Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: All those F tubas for sale


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Posted by A G in V on January 30, 2002 at 17:53:44:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: All those F tubas for sale posted by Mr. C on January 30, 2002 at 15:04:42:

Is this hawking?

Question: I am looking for a good BBb tuba to play in a community band after many years of laying off. I'm considering a Miraphone 186 like I used to play in college. Is that a good choice?

Answer From Retailer: Sure, but a better choice might be the VMI 2103--it's cheaper and according to lots of players just as good if not better. I only have about two in stock, but I can make you a heck of a deal. Call me at my store____.

Granted, he might have said that the Jupiter 582 was a better and cheaper choice, or he might have said that the Meinl-Weston Model 25 or VMI 3301 was a better but not cheaper choice, or he might have said that the Miraphone 191 is more expensive but worth the difference, or he might have said that the 186 is indeed the best tuba for his needs. All of these might or might not be true for any given player, and none of these opinions would raise an eyebrow if expressed by a non-sales fellow who, for all we know, hasn't played a single one of them. We know that the sales guy will describe the one he has in stock that he can sell, and we know that he will ask for the sale. Personally, I can live with that. Others will also answer with non-sales-guy opinions, which may or may not be more useful or accurate.

As a matter of basic civility, the sales guy ought to identify himself as such, which the above example clearly does. And if he has an opinion that he expects doesn't need the sales-guy filter, then he can say, "I don't sell these at all in my store and can't make a dime telling you this, but my choice would be..." And if he tells a direct falsehood, then he will pay the price for fibbing.

But even if all the hawking was just as you describe, where the sales guy is recommending a horn that is clearly not appropriate for the requestor, then I would still endure that if it means that we hear about some of the things happening in the industry that don't come any other way. One of the most persistent of all the sales guys, and the one who has attracted lots of flames therefore, is still the one who told us of the new King 2341, and he is still the one who knows the status of the piston Miraphone 191, in both cases before others.

You can, of course, always just ignore the sales-guy's posts--one thing they never do is post anonymously. But I'd bet you don't do that, because you know that at least some of the time it will be a nugget worth reading.

And for the fellow with something to sell who keeps posting preposterous claims about the value of what he is selling (such as "so-an-so says this is the best tuba ever made," and so on), then again I propose that we let Sean set the standards for his board on such matters, instead of taking it upon ourselves to be the babysitters for everyone else. Only when basic civility is abandoned do we need everyone to fire up the flamethrower, because enforcing that should not just be Sean's job.


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