 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: psychotic lil clarinet girl (don't as
Date: 2005-09-18 02:51
Ok, so I let this freshman guy borrow my B12 and my 5RV mouthpiece while his was in the shop. He uses it for about a week or so and then returns it. About a month later (yesterday) I noticed there was a huge chip in the mouthpiece, and I hadn't used it at all, because this was the first time I looked at it since he had returned it. So, he said "I thought it was like that before" and it wasn't because I had checked it before. So, now my mouthpiece is unplayable because I was trying to be nice.
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Author: ClariBone
Date: 2005-09-18 03:01
OOH Mary
I guess its one of life's lessons, DON'T LOAN INSTRUMENTS TO FRESHMEN, lol!!!
In all seriousness, could you get him to spring for a new mouthpiece, or a repair (not sure how bad the chip is)?? If not, maybe he'll split the cost??
Clayton
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Author: psychotic lil clarinet girl (don't as
Date: 2005-09-18 03:07
the chip is pretty bad... I don't think it's repairable. I haven't asked him to chip in for a new mouthpiece yet... So, I don't know. He needs to though.
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Author: clarinetsweetheart
Date: 2005-09-18 03:32
Yeah never loan your equipment unless it's crap equipment in the first place...
~*Charlotte*~
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-09-18 05:47
I know there are people on this board that can repair a chipped mouthpiece. Dave Spiegelthal comes to mind. I believe he fills the chip in with epoxy and then sands it down to match it to the rest of the mouthpiece. He's worked on some mouthpieces of mine in the past and done very well with them. Might want to check that out.
Or worst comes to worst, at least it was a Vandoren mouthpiece (relatively cheap). And at least it wasn't some special (and often costly) hand-faced, custome mouthpiece costing upwards of $200.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-09-18 10:35
A good life lesson.
At the very least, never loan out your mouthpiece. I'd lend my clarinet to a friend, but I'd never include my mouthpiece (except perhaps for an old one or the stock mouthpiece that came with the instrument).
For non-friends (or freshmen, especially guys), you could be business-like about it and ask for a security deposit, to be returned once the instrument is returned in satisfactory shape.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2005-09-18 10:46
FWIW here's what I do when I loan equipment (whatever kind), of course only when it's something more valuable than eg a football:
If you have a digital camera, make pictures of the "critical" parts (eg mouthpiece, tenons etc) and print it out, else make a simple protocol ("Mouthpiece: minor scratches, no chips nor dings") and have the borrower sign that protocol. Don't forget the serial number...
It has nothing to do with mistrust or so, it just protects you and the borrower from unjustified claims.
I know this will cost you half an hour, but given the value of the good it certainly is worth it.
--
Ben
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2005-09-18 12:38
Loaning is a big issue. I try not to loan out anything I cannot do without. Having said that, I am pretty free about loaning out my spare clarinets, but not the ones I use all the time. This would be my dad's R-13, newly overhauled, not a bad instrument, and his old Artley A, surprisingly good. Nobody has asked to borrow a mouthpiece yet, but if they did, I would only give them a production-made spare, not a hand-made one.
A couple of times a year someone asks about using my sound system. If I don't need it and have the time to spend, rent it out, but only if they are willing to let me train them how to set it up and use it. I have inland marine / professional use insurance coverage on everything, but having said that, it is unclear whether that covers rental situations.
30 years ago a friend, a tremendous jazz player, asked to borrow my alto. I said, "it works, but is pretty scary" (the company that made it now only makes plumbing fixtures.) He replied "I am desparate for something, anything, to keep me playing while my horn [a Selmer Mark VI] is being overhauled." He comes over with his mouthpiece, and puts the sax together. He plays a tremendous riff that ends on an embarassing squeak/honk. He looks under his left index finger, and in surprise says, "There's no High F key!" This was a good instrument to lend out.
