211.txt from 2002/08

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Buyer beware - #1
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 13:15:47 -0400

I've been working for the past week or so on a bass clarinet that was sent to me for an overhaul. This bass was purchased off eBay, and the buyer and I both believe that it is an old Buffet which was private labeled years ago.

On eBay, the pictures looked so good, that I had bid on the instrument myself.

When the instrument was sent to me for repair, I discovered that at least 10 pivot screws or hinge rods were frozen, there was rust on all the upper joint trill keys, and the F#/C# tonehole had been badly damaged and poorly repaired. There was also a large crack in the upper joint which was a good six inches long. Several of the hinge rods were so corroded that I had to cut the post off the body of the instrument, then cut through the hinge rod to remove the key. On several of the key posts the threads were stripped, and I had to scrounge for replacements.

None of this was apparent in the eBay photos.

At normal shop prices, this instrument required $1,000 worth of repairs to be put back into playing shape. (No, I'm NOT charging that much.)

Before anybody jumps to the defence of eBay, let me say that I use eBay all the time, for selling some of my products, and for buying certain instruments.

It's just very important to KNOW just what it is you are getting, and very hard to know until it arrives. Look at those .jpegs CAREFULLY!

I'm not quite done, but I think the story will have a happy ending. I believe the instrument will play very well when I am done. With the upper joint done and tested, I am getting very good tone, and response when I test play.

But, I have to tell you that, early on, I almost informed the buyer to just junk the thing and write it off!

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
mouthpieces and repairs

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