 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-17 07:49
With the MANY excellent repair techs who sponsor our board and generously offer advice, one who is not praised enough is Steve Fowler (http://www.fowlermusic.com/) of Pasadena, Maryland.
Fowler Music does custom clarinet and saxophone work, as well as their own silver and gold plating.
For those that do not know, Steve is regarded by many as one of the top repair techs in the country. Not only is his work meticulous and cosmetically beautiful, but Steve is also a former Navy Eb clarinetist who thoroughly understands the acoustics, voicing and proper set-up of a clarinet.
Over the past few years, I had purchased two instruments, a Selmer 9 Eb clarinet (1966) and an 86xxx Buffet R-13 A clarinet (1965). Both played exceptionally well. When I inquired who had done the repair/restoration work, I was told, in both cases, it was Steve.
Thus, when I recently acquired a 70xxx Buffet R-13 (1962) which literally had been dormant and untouched in a closet for more than 30 years, I thought of Steve's previous work. After initially trying out the clarinet for intonation and coloration, I felt it had a lot of potential to be a "great one", thus I sent it to Steve to be "Fowlerized".
The transformation was dramatic. Steve not only brought it back to better than showroom new condition, with beautiful silver plating and wood retreatment, but the resulting voicing and response was much more than I ever imagined was possible with that particular instrument.
As we are fortunate to have so many highly skilled repair techs to choose from (names you frequently see on this bulletin board), I would add Fowler Music to that elite list...GBK
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Author: Wicked Good ★2017
Date: 2005-02-17 11:22
Agreed! A couple of years ago Steve completely rebuilt (and silverplated) my badly worn and much abused 1946 Conn 10M tenor saxophone. It now plays wonderfully, and looks great. I can't say enough good things about his work.
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Author: glin
Date: 2005-02-17 12:26
GBK,
I agree completely. Steve does fantastic work. He overhauled my Buffet and Leblanc Bb clarinets last year.
George Lin
Fairfax, VA
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-17 14:41
John Stackpole said:
> What do your "86XXX" and "70XXX" denote?
Serial numbers ...GBK
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2005-02-17 21:09
Steve's work receives both positive and not-so positive reviews around Baltimore and other parts of Maryland. It's a mixed bag. Several years ago Steve did some repair work on my clarinet that was satisfactory. However, last year I started using a repair tech who came very highly recommended to me by the entire sax section of a local big band I play in. All of them use this guy. This repair tech knows Steve Fowler quite well. I started having some problems with the clarinet that Steve had overhauled. I took it to the new tech and he found a number of things with Steve's work that appeared to be questionable to him. This could just be a matter of the two techs having different approaches. Never the less, when the new tech was done working on my clarinet there were noticable before-and-after improvements. I definitely prefer the new guy. This isn't meant to slam Steve Fowler. It's just to say that people's experiences with his work are mixed. If he's done outstanding work for you that's great.
Roger
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Author: Bnatural
Date: 2005-02-17 21:51
Roger, I'm just curious (it always make me wonder when people post negatives on a tech and i no you know what you're talking about from reading your post on both boards) I'm not trying to start a war w/ anyone.... do you happen to remember what the "questionable" parts were?
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2005-02-17 23:12
It's my instinct as a player (who's not a tech) that my new repair guy works at a more precise level of detail than what was reflected in the work that Steve did for me several years ago. Please don't get me wrong. Steve's work was good. No question about it. It's just that my new tech seems to be a fanatic for detail and it shows in how my horns play after he's worked on them.
Last year, as an example, he was doing some work on the neck of my 85-year old c-melody. He worked and worked on getting the problem fixed just so. I was in the shop with him and kept trying the horn out after he did a bit to it. I have no idea how much time he spent working on the problem. Finally, he had it. It was a remarkable piece of work. In a similar way, when I got my clarinet back from him there was a noticable improvement in the feel and action of the keywork. I've been entirely happy with it. This is the clarinet that Steve overhauled a year or two before.
