Klarinet Archive - Posting 000059.txt from 2006/03

From: "thomaswinds" <thomaswinds@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Re: [kl] Buffet R-13 Played and Failed
Date: Sat, 04 Mar 2006 19:37:47 -0500

I used to work in a jeans store. People would ask why several different
pair of the same style of size 10s all fit differently. The fabric is cut
in huge piles. When you have a pile of fabric, and the chopper thing comes
down, the pile moves slightly....fabric is not stiff. So the pants get cut
differently. Buffet is a Factory. It's not some guy who cuts down the
tree, hand carves the horn, etc. So they make the horns, they expect the
dealers to do the setting up. If you buy a horn from
www.buyaclarinetcheap.com, how many repair techs do you think they have
working for them? Um, none would be the right answer....

>>Places like WWBW and others could care less if we were repeat customers,
becasue where we have be burned, others who haven't will come to be burnt.

Actually, if my students listen to my advice about buying a horn, they Won't
get burned. I would not purchase a pro instrument without a pro checking
out the horn first. The guy I buy them from goes to the Buffet factory and
tries them out before bringing them back to sell them here. He doesn't
bring home crap.

Oh, and BTW - The stores actually buy their stuff from places like
WWBW....so they aren't getting any better stock then you would if you bought
it from some faceless place, UNLESS they were able to choose as well. In
addition, you should NEVER buy anything like that without using a credit
card - being able to dispute the charge on your credit card is a valuable
tool. American Express and credit union cards work great that way.

When we bought my son's trumpet (Strad) we went to Levin's in DC, and the
guy who helped us was a former Army Ambassadors jazzer (wow...he could
wail...) and he tried the horns as he brought them out to us, knowing my
son's chops would not hold out long enough to try the horns while we were
down there.

Those who go for the cheap or easy, and don't follow my advice, well, then
they can't complain.

How many cars do people drive before they buy one? I drove 10 Avalons
before I bought mine, and they all drove differently. Why wouldn't someone
do the same with a horn? They are both an investment, albeit the horn is
one that doesn't depreciate as much!!!!

Lynn

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