Klarinet Archive - Posting 000876.txt from 2003/02

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Eefer overhaul
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 22:08:19 -0500

Kelly, Thanks so much. The man who works on my clarinets is Scott =
Winkler
in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. He overhauled my R-13 in 1999 and I've =
never
been so happy with it. Andrea Splittberger-Rosen is in Stevens Point,
Wisconsin and she is our clarinet "guru" in our neck of the woods. She
recommended Scott to me and said she wouldn't send her clarinets to =
anyone
else. I'm sure everyone else here that has been recommended is great =
also
and most music stores have people that do good work. I always love to =
have
extra names to give my students, since Scott is usually very busy and I =
need
to make appointments months in advance to have any major work done. I'm
convinced this must be another art form (the mechanical part of the =
clarinet
work). When you live in an area like we do (northern Wisconsin small =
town)
our choices aren't exactly plentiful. Many times, the best music store =
in
town is just that due to the fact that it's the ONLY store in town.
Although I don't live in Stevens Point, I'll have to say that =
Mitchell
Piano Works is one of the best little piano stores around. Of course, =
my
cousin owns it but even if he wasn't my cousin, I'd still say that. =
I'll
never forget going out to buy my first piano in the "big city"(won't say
which one) and I felt like I was buying a used car-the salesmen were =
that
obnoxious. My cousin tells me his "bottom line" and that's it-no =
nonsense,
so I bought my Yamaha grand from him. =20
This is a bit off-topic since I'm getting into piano talk but I have =
to
tell this story. I judged a piano festival last Saturday at a small =
church
in northern Wisconsin. I walked in to find a Yamaha grand piano in the
church sanctuary. I remarked that it looked just like mine and was much
relieved to be able to judge students who had a great instrument to play =
on.
My hopes weren't so high after sat I down and played a bit on it though.
The action was very light and the sound quite bright and thin. (Sorry =
Dan)
It puzzled me until the minister at the church talked with me after a =
break.
He was so proud. It seems the church had gotten a great deal on the =
piano.
It was rebuilt in Japan and the church had been able to purchase it for =
the
unbelievable bargain basement price of $10,000. He told me the local =
music
store quoted a price of $25,000 on the same piano and they were so =
thrilled
to have obtained this "treasure." I didn't say anything more about it =
to
him-just let him think he got his "good deal." Makes me wonder where =
that
piano really came from. =20

Christy Erickson

"Music ought to be a stress reliever, not a stress producer."

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