Re: Off-Name Brand Instruments


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Posted by Lee Stofer on January 15, 2003 at 08:53:12:

In Reply to: Off-Name Brand Instruments posted by Patrick Haymore on January 14, 2003 at 14:12:18:

Patrick,
Let's just say that they didn't come from the Americas, or from Europe or Japan.

These instruments are a spreading plague on the music scene, where parents (and occasionally teachers) who don't know better get suckered by an instrument that looks like it might play.

Last year, a very young and inexperienced band teacher bought a new baritone from that auction site for $125.00, tried to play it, then brought it to me and asked if he had gotten "taken". Initially, the instrument looked to be a new, (unlacquered) replica of an 1870's Bb baritone. The threads on the valve casings and top- and bottom caps were really bad, and one had to be really careful not to cross-thread the caps. There were no water keys on the instrument, not even on the main tuning slide in the leadpipe. The slides were difficult to move, and the valve action was the worst I've ever encountered. It was barely playable at all by a professional musician, much less by a student.

As a deed of good will, since he was stuck with it, I added water keys to main, 1st and 3rd valve slides, lapped all the slides, ground off the soldered-in valve guides, drilled and tapped the holes, and fitted real valve guides to the instrument. I lapped the valves to where they would work acceptably well, replaced the springs, felts and corks, and cleaned this sorry instrument.

The repairs cost twice the purchase price ($250.00). So, for a total of $375.00 this school now has an instrument that will work, but not as well as a used bell-front American baritone would have. It is used by beginners, who will not play high enough to experience how horribly sharp the Eb above the staff is.

Spread the word- friends don't let friends buy instruments like this, that have little value to start with, and have less trade-in value than used Kleenex.

Lee Stofer


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