Posted by Lee Stofer on January 17, 2004 at 12:47:42:
In Reply to: Is there a BBS like this one.... posted by Dan Schultz on January 16, 2004 at 22:05:27:
Well, no, Dan, there's not one EXACTLY like this for band instrument repair technicians, but NAPBIRT (National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians) has a web site with a public portion, and a members-only section. Dan, I'd suggest to you and anyone else that wants to get into the instrument repair field to join NAPBIRT. You get weekly newsletters online which includes amongst other things an ad section where you can buy, sell or ask for information, a bi-monthly publication in the mail, and as a member of NAPBIRT you join part of a large network of repair technicians from coast-to-coast an overseas that are committed to excellence in what they do, and getting better at it every day. The thing that has impressed me most about the NAPBIRT membership is that whenever I've needed advice or help in some instrument repair situation, I could call another member and they'd either talk me through it themselves, or refer me to someone that could. Instead of competetion, I've found that NAPBIRT members work together. I've had a number of NAPBIRT techs ask me tuba-related questions, and I'm always happy to help.
Lee Stofer
Lee Stofer