Klarinet Archive - Posting 000297.txt from 2004/07

From: "Don Hatfield" <dhatfield@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] First Act Instruments appearing again
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 19:40:55 -0400

I just saw these at our local Sam's Warehouse, and the clarinet left out for
display (which comes this season with two - count 'em - TWO barrels) had a
chipped mouthpiece and a couple of keys already bent...after asking I found
that they simply return the damaged instruments to the manufacturer for
credit or replacement because...and I quote..."none of the damned music
stores in town will fix these if a customer takes it to them, so we always
end up taking a third of what we sell back for exchange and refund."

I told the assistant manager in question that I was a former employee of two
of those three "damned" stores, and that I could explain why they wouldn't
touch them if he really cared. I got an apology for the attitude, but he
told me Sam's and Wal-Mart, at least, have no intention of ceasing the sale
of these "instruments". The band instructors in our county school system are
trying their best to keep these out of the school programs, but only the two
or three most successful and therefore influential teachers are able to do
it.

On the flip side, our AFof M local is starting their sixth year of
collecting attic horns, working with the local repair shops to get them in
GPC at a discounted rate, often even free, to distribute to students from
low-income households. The music stores used to fight ths, but realized is
was a good PR thing, and could lead to step-up sales down the road. I will
be part of a small group that gets to test-play the instruments before they
get into the kids' hands.

> As I recall, we recently had a discussion regarding these instruments
and
> Costco. Any ideas to help Wal-Mart join Costco in leaving the band
> instrument business?
>
> Christy

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