Klarinet Archive - Posting 000064.txt from 2004/03
From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Costco Clarinets!!!
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2004 08:44:54 -0500
Hi Fred,
I'm glad for you that you have an instrument that plays better, =
BUT......a new barrel that fit properly might have gone a looooonng way =
toward fixing the problems with that instrument. And there is a good =
possibility that a good repairman could have made adjustments to the =
body that would have made the instrument quite acceptable. Sometimes =
repairs can be made that cost a bunch less than the cost of buying a =
different instrument. =20
It costs nothing to try a different barrel (or twelve!) and have a =
"good" repairman look it over to see if it is worth the effort to make =
adjustments. And if it is, it will be cheaper in the long run. So many =
people do bad things to good eefers, just because they either don't know =
of a "good" repairman (and don't ask), or they don't know when they have =
a diamond in the rough. I have rescued many "pieces of junk" and had =
them fixed to give to students to get started on. And I can honestly =
say, that after the last nine months or so of travels and observances, =
there are many instruments that could be made to play acceptably, =
especially for students, that are getting the ax. =20
I have actually pulled clarinet bodies (and flutes, a sax, trumpets and =
heaven forbid, a trombone) out of the dump (literally) and made them =
myself (or had help making them) into playable instruments for kids =
whose parents can't afford the cost of renting. The woodwinds I can fix =
myself and the brass instruments are given to a friend who is retired =
from the Air Force Band. She puts them into good playing condition at =
no cost to the school and has provided three trumpets and that trombone =
(which had a hole in the bell) to kids who were delighted to have a =
chance to play. The school where I have donated these instruments =
probably wouldn't have a music program for band instruments without =
them. Three quarters of the kids in this school are on the free or =
reduced-cost lunch program. I enjoy going to their little concerts and =
hearing the progress they make. And who knows, maybe one of them will =
be the next Benny Goodman or Wynton Marsalis.
It is a waste of resources to ditch all these instruments. With a =
little fixing, so many more people, big and small, could be enjoying =
music-making.
Nancy
Nancy E. Buckman, CPO, AFO, Technical Assistant
School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
E-mail nebuckman@-----.edu
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