Like anything in music, it typically comes down to PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I have several sax buddies who like this other repair guy in the area rather than the guy I'm using. Some like Steve Fowler's work. Really, it's a blessing to have as many SUPERB repair techs as there in this area. I don't think that one can go too wrong with any one of them.
The main thing that I was trying to say in my first message is whenever I'm talking with musician friends about local repair techs and Steve Fowler's name comes up there's typically a mixed response. Some have had outstanding work done by him. For others, they say it was so-so. I honestly don't know if this indicates inconsistent work on Steve's part or simply reflects different personal preferences on the part of my musician friends.
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Author: Bnatural
Date: 2005-02-17 23:59
Thanks, I figured it was more of a personal preference thing but thought I would check... I totally agree though that it is all in the feel of what you get and how well the two of you can communicate and accomplish your needs
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Author: Bill
Date: 2005-02-18 04:02
Steve has overhauled three clarinets for me. I live in Washington, DC, so each time I went to his shop.
I have had repeated experience with only two techs - Steve and John Butler. I think both are profund craftsmen - slightly different. John corrected some problems with springs and an overabundance of oil (?) used on a clarinet Steve had previously overhauled for me. Steve always provided great personal service and was excited about the instruments I brought to him and how I responded to his repair(s). And somethng more than that, I would say he always impressed me as a very sensitive, thoughtful person. He's not a "tough" personality - very warm and likeable. But this discussion is about repairing clarinets (I digress!).
I don't know, I think all of us turn out our best and occasionally something less than that. Steve struggled with the keywork on my 25xxx Buffet, and I also remember getting "news from the front" e-mails from John Butler as the keys of my 21xxx repeatedly snapped during the overhaul. Artistically, I think both techs are fantastic - John's emphasis seems to be more with perfecting the keywork. I never dealt with John in person, whereas I spent a couple of hours with Steve.
I haven't shed a bit of light on the subject of these messages! In the case of both techs there were small problems here and there, but both stayed with me until I was happy - we're talking about a total of six clarinets (yes - too many for one person!). Steve said a few years back he was looking for a qualified apprentice (and may have found one). I recall thinking that I would have enjoyed studying and working with him. Business was tough and there were many, many student-quality flutes and saxes and whatnot to get finished in time for band camp. The customers with the fine Buffet clarinets were fewer, and far between.
Bill Fogle
Washington, DC
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-18 04:38
There isn't a single tech who scores 100% with every customer.
Living in the NYC area and having a large collection of clarinets, I have used many different techs, including the so-called "big names" in repair. Some were excellent and lived up to their reputation. Others, in my opinion, are highly over rated.
I have also used, with great satisfaction, Steve Fowler and John Butler from our bulletin board, as well as numerous "unknown" techs in my own local area.
In the end, when deciding on a repair person, ask lots of questions, talk to other customers, see examples of their finished work, and carefully weigh cost vs value ...GBK
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2005-02-19 22:18
Friends,
Things can get tricky sometimes when we talk with other musicians and on Forums about our experiences with equipment, music shops, repair techs, etc. Our experiences typically involve some pros and cons. To echo GBK, it's hardly ever 100% all the time.
I want to make it clear that Steve Fowler did an EXCELLENT job overhauling my Bb clarinet and made a number of significant improvements on my Patricola C clarinet several years ago. I was very happy with Steve's work.
Where my experience gets complicated is that around 7 or 8 months after Steve worked on my clarinets I started having some probems with them. If I had taken my clarinets back to Steve he would have adjusted them. However, his shop is a long drive from where I live and by that point in time I had started using a tech in my area who came highly recommended. So, I had the new guy work on my clarinets. He reworked several things on both clarinets and I haven't had any problems with them what-so-ever since then....and that was around a year ago.
