 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jas
Date: 2002-07-04 20:39
First and foremost... lemme say that I understand and respect, from a business sense, all the music stores reasoning behind the following. I have heard the story too many times from them. I have nothing but the upmost respect for repair technicians, and have used one or two in my time with tremendous success.
That being said... I need a supplier in Canada... preferably one close to Toronto, Ontario. Its a well kept secret.
So.. here's my story.
The music department at my sons' school is broke.. (this is Canada.. that happens)... and the instruments are in disrepair. I have volunteered as a teaching assistant there for the past year and have seen these kids try to blow notes from leaky woodwinds. I have seen the budget, I have seen the kids.
I would like to pop on a few new pads on these things (saxes and clarinets) for them, but I'm having difficulty finding a music store willing to sell me some (some... well, over a hundred). I am not talking about complete overhauls... just a couple of pads per instrument... but I'm getting some "territorial attitude" from music stores, that normally would have sold me a pad or two, no questions asked.
I explained that this is charity work here, and I'm will to pay the full retail on these things, but I get... to be honest... nothing but attitude. How dare I be so charitable. If I incorporated the philosophy, that I won't help any music store that doesn't help the school, I'd have to go to the moon to shop for anything music related.
Seriously, I need your help. I want to get this done. I am capable of doing the work... I just need the supplies. Can anybody see it in their heart to help. Is there a fellow Canuck, that can point me in the right direction.
I appreciate it and the kids will love you for it.
Jas.
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Author: Meri
Date: 2002-07-04 21:37
Hi, Jas
Have you contacted Gary Armstrong Woodwinds in Toronto? http://www.garyarmstrong.com/
Also try Peter Spriggs in BC.
Meri
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-07-05 00:52
Just curious: If you visited any one of these retail music stores and have the money to make a purchase, show it and list the supplies like any other patron why then would the vendor have an "attitude", and/or refuse to sell you what you need? Why would you give them a sob story about the poor and disadvantaged you're trying to help unless you were trying to levy a discount or get free stuff out of them? Doesn't make good sense to me, unless these merchants have a personal axe to grind with you, the kids you're trying to help or school district.
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Author: msroboto
Date: 2002-07-05 01:40
I think it's probably the volume he is trying to procure that could be putting the music store off.
They aren't losing 1 repair to a guy who probably have to bring the instrument in anyway to repair the fix. They are losing 50 repairs that will probably be done properly.
Add that up at $30.00 and instrument on average and the store is losing $1500.00 at least. I assume that some of these instruments might be worse than described and that would bring that up even higher.
Search for clarinet pads on the web and plenty of places show up. I'm sure they will sell you all you can handle.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-07-05 02:00
There are many kits on the market with 100s of pads in the assortment (band directors live by these kits). Or call Ferree's and get a catalog.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-07-05 04:27
I think Mark's advice is about as good as you'll find. Ferree's will sell you a dozen at a time any size pad you need.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-07-05 05:39
Try some of the B25 Ferree's double skin thin clarinet pads. 9.5, 10, and 10.5mm pads will fit many of the small clarinet pad cups. Good luck. One could get a dozen each of 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17mm pads also to get started. Good luck.
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Author: Jas
Date: 2002-07-05 11:54
Hi everybody,
Thanks for all your responses. I will certainly give them a try. and Keep them comin'.
Ken says ... "Why would you give them a sob story about the poor and disadvantaged..."
Believe me, Ken, this is a last resort and all of them pretty much asked for the story. I'm not looking for discounts, and insist with them that I'll pay the going rate (read my first post). I have contacted close to fifteen stores, and every one questioned my need for such a large order... so I tell them.
msroboto is absolutely right! Well, WE fix school instruments, is the typical response, and hey, I really don't blame them. But I had resorted to enquiring at stores several miles outside my city, so there is no direct competition, but I get the same response, regardless.
My intention is not to take anybody's business away, but rather give kids the opportunity to actually enjoy their first experience with an instrument. Remember, I am a musician, too and a member of several bands in my community. I have spent thousands of dollars at the music store, and am willing to drop over two hundered on this little project. They won't see these instruments in their shops, so why not cough up for good PR and I'll let the system know who it was that "came to the rescue", and maybe develop a loyalty to them, the next time I want to drop 5 thousand for a new sax, or a fellow musician is looking for a good shop (sure beats the potential 15-hundred, don't you think). THAT'S the business sense of it. {My way or the highway, just isn't good business practice). I'm in the market for a new mouthpiece and neckstrap for my sax, and only want to make one trip to the music store. Lemme see.... that, with the pads, adds up to a lot more than nothin'.
Anyway... sorry, I'm just venting now, and I apologize for that. SOMEBODY supplies the techs. These things cannot be too far out of reach from the common individual. I shall take each of your ideas with me, as I venture boldy in my quest :o )
Thanks,
Jas
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-07-05 14:33
>That's what does ...
Exactly! Ferree's is technician's wonderland....
http://www.ferreestools.com/
E-mail address: ferreestools@aol.com
Telephone: 1(800) 253-2261
F A X: 1(616) 965-7719
"To get YOUR FREE Ferree's CATALOG just send your postal mailing address via: E-Mail, FAX, or Post. Att: Kate"
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-07-05 14:35
>That's what Ferree's does ...
Exactly! Ferree's is technician's wonderland....
http://www.ferreestools.com/
E-mail address: ferreestools@aol.com
Telephone: 1(800) 253-2261
F A X: 1(616) 965-7719
"To get YOUR FREE Ferree's CATALOG just send your postal mailing address via: E-Mail, FAX, or Post. Att: Kate"
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-07-05 17:45
I agree, Kate is a delightful person to deal with, Jas. The folks at Ferree's have always been very helpful to me, way over here in CA, and their prices are quite reasonable. I think they treat others, all over the world, the same.
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-07-08 13:41
Jas, the absolute best helping out these truly needy kids. Appears to me as if you're just as charitable dealing with the local merchants too. I suppose, some vendors probably aren't the ideal place to go asking for supplier contacts for volume purchases, then followed by true confessions. Tough call, sucking it up for the kids' sake or telling these people to jump in the lake, especially if you've given them repeat business and established community rapport. If it were me and I dumped $100s-$1000s in a local music retailer and they coped an attitude over a bag of pads I'd limit my furture business with them to emergencies only and/or if a gig depends on it.
My dad was a new car dealer for years, among many sayings I grew up hearing one of them was, "if a customer is happy with a deal they'll tell 3 people, if they're not they'll tell 10". v/r
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-07-08 15:55
Best wishes, I admire those who do "pro-bono's" for the needy ones. A while back, I bought some $100 worth of pads and cork from my repairer -friend so I could do the very-minor, make-it-play-again type repairs and save driving miles and lengthy delay for local school kids, and some quite "needy" parents, charging [too] little. Anything at all major goes to my friend of course. Our local music store [more guitar, of course] sends people to me and they frequently ask band inst. and trading practice/price questions, and sell "unusual" horns for me, a good relationship!Don
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