 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Contragirl
Date: 2000-06-02 03:17
Well, it's not the fact that I'm trying to be cheap, but I'm poor. I'm only 18, and I need to save money for college stuff. So I'm trying to find good work for a low price, and I don't think many techs will acknowledge that. When it comes to money, some people have no pity for the little people. I love my clarinet, and I want high quality, I just don't have a lot of money to show it. (The clarinet was expensive to begin with) My teacher was going to get his bass clarinet/tech friend in the navy band to do the work for me, but he works for a guy that wants him to charge me $400 to do it, just because he works for him. Not even mad connections can get me a good deal. What do I do?!?!?!
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-06-02 06:21
Contragirl;
Don't know if this would work out for you but there's no harm trying.
Ask if you could do some work in exchange.
Many shops bid on school band instrument work that keeps them pretty up to their eyebrows busy through the summer. Someone has to do pick up and delivery, clean and mend cases, scrub out sousaphones and do other mundane chores to allow the tech to concentrate on getting the repairs done. You might offer to work X number of hours, full time or part time - and possibly learn some repair basics in the process.
I thought of this when I read your post. That's how I got into repairing horns when I was in high school.
ron b.
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Author: stephen
Date: 2000-06-02 14:27
Do a fund raiser. Go to a local Krispy Kreme, and ask them how much you could make doing it. You could get your friends and family to help, and especially give it to your parents to take to work (that is the #1 seller in my family) I'm sure if you do a few (2 or 3) fundrasers you will have the money in no time at all. You can even do a car wash, put flyers all over the neighborhood, get about four or five friends to help you, and get your parents to call people. My last suggestion is to babysitt rich people's kids.
Sincerely,
Stephen
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Author: drew
Date: 2000-06-02 15:22
Contragirl,
There are technicians who work on clarinets and routinely perform a "repad" for as little as $200, if you are willing to ship the instrument to them. One such tech, John Butler, is a sponsor of this board.
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-06-02 19:38
Ouch, Drew!
*** $200!! (???) [and, wow!] ***
I don't have a clue where you live, Drew. Here, in central CA, complete repads (overhaul) cost between $85(okay) to $160(best) depending on the shop and the kind of pads you want to use. That includes corks, springs and all other work necessary to get the horn in top shape - with a one year follow up 'warranty' (all shops here offer that) to boot.
A simple pad replacement runs (by the pad) from no-charge, if the repairperson is having a good day, to a dollar or two per pad if s/he's not.
ron b.
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Author: drew
Date: 2000-06-02 19:54
Ron,
What are the names/phone numbers of the shops you mentioned? Contragirl is looking to have some work done cheap, she needs information!
Most shops here in San Diego run well over $200 for a complete overhaul. I mentioned John Butler's shop in Sugar Land TX, he posts his prices on his web page, just over $200 for an overhaul. I've spent as much as $325 for an overhaul at IMS. Check out prices at some of the top techs, you'd be surprised how much they can go for.
Let's have those names and numbers!
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-06-02 21:30
I'll be glad to forward the info to you or Contragirl by e-Mail, Drew. It would easily be considered advertising and I don't think that's encouraged here.
[*** Mark, could you comment on this please? ***]
The info I'd be able to give you would be for the Sacramento, CA region.
From all I hear, J. Butler does superior work.
ron b.
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-06-03 00:03
Hi, Bob -
It's:
rbaxter@pdqnet.com
Won't be back 'til very late tonight though.
ron b.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-06-03 00:52
ron b. wrote:
-------------------------------
It would easily be considered advertising and I don't think that's encouraged here.
[*** Mark, could you comment on this please? ***]
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Advertising your own company is frowned on. Enumerating companies that you do business with is fine.
If a question is asked about a product and the manufacturer of that product is reading the BBoard, they're free (and encouraged) to answer the question. If things start getting too commercial I let the person know privately first.
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Author: Contragirl
Date: 2000-06-03 03:08
ok ok, anyone with personal info about prices, locations, etc... e-mail me at contragirl00@hotmail.com (those are zeros, as in 2000) I don't want to send my clarinet away to strange people, no offense.
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-06-03 04:28
Contragirl -
Understandable. No offense to anyone at all. I wouldn't send my horn to a stranger either. Much better to do it in person so you can explain and discuss what you'd like done. A tech can adjust your instrument to suit you when you pick it up - if you are right there. That can't be done nearly as well by mail. That's why most people recommend you find a competant technician in your vicinity.
The best we can do here is to give you some price info from different parts of the country and maybe some ideas about what you may need done if your horn doesn't work quite right for you.
ron b.
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