Klarinet Archive - Posting 000162.txt from 2007/06

From: "Michael Norsworthy" <m.norsworthy@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] WARNING: fraudulent eBay auction...
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2007 22:45:26 -0400

Dear List,

I'm writing to let you know about a fraudulent eBay auction. The auction
has been listed many times, each from a different country, for the same set
of Buffet Festival clarinets. The serial #s and information that are listed
are:

BEGIN LISTING INFORMATION:
------------------------------------------
Instrument: BC1139L-2, Serial Number: 565429
Instrument: BC1239L-2, Serial Number: 563984

Here is what Lisa's wrote about the Festival Clarinets:

Bb - "Beautiful full darker core with plenty of color; very flexible and
fluid. This Bb has a wonderful shape of sound with lots of dimension. Very
easy to play in all 3 registers, Db - high C pups at fff right out!"

A - "Has a lovely round full sound that is equal in voicing and color of
sound as Bb 565429. I love the response and resonance of this A!"

The Festival set comes with 4 barrels: A650, A660, Bb650 and Bb660, swab
cloth and two mouthpieces.

This set had all the pads changed and regulated and tested by Lisa Argiris.
She works with a Technician and uses her great experience as a well known
clarinet player to make sure the clarinets work perfect!!!
--------------------------------------------

This morning the country where the instruments were being sold from was
listed as Great Britain. This evening they are listed as being sold from
Italy. The serial #s is both auctions and from craigslist matched in all 3
instances. When I emailed to check this out, I got a strange cryptic email
asking for my information to arrange for payment. This alarmed me as the
auction then disappeared. Now, it's showing up again under auction#
140132149304.

I have called Lisa Argiris and she remembers selling a set of Festival
clarinets to a gentleman and said that these same instruments have also
appeared on craigslist in Chicago and now they're appearing on several
auctions on eBay. She is checking into this as well but I thought it should
be posted here. I thought that people would like to know about this
situation so that noone gets stuck bidding and paying for instruments that
they'll never see.

Thanks and I hope it helps someone,
Michael
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Faculty Boston Conservatory, Columbia University
Artist in Residence Harvard University, HGNM
Principal Clarinet Boston Modern Orchestra Project
Performing Artist/Clinician Buffet Crampon
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E-mail: mn@-----.com
Web: www.michaelnorsworthy.com

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