Klarinet Archive - Posting 000073.txt from 2004/03

From: ormondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] Oriental Clarinets
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2004 10:19:22 -0500

Mathew Lloyd wrote:

> Ginger - what are you saying Costco are
> misrepresenting? What they sell is a clarinet.
> It may not be a clarinet any of us would play,
> but it clearly is a clarinet. What is the
> misrepresentation?

Mathew, I regret that my Costco didn't have one of these clarinets in
stock so that I could examine it myself; but isn't there a basic
representation that the instrument will remain in stable condition for a
few weeks? That is, the keys won't bend when pressed with the force
that is to be expected when playing?

To use KIA as an example (I have never driven one), doesn't a KIA get
you from point-A to point-B for 50,000 miles or so? And when it fails,
cannot it be repaired, and parts purchased? From what I've read on
this list, Costco's cheapie clarinets don't meet similar standards for a
clarinet.

What's at issue here is not whether Jon Manasse would perform at Lincoln
Center on a First Act. What's at issue is whether 14-yr-old Jeremy
Smith will be able to practice in his high school band for the school
year so long as he as he obeys his teacher's instructions and the
school's repair service provides repair services for dropped
instruments, etc.

Costco's clarinets seem to fail on this very basic representation of
serviceability.

=============

....and Costco (Walmart, Office Depot, Staples, etc) should be made
aware that potential customers are likely to extend their experience
with First Act clarinets to many of the other products that Costco
(Walmart, etc) offers to the public, such as entry-level keyboards, drum
sets, etc.

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