Regards
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Author: D
Date: 2005-09-18 13:04
Unfortunately, because it has been a while since he returned it you might find it very difficult to get him to admit it was his fault - different if you opened the case and did an inspection with him standing there on the day of return. These things happen though no matter how careful you are. I had an annoying small child break the thumb rest on my tenor recorder and I was in the room at the time. So he put it all back in the case and everything and gave it back, and then when I got it home I realised there was something wrong. But what can you do. Tenor recorder thumb rests (and tenor recorders for that matter) are pretty cheap when you are looking at the crappy plastic ones. I borrowed someones contra bass recorder and that was really scary. I refused to try and take it apart or anything, just sat there and mae them bring it over and then take it away again. I just didn't dare do anything with it. Soooo heavy and big. And really really pricey! I wonder if it is mainly children who think they can break equipment and not say anything (presumably because they have no concept of real money at that age [I can feel the flames! I do think you value stuff more if you have paid for it your self]) or if adults are just as bad.
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Author: William
Date: 2005-09-18 16:38
I learned a similar lesson just leting a very good friend of mine try my mouthpiece. He accidently put a nick on the left rail while putting the metal lig on. And I was standing right there watching!!! Fortunately, the damage did not affect the playing, but still............. I've lent instruments to frineds for their temporary use and have never had any problems--but I've learned my lesson about mouthpieces. Never let them out of your hands (or mouth).
BTW, another good friend of mine decided to let on of his good eighth grade student clarinetists try his mouthpiece just to see "how a good one played". As the mouthpiece was being passed ot the students waiting hand, it was accidently dropped and broken on the band rooms cement floor. Yes, fellow readers, you probably have already guessed--it was a vintage Cicero Kaspar.
('nough said??)
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-09-18 17:44
I remember when you originally posted about the fact that you were helping this fellow out. It's hard when you "can" help somebody out, it's very tempting to do so. Unfortunately, sometimes this stuff happens. I think my advice at this point would be to chalk it up to life experience and move on.
Standing on principle won't do you much good in the long run. My two cents.
Sue Tansey
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Author: loubob
Date: 2005-09-19 04:28
Life experience my a#$!!!! Make the Cheap Bastardo pay!!! If he refuses, then once in a while (about once every three weeks) buy yourself a Habanero pepper, get hold of his reeds and mouthpiece, and carefully rub a little of the juice of said pepper onto his MP and reeds. Sit back and enjoy the show! Now that is a "life experience" everyone can enjoy. If you can't find a Habanero, then Tabasco sauce will work also-be sure to let it dry overnight.
Luis F. Hernandez
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2005-09-19 15:47
I thought I'd throw in one happy story concerning lending of equipment. I was at my repairman's shop years ago and he mentioned he had a musical run several weeks long coming up and the book required an alto sax, which he did not have. I offered him mine ( an old Mark VI) and although he wanted to rent it from me, I refused any payment. About a month later, the horn was returned and I discovered it had been completely overhauled and played better than ever.......moral: Only lend to friends who are excellent repair men !
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-19 15:52
I must admit that if I happen to borrow an instrument, the temptation of taking a screwdriver to it is too great for me to resist!
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Author: fredackerman
Date: 2005-09-19 17:54
While I really dislike not being generous with my 'stuff', I find that some people are not as careful as I am. I'm not going to let anyone even hold one of my camera's or any of my technical equipment let alone my horns! Ever loan a book to someone & it comes back with stains? Some are 'ham handed' or just let things slip though their fingers, I work too hard to purchase my 'stuff' and I've learned to say no!
Fred
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2005-09-20 21:19
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be." --William Shakespeare, Hamlet
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2005-09-20 21:59
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be." --William Shakespeare, Hamlet
"For a loan oft loses both self and friend."
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: diz
Date: 2005-09-21 02:23
Funny - nothing's changed much through the centuries, thanks for the Shakespeare quotes guys ...
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: ginny
Date: 2005-09-21 06:16
I have two trashy clarinets I loan to my local high school marching band when clarinets break. One got the pads ruined when the director had them play w/o plastic bag covers in a down pour. I was annoyed and took charge of plastic bags and down pours. I view it as a donation to the band basically.
I'd do it again though. No good deed goes unpunished, but if we don't help each other we will make the world unfit to live in.
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