Posted by Mark on July 26, 2000 at 20:43:12:
In Reply to: Re: Who sells new Conn's? posted by Santos on July 26, 2000 at 18:56:57:
Not So!
ANY authorized UMI dealer can get one, my friends! Dillon's doesn't have the 'exclusive' as guessed in the post above.
I work with an authorized UMI dealer in Ohio. I can get you one, reasonably priced. Like most vendors, however, I don't have one on hand to try out. The franchise owner only lets me bring in such a pricey item if someone has made a down payment on it first, particularly in the case of the CC Conn 52/56J. There just isn't a warehouse full of 'em. Now if you wanted some student line stuff to toot and honk on, that's a different story; If you don't take it, the next chap in the door might. My local store's low brass stock is driven by the BBb school market. You can thank the Brasswind and others like 'em for the slim selction of pro-line horns on your local vendor's shelf. Folks come and paw up the horns and blow some saliva in them, fall in love with it, and then call everybody else on earth for the lowest possible price. While I fully sympathize with the customer's desire for the best price, be aware that THAT BEHAVIOR is why you may have to put 1500 miles under your but just to try a proline Tuba.
Yes, I would (almost) never plunk down that kinda cash to get a horn I've never 'test drove' either. Most of us tuba players are really stuck between a rock & a hard place.
Not that I agree with my boss's economic paradigm. My local store also has Baldwin grand pianos sitting on the floor that cost triple what a 56J does. I am most certain that my local store could 'move' a 56J out the door quicker than another piano, if the players out here are given the chance to hold one. That is, If I could let go of it myself!!
~-o^o-~ Mark in Ohio