 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Shade7x
Date: 2004-10-03 23:54
How would you rate their integrity and such? I know they have a very nice reputation, but I just want some consumers' opinion.
Do all their clarinets come with the basic equipment (case, ligature, mouthpiece, etc...) and in proper condition?
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2004-10-04 00:26
Have ordered quite a few things from them over the years, including a sax, and a trombone. Have never had a problem.
It's been years since I ordered the instruments, but I would have remembered if I thought something was missing.
John
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Author: pewd
Date: 2004-10-04 00:31
i'd rate them as 'excellent'
the one time i had a problem, they tripped over themselves fixing it.
>Do all their clarinets come with the basic equipment (case, ligature, mouthpiece, etc...) and in proper condition?
yeah, sure, but who would play on one of those mouthpieces? they do make nice paperweights however.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-04 01:00
I would rate them as "superior".
There are many others though who are as good but WWBW is among the best along with Weiner, IMS, Muncy.
They absolutely will not rip you off - I've dealt with them since 1981 and any and all problems (rare) are taken care of quickly and correctly.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-04 01:02
(over 200 instruments ordered for my private students from wwbw that I sent to them - all levels from Leblanc Opus models, R-13's to the student E-10,11 as well as all levels of saxes)
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Author: Fred
Date: 2004-10-04 01:15
I'm not sure that I'd consider mp and lig as standard equipment unless so specified. Unless you are just starting out, you wouldn't use the stuff anyway. If you are starting out and didn't get a mp, consider that God was looking out for you and didn't want you to start on one of those miserable plastic doorstops that get included with clarinets. A decent beginner mp can be had inexpensively, and they are 10X better than the aforementioned doorstop.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2004-10-04 01:19
Ship quickly.
Package well.
Organized ordering system.
Returns processed quickly with credit refunded without fuss.
I have never challenged them by ordering an instrument, though. Mostly simple stuff like accessories. I do not know how well they screen horns.
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-10-04 04:34
I have not had good experiences with WWBW. The worst of it was when I was in college and ordered an R13 E flat, mouthpiece, lig, reeds, and a Blayman peg. They never sent the peg despite my having paid for it. I called many times and they refused to send the peg!! That peg was about 35 dollars at that time, and they essentially stole it from me.
Most recently two of my students bought R13s from them. The horns they sent really were junk. Lisa Argiris would never have sent me that kind of crap. It seems to me that when I call WWBW, I am calling a huge company that couldn't care less that I chose to shop with them. When I call IMS or Muncy, I talk with a friendly person that actually knows me. I am willing to pay a little extra for that kind of customer service.
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-10-04 04:59
I agree with the Microsoft comment. I could have used the trial that they have, but the matter was complicated because the instruments were for a brother and his sister, blah,blah. Of course all that is not the fault of WWBW. I suppose that my biggest complaint is that I still have an extra hole on my Blayman stand without the E flat peg that I paid for.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2004-10-04 05:04
>If you are starting out and didn't get a mp, consider that God was looking >out for you and didn't want you to start on one of those miserable plastic >doorstops that get included with clarinets
roflmao , and i agree completely
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: hartt
Date: 2004-10-04 06:08
Seriously doubt WWBW or any other major retailer we all deal with, would withold a mfgr's supplied accessories.
I'm also a member of the SAX FORUM BB. Last yr, there were numerous postings regarding how sax buyers felt they were ripped off by WWBW because the sax they purchased was not received with the mfgr's 'known' case or case pictured in the catalog..
Posts indicated that numerous customers phoned WWBW and voiced how they felt WWBW cheated them. (some of the threads were almost vicious)
What happened was that Yamaha changed the style/shape/construction of their sax cases (specificaly the 675/875 Custom series). Customers either knew of Yamha's "known ' case or saw it in WWBW's catalog, etc.
Initially, WWBW exchanged a few cases until their case supply ran out.
It got to a point that WWBW chose to post a thread citing a response from Yamaha regarding the case change.
Point....WWBW had nothing to do with this case switch, made every effort to communicate with customer's complaints and apologized for Yamaha.
I own 3 of the Yamie Pro Custom series saxs and the older style cases (and covers) are sturdy, stylish and are almost as nice to look at as the dark gold laquer plating. So yes, I can share in those customer's feelings.
eefereefer ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif)
dc (:o)
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2004-10-04 12:32
Re the Blayman Peg.....Jeanne make a nice one or call Blayman company directly (see the resources/retail page of www.woodwind.org)
There was a period of time when the Blaymans were severely backordered.
When dealing w. a big company, always ask "what is your capacity with the corporation...ok, now please connect me with the exec. in charge of neoprene Chedeville doorstops, etc." Also, use your best " I am from the FBI voice"
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-04 13:15
A Graduate Student of mine once ordered 4 Clarinets (Leblanc - 2 Opus and 2 Concerto Models) that all 4 were P.O.S.
She worked as the head of a large Music Store's Woodwind Dept and since WWBW's regular price was lower than she could buy herself from the store she picked WWBW to get her new Clarinet.
When she called me to tell me that all 4 were crappy I didn't quite believe her at first as the hype at the time was that they all were basically perfect delivered.
I quickly found out that yes all 4 had problems that disqualified them as "good instruments" and we sent them back. After a "come to jesus" call from me to them we got 2 more that both were very good and she bought one of them.
:)
I used to collect their coupons that they gave out with instrument purchases. I got a Pro Sax and a Pro Flute free of charge from that program!
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2004-10-04 13:23
I was at the Woodwind & Brasswind store a few days ago and I had very good and very bad experience.
