Klarinet Archive - Posting 000245.txt from 2004/08

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Ligature preferences
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 14:57:45 -0400

With all due respect, your comments are slamming him by insulting his
reputation and character as being money grubbing by not asking him these
questions directly. His email is MBack@-----.

Ask him.

Audrey

>
>
> Ken Wolman wrote:
>
> > How do you make a clarinet lighter? Ream the bore? I'm serious. The
> > heaviest clarinet I ever heard was a Selmer Recital. It also had the
> > lightest touch.
>
> What I meant to write was "clarinet I ever HELD." Of course I heard it
> when I played it, but I wasn't just a passive audience member. In fact
> the Recital weighed quite a bit but the tone was extraordarily sweet.
> Now we can all argue about "tonality" words: sweet, dark, covered...it
> sounds like chocolate:-).
>
> > Now, hearing about savings is nice but knowing up-front costs is even
> > better. I have never heard a semi-critical word about Morrie Backun's
> > work, and his client list reads like all the winners of Clarinet Star
> > Search. That said, I'm sorry, don't tell me about "estimates," tell me
> > what you charge. Morrie's website omits prices. What's his bargain for
> > an overhaul? I'm thinking Selmer Series 9: another horn with the weight
> > of a baseball bat. I was told the prices of his barrels and bells,
> > thank you. Remember, I don't make money playing so this is not a
> > self-sustaining operation for me.
>
> Neither is this an attack on Morrie Backun. It simply expresses my
> disturbance at an industry where the best people seem unwilling to
> commit themselves. They must've learned this from guys on a date:-).
> How many repairpeople will tell you up front what it's going to cost?
> Are they the ones screwing themselves or you if they set a price that is
> too low for their costs and too high for you? Professional
> clarinet?--$XXX dollars. Repadding only?--XXX. If Morrie works on a
> horn-by-horn basis and sets prices based on the condition of YOUR
> instrument, all the same I would like a possible range based on his
> experience, which I gather is by now rather extensive.
>
> What I suppose I'm asking is how Morrie works: no promo material, not
> just how much money it will cost me assuming I can ever do this, but
> comments from a customer who has at least dealt with him up front.

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