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From: "....rich haynes" <rich_haynes @ hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 12:23:40 EST
Subject: Re: [CB] mouthpiecesjean,
so youre saying that the selmer c/bass mouthpiece plays really loud....but
not with much depth....hmm.....yeah i do like to be heard a nice tone would
be good!
what other options do i have?
anyone feel free to jump in give me some advice here!
rich.
----Original Message Follows----
From: "Jean Adler" <jean @ espressocom.com>
Rich,
I was playing my mouthpieces yesterday to see how I liked them. the Selmer
was great when I was pregnant because I was able to play really loud without
having the greatest breath control. Carrying around 24 extra pounds under
your diaphragm isn't easy. However, now I am not so crazy about the Selmer.
I don't like the sound I am getting. I want a warmer sound. I'm not
getting a fuller sound...just a louder one.Apologies to those of you who like the Selmer mouthpieces. It just isn't
working for me any more.
Jean
----------------------
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From: Fmmck @ aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 08:06:45 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] mouthpieces
In a message dated 5/13/00 10:24:15 PM, rich_haynes @ hotmail.com writes:
<< so youre saying that the selmer c/bass mouthpiece plays really loud....but
not with much depth >>Rich-
My old Leblanc Contra came with the original mouthpiece, which was wider
than any reeds I could find. Someone here recommended the Selmer C**.
However, you just don't find many Contra mouthpieces in Central Florida
stores! When I came across a Selmer C* Contra mouthpiece at a bargain price,
I grabbed it.My experience is that a softer reed may play louder, especially Rico. But a
VanDoren reed has a better tone. In other words, you may be able to make the
C* sound better by selecting the right reed.Fred McKenzie
MMB
---------------------------------------------------------From: CoolStu67 @ aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 09:25:26 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] mouthpieces<<
However, you just don't find many Contra mouthpieces in Central Florida
stores!
>>Hey, a Central Floridian! Are you familiar with Gary Underwood, Winter Park?
(this applies to everyone) I went to him to fix my Leblanc, and recommended a
new mouthpiece because mine had been altered (sounded even more like a
contrabass lawnmower with the changed piece). He had a Woodwind mp (the kind
Leblanc sends with their new contras) for sale, and I liked it. However, it
was just too much. About $160 when the Woodwind & Brasswind sells it for
$115. He said the difference was in big businesses getting better deals. I
felt kinda bad for helping a business that destroys hometown music stores,
although $45 is a lot of extra money to spend out of the kindness of your
heart. Does anybody else have experiences like this (big business versus
hometown)? This Woodwind piece is great, by the way.Stuart
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 11:32:08 -0400
From: michael c grogg <mgrogg @ juno.com>
Subject: Re: [CB] mouthpiecesI have experience in the Big business side, as well as some unrelated
small business.The difference in price has to do with volume discounts. I posted a
fairly lengthy description of this on the Tuba/Euphonium list a couple of
weeks ago. I worked for a while for one of the high volume tuba sellers,
and also did a fair number of sales of woodwinds, as well as the
preparation of bids for large orders for school systems, so I learned a
lot about the discount structure.In essence, if Joe Sixpack in Podunk Iowa, or Gary Underwood in Winter
Park, or myself in Clearwater orders a part from the manufacturer, or
more likely their designated distributor, I will be lucky to get it for
30% off the MSRP, in this case probably $160. Add in shipping cost, and
the general overhead of doing business, and the $160 becomes a reasonable
price to charge for a hard to get item.Now if I were a franchised Leblanc Dealer, I could probably get that same
item for 40%, and if I do enough volume, possibly 40+10%. (No 40+10 does
not equal 50).If the MSRP of the mouthpiece is $160, and I get it for 160-30% or 112,
plus maybe $9 shipping and handling that brings it up to my cost of $121,
plus add in overhead expenses and a profit margin (Why else would I be in
the business?) and that $160 isn't all that unreasonable.Now take Woodwind-Brasswind, who is one of the largest wind instrument
dealers in the World. They probably buy the same part from Leblanc for
at least a 40+10% discount or about $87. Figure in the usual shipping,
overhead and profit, and they can make money at $115.Instrument prices are even more affected by this, and W&B probably has
the best discounts available to them of anybody in the business.So you as the player have to decide if it is better to support your local
dealer, or local small time repair genius and pay a higher price, or go
for the best deal and watch your local support net dry up.If you want to know why instruments cost what they do, take a look at the
TubaEuph archives at:Or since my post was nominated for FAQ list inclusion, it may be at:
http://www.onelist.com/files/TubaEuph/FAQ.htm
On a non-musical note, from my experience in my sideline computer
repair-upgrade business, I can often buy repair parts from online
retailers in California cheaper than I can buy them from the local
Nationwide Wholesaler who is 4 miles up the road. Since the National
company charges more, plus insists on shipping everything UPS and won't
allow a pickup at the warehouse, it easier to buy it in California or
Arizona and have it shipped than it is to fight the snotty attitudes and
redtape with the local wholesaler who claims to want my business.If you know Gary Underwood well enough, you might suggest this. W&B's
price might be less than what he can get the item from his distributor.
It happens.Michael Grogg
Clearwater, FL
> Hey, a Central Floridian! Are you familiar with Gary Underwood,
> Winter Park? (this applies to everyone) I went to him to fix my Leblanc, and
> recommended a new mouthpiece because mine had been altered
>(sounded even more like a contrabass lawnmower with the changed piece). He had a Woodwind mp
> (the kind Leblanc sends with their new contras) for sale, and I liked it.
> However, it was just too much. About $160 when the Woodwind & Brasswind sells it
> for $115. He said the difference was in big businesses getting better deals. I
> felt kinda bad for helping a business that destroys hometown music stores,
> although $45 is a lot of extra money to spend out of the kindness of your
> heart. Does anybody else have experiences like this (big business versus
> hometown)? This Woodwind piece is great, by the way.
>
> Stuart
> ----------------------
> end contrabass list________________________________________________________________
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---------------------------------------------------------From: "Leanne Enck" <kontragirl @ hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 13:08:10 MDT
Subject: Re: [CB] mouthpiecesDoes anybody else have experiences like this (big business versus
hometown)? This Woodwind piece is great, by the way.
Stuart
I think most everyone has an experience like this. I used to buy my contra
reeds for $50 a box. I sent for the Woodwind (which I love too), and found
out I could get a box of reeds for $25, and all of my other reeds cheaper.
So, I buy all of my reeds through the Woodwind. I buy everything else at a
local music store because the customer service is great, and usually they'll
get so close to the Woodwind's price, it's not worth buying one you haven't
tryed on the spot.Leanne
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