The good was that the sales person was very nice and helpful and they were very honest about everything you asked. The down side was that they had very strict policy about certain things. For example, they couldn't let you try all the instruments they had from a certain model because then it would take a few days to get them cleaned and they wouldn't have it in stock for a few days. That means if they had only 2 clarinets from a model they could probably only let you try 1 of them. Another problem is they didn't have a lot of things they said they would have. Before I came I looked on their website and saw many things in stock. When I came to the store a lot of things weren't in stock. They basically looked a bit disorginized, but they were honest and addmited that fact. This was quite annoying since a lot of mouthpieces I assumed were in stock weren't. The biggest problem was that some of the clarinets I've tried (eventhough I was told all instruments are play tested) were unplayable. It's not that they were bad, just had some small problems that could be fixed in 5 minutes. Really didn't look like they were play tested.
With all that said, I still recommend them, but if you are coming to the store call first and make sure what you want is in fact in stock.
As far as online orders from WW&BW, one order was perfect, and one had a small problem which was almost insignificant (instead of a swab they sent me something I didn't need but it was 3 times more expensive than the swab!).
I am against ordering instruments online no matter what store.
Good luck.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-04 13:23
Here's the game with the big suppliers:
They order a TON of instruments in one mass purchase from the Manufacturer. Then they have a supply which can last more than a year, 2 or even 3!
So if there is a recent change, your instrument that you are ordering could be from that past stock surplus. When the retail price rises they raise the price of the instrument yet their own cost was still the lower cost.
That's called increasing your revenue 
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2004-10-04 14:31
We're assuming you're talking about the WWBW we all know and love, yes I have bought lots and lots of things from them over the years and also give them an A. However, eBay has another WWBW from Australia. Are you talking about that one--the one from Melbourne? If so, I don't know anything about them except their prices are really good. The Australia eBay people go by brassnwoodwind, but I'm guessing it sometimes gets confused with the WWBW we've used here in the states for years.
Post Edited (2004-10-04 14:50)
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-10-04 14:48
"How would you rate their integrity and such? I know they have a very nice reputation, but I just want some consumers' opinion."
Do you work for, or have any professional affiliation with WWBW?
It appears you are taking a survey of a very well known, and often used woodwind supplier. Most of the BBoard replies have been positive.
Will these replies be used for advertising purposes, or just your personal files?
I have often been asked to promote a product or supplier for some remuneration, I have never done so. I believe WWBW is a fine supplier, and my recent visit there was a very pleasant experience.
Again, I am not promoting WWBW, or any other music supplier.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2004-10-04 14:53
I have no connection to WWBW. They've always been swift to ship and have taken back anything I've sent back to them and credited it back to my card rather quickly. I've never bought an instrument from them, however, just mouthpieces, barrels, ligatures and a few other assorted items. I love using them online because it's so easy.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2004-10-04 15:04
It would be good thing for the merchants to monitor these threads.
I know there was one merchant who really got bashed a year ago or so about the time it took to get credit for a return. Hopefully reading the thread fixed the issue. I seem to recall that the thread was shown to that particular merchant.
Feedback is only of value when the findings are acted upon.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-04 15:16
I doubt he does. My guess is that he ordered something that was non-returnable (if that exists) and wants his money back.
Shade7x - come clean. What's your thread about?
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Author: Shade7x
Date: 2004-10-04 15:43
Alright, you got me.
The truth is that I am a 23 year old college student who is slightly freaked/paranoid about ordering products online because...well, you know. It just seems less secure.
Oh, and I also started this thread because I saw that some of their product descriptions say "complete with case" and others don't, yet I assumed that it had to come in a case...clarinet parts wrapped in bubble wrap come to mind.
Am I part of WWBW? Nah. I work at a roller rink down the street.
...You know I'm not kidding when the roller rink is named "Cyber Wheels."
>_>
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Author: Brad
Date: 2004-10-04 16:45
I have used them for years. For the most part service has been excellent. I had 2 problems over maybe about 30 orders over the last 5 years. One was, interestingly enough. a missing clarinet peg which they quickly made good on. The other was an order arrived after the 2 business days it was supposed to arrive on which I paid extra for. They refunded my 2day shipping after 2 emails.
I just ordered a new Yamaha Custom Tenor and called to ask the difference between the closeout ones and the new ones. They were a big help in explaining the differences and knocked $100 off the price of the new one. I highly recommend phoning your order in over the web for instruments as sometimes they use the minimum advertised price allowed by the manufacturer on their site, but they can knock a little more off if you call.
Brad Cohen
Clarinetist
Brad Cohen
Clarinetist
la_brad@yahoo.com
Post Edited (2004-10-04 16:46)
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-10-04 16:57
I've generally had good experiences with WWBW. I have some minor technical complaints about ordering certain things, and they've made a mistake or two over the years.
But that represents about one percent of the business that I've done with them. They did a great job supplying me when I was on the road, and have always been responsive at those times when a mistake was made.
But yes, they are big and not quite as perfect as when they were the underdog. And I can see where it would be difficult to fully play-test every instrument stocked or sold. I had fully intended to buy my new clarinets from them except for the fact that Weiner offered me what I felt was a better degree of preselection, and a location which I could get to for a reasonable amount of time and cost.
I think that WWBW is a perfectly fine company, honestly run. But it might be hard for an outfit so big to get quite as personal as Weiner, IMS, the Brannen's, etc. Doesn't make them a bad store--just more diversified. We may still be expecting them to have the kind of personal touch that they did when they were in that little red house in South Bend.
Allen Cole
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2004-10-04 20:26
Shade7x, you won't have a problem ordering online with WWBW. I'm very conservative about my purchases online--and I've been satisfied with them. If you'd rather call them and order over the phone, that's ok as well. But if you work at a roller rink down the street you can just go down there in person (or did you mean down the street from something besides WWBW).
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