Klarinet Archive - Posting 000298.txt from 2004/07

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] First Act Instruments appearing again
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 19:58:35 -0400

Don, I've thought about writing an editorial for our local paper =
regarding
the advantages of our students having good quality instruments. Since I
teach privately, I may be able to "get away with this" in a way that our
band directors could not, without appearing to be too political about =
the
whole thing. The music stores we have in town do not have good =
instrument
repair technicians so that's a delicate issue for them also but I hate =
to
see a number of kids get stuck with these horns and quit playing when =
they
can't get produce the sound the other kids have on their instruments. I
hate to publicly name the store, but I could certainly mention the brand
name of the instruments, as well as some of the problems that previous
owners and repair technicians have incurred. What upsets me most is =
that
while I've seen these instruments at Sam's Club (nearest store is 50 =
miles
from here), this is the first time I've seen them on the shelves at the
Wal-Mart in this town. =20

Christy

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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