I'm NOT saying that Steve did bad work or anything like that. Believe me, I've had some bad experiences with repair techs and my experience with Steve Fowler was NOTHING like that. Clearly, Steve is an excellent tech. It's just that I came to have a personal preference for the new tech and his particular style of working on my horns.
Roger
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-02-19 22:42
I have a question, do you think techs do different levels of work depending on the reputation of the customer? Meaning, does anyone think that a tech is more apt to pay more attention the horm of someone who is a professional versus someone who is an amateur?
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-20 16:15
sfalexi wrote:
> does anyone think that a tech is more apt to pay more attention
> the horm of someone who is a professional versus someone who is
> an amateur?
The horn belonging to Joe Bagodonuts will often require MORE servicing and attention than the one brought in by the family of Benjamin David Goodman ...GBK
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2005-02-20 18:51
Question for all of you on this subject.........
I live in the KC, Mo. area and the place I took my clarinet for years for work had the repair tech leave after 30 years of working there. They are training a brass guy to do all of their woodwind work. As a matter of fact, they had him work on my Bb without my knowledge. Not that a brass tech can't do woodwind work but this one didn't do a very good job. Now for my question......
If I want to use one of the fine techs that I've heard about here on this board like Steve or one of the advertised ones, how do I go about sending my clarinet across the country safely? I'm so worried that it will not arrive safely and even if it does and the tech does the work, how do I know that all the wonderful, fine adjustments they do will actually stay in tact through the shipping back to me? This is why I've never used any of the superior clarinet services available out there. I have a really nice R-13 and I think it could be even sweeter if someone with great tech skills got a hold of it and treated it right. I'm sure people have to ship their clarinets as they don't all live in the same cities as the techs work. Let me know the best way to do it. Also, should I contact the tech first and how long does it usually take to get it done? I don't have a back up Bb. Thanks,
Rebecca
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2005-02-20 19:46
Kansas City is a big enough city and with enough musical activity for there to be another good repair tech for clarinets in the area. In particular, see if you can ask local professional musicians for a recommendation or check with the music department at the Univ of MO at KC. The worst experience I ever had with a repair tech was when I sent a couple of my horns to a tech out of town. Bad, bad experience! I learned my lesson and since then I've only used a local tech. It's important to be able to work with your tech and try out your instrument in the repair shop to see if subtle adjustments need to be made. That's the ideal. However, I'm sure that others have had positive experiences using an out-of-town tech.
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2005-02-20 20:29
I don't know how far KC is from St. Joseph, but Larry is a great guy and with a lot of knowledge.
Gerhardt Music Service
2506 Frederick Ave.
St. Joseph, MO 64506-2751
business: 816-232-4476
cellular: 816-387-3833
lbg@ponyexpress.net
jbutler
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-20 20:36
> but Larry is a great guy and with a lot of knowledge.
...as is John Butler, but far too modest to admit it...GBK
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-20 21:05
rc_clarinetlady:
A few simple tips:
Contact the tech you are interested in. A phone call is always the best way.
Let him know of the work you are considering having done. Be specific. Listen to other suggestions or ideas the tech may have.
Get an approximate "ballpark figure" of costs, barring anything unforeseen.
Time limit guarantee on all work performed (90 days, 6 months, 1 year, etc...)
Inquire about the expected turn around time and when would be an ideal week to ship.
Decide on a method of shipping (USPS, UPS, Fed Ex, etc...)
Insure the instrument for the full replacement cost.
Some techs may want 50% of the approximate cost before starting work, others will take a credit card after all work is complete.
Ship the clarinet securely with plently of packing material, both inside the case to prevent movement and outside the case for protection.
The Buffet key clamps are ideal for use in shipping, as the open right hand pinky keys will stay securely closed.
Ship clarinets on a Monday so the instrument will not have to sit idle during a long (cold) weekend.
Ask for email updates as the work is progessing.
Most techs are agreeable to all of the above points and go the extra mile to satisfy their customers, however, if something doesn't feel right, speak up...GBK
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