Trouble contacting Greg Black

BFlinch83 · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:28 am Post subject: Trouble contacting Greg Black

About 6 weeks ago I talked with Greg about getting a couple rims made for a set of cups that I have. He did the original work on them and made a great rim which I really enjoy and want a couple more copies of. Anyway, he said it would be done in about 3 weeks. Since then I haven't heard from him, he's not answering his phone, he's not responding to his emails.

Does anyone know how to get in touch with him? At this point I'd just like to cancel my order and get him to return my cup that I sent him, but without contact I can't even do that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sante · New Member Joined: 06 Aug 2018 Posts: 2

My son had braces put on earlier this year. His trumpet teacher recommended ordering the Greg Black mouthpiece for players with braces. I placed the order at the beginning of May. I'd assumed they'd be in stock so it would just be a question of delivery time to New Zealand, which I thought might be a few weeks.

On 28 May I emailed Greg asking if he was able to estimate a delivery time. I heard nothing back. On 8 June I tried phoning. There was no reply. I tried emailing again. Still no reply.

I found this website and see slow delivery is a risk of doing business with Greg. I also found something on his website that says special orders take 12 weeks. I didn't think the BP mouthpiece was a special order, but maybe it is, in which case 12 weeks would mean completion at the beginning of August, and delivery maybe by the end of this month.

If it still doesn't arrive by then I'm not sure what to do. My son is really suffering trying to play trumpet with his braces. I could just contact my credit card company and cancel, but I do really want that mouthpiece!

LSOfanboy · Veteran Member Joined: 08 Jul 2018 Posts: 347

Hi Sante,

Not to derail the thread here, but why does your son need a mouthpiece from Greg Black in particular?

If it is a simple matter of finding something with a wider rim or larger diameter, you could easily find a solution with stock manufacturers.

If you genuinely need something very custom then there are plenty of other makers who would happily do the work for you.

I personally would recommend Tony at A.R. resonance, who is very helpful and diligent. But there are many others too who may be closer to Aus!

All the best!

razeontherock · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:49 am Post subject:

Greg has a whole box full of my mpcs that he promised to have done before he moved from NJ to NC. What year was that?

No contact since. I half expect the only way I'll get them back (which is what I've repeatedly asked for) is by suing his estate (i.e., after his demise, likely decades from now)

He used to be my favorite mpc maker. His designs are great, and his work exquisite. In his shop, you'll get incredible service.

If you can find Greg's stuff used, get it! Some report being able to order off his website and get delivery, no problem. I don't know how they do it. I met Greg in 1978; suffice it to say this problem is not a new development.

TrptSTP · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:33 pm Post subject:

He does have personal and professional Facebook accounts, if that would help as a way to message him.

Crazy Finn · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:22 pm Post subject:

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2595

nowave · Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:51 pm Post subject:

Greg is incredibly elusive. I waited almost 3 years for some custom work which I never did receive, though eventually I got a few stock pieces for my $$. That said he still owes me a piece, and I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll probably never receive it.

The frustration is - Greg's pieces are absolutely among the best available... they're THAT good -- and that in my (sporadic) contact with him he's always cordial and great to deal with. It's just that you never know if you'll get an answer to your call, message, or order.

I've moved on...

Sante · New Member Joined: 06 Aug 2018 Posts: 2

Sorry for the very late follow up LSOfanboy, I had asumed I'd get an email if there was a reply, but apparently not...

Anyway, to answer your question, it didn't need to be Greg Black - that was just who my son's trumpet teacher recommended, so I ordered it. Here I am over a year later, Greg still has my money, and I have no trumpet mouthpiece, and my son's braces come off in a few weeks. He's not been playing trumpet this year because he got so sick of his mouth getting cut up.

It's really frustrating. I see other people's posts talking about what a great guy Greg is, but from my end, all I see is someone who won't respond to my emails, doesn't answer the phone, and doesn't respond to facebook messages. I'm sure he's lovely, but he's still had my money for a year, and given no sign he ever intends to fill my order. At this stage I don't care whether he delivers the mouthpiece (I'm sure I can sell it locally and recoup the money) or just refunds my money, so long as one of those two things happens. But I'm in another country, with zero way of enforcing anything. The hazards of ordering on the internet I guess.