 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2005-06-05 09:56
Ok, so, I went to the local pawn shop that actually calls itself a "music store" as well as pawn shop. You go in there, and like normal pawn shops, it's full of crappy TVs and jewlery, and in one corner is a pile of instruments. From guitars, to clarinets and flutes... even an old mellophone (as in not a mellophonium, the straight looking french horn used in today's marching bands.. the old skool french horn with pistons lol)
Anyway... all the instruments are OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. You want this crappy saxophone here? A brand you have never heard of... $600. Not to mention the ridiculous prices they want for messed up Bundys. So nothing really interested me... until...
I see this case with the flutes. A zippered case cover, so I open it and inside is a french flute case. Is this supposed to be here? I look inside and I see a pristine Yamaha 461 flute. I was so confused. What the heck is it doing here? They wanted $500 for it, but being the haggler I am, I came in a couple days later and talked them down to $380.
Now, I don't have $380, so I used my credit card. I had done my research days before and found that this flute sells for $1600 new! Overall, I was the one playing the pawn shop and resold the flute for $860. :P (Not on ebay)
I should have tried to sell it for more, but I got enough money to pay off my credit card and my new computer monitor, so I'm happy. I think I should be a music business woman. Buy old crap and resell it for more. I think I was pretty successful this one time.
--Contragirl
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Author: Tom A
Date: 2005-06-05 11:06
That's a great story. You're happy, the the shop owner's happy, and the buyer is very happy. I believe the current expression begins "One man's trash..."
I've had a similar experience. It's almost fun, but don't get carried away like I did! The reason stores and professional dealers have a market is because they know how to get a market.
By the way, it's mid-evening over here in Sydney. You must be a very early riser.
Post Edited (2005-06-05 11:08)
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2005-06-05 17:48
Occasionally I'll go into a pawn shop hoping I'll find a nice Buffet A clarinet. If I ever find one, the plan is to convince them it's crap because "it plays almost a semitone flat than a regular clarinet" and walk out with it for next to nothing.
Hasn't happened yet, and if/when it ever does, it'll probably be stolen merchandise.
Congratulations! It wasn't hot, was it?
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2005-06-05 23:35
There's a pawn shop/"music store" here in Phoenix. I bought this great old CONN clarinet. Did the research and it was made in 1923. Had a wrap around register (on top), articulated G# and absolutely beautiful wood. Got it for $50 and had it restored to playability for $165. So I had $215 in it and sold it for $278. Now I'm kicking myself in the butt, because through all the ebaying and other outlets I've never seen another like it. And it played really well. Wish I had it back.
Same shop and I got a SILVER KING. Had always wanted a metal clarinet and the SK is one of only a few Pro level metals. Got it for $75, completely overhauled it for $200 and it's a great sounding/playing clarinet. Can't tell the dif between it and a wooden clarinet. I play R-13 and Leblanc LL in addition.
Have "toyed" with the idea of selling the SILVER KING and using the $$ to get a bass clarinet, but remembering my CONN experience just can't bring myself to "let go" of it. Hindsight I guess. Maybe I'll let go of the LL to get cash for a Bass. But all in all, you can find good deals at pawn shops if you know what you're looking for and the guy behnd the counter doesn't have a clue about instruments aside from guitars and drums. Which I find to be the case.
JG
PS....Bonnie (contragirl) has the most beautiful hair covering up that wonderful brain of hers.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-06-06 01:03
It's a blast to go into a pawn shop and find something like a vintage short shank Selmer C* Sax Mouthpiece from the late 50's, or a Chedeville Mouthpiece sitting in an old wooden piece of junk clarinet.
Maybe someday that will happen to me.........
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-06-06 01:27
Or you heard about a mint condition 1962 R-13 (70xxx) which had been overlooked and left untouched for 40 years, in a closet in a private school AND you were able to purchase it very cheaply.
That DID happen to me...GBK
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-06-06 01:36
Then there's the story of the Bassoon player who was reunited with his stolen heckel bassoon from the 50's in England.
It was seen by a band director who wondered why it was part of his inventory for a NYC public school. He looked into the serial number and found that it had been stolen about 40 years earlier in England from a professional player's car.
That was a cool story!
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Author: kenb
Date: 2005-06-06 03:00
That bassoon survived 40 years in the public school system?
What a fine tribute to Heckel engineering!
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2005-06-06 03:51
I'm not sure if the flute is hot! I would like to assume not. Well, it's gone now. They can trace me to down, but they will have to go to Maine to get it back. lol.
Speaking of stolen instruments, I remember all those articles we posted about people misplacing or losing their instruments. A lot of them were strong players, one being YoYo Ma. A few years ago, our school's orchestra bass clarinet (A low C Buffet Prestige) was stolen from our studio teacher's office. I wonder if that turned up in a pawn shop somewhere. lol
Hey John, thanks for the comment on my hair. :P Actually, I've always thought the roots grew into my brain, which explains why I am so crazy. weeee
--Contragirl
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