View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Flip Oakes Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2002 Posts: 532 Location: Oceanside, CA USA
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
deleted_user_687c31b New Member
Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry to hear that. It's never a good thing for businesses to have troubles beyond their control, but it's especially tough for music shops. Everyone'd want their favorites to stay afloat.
I hope your business is still going strong? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Bflatman Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Nov 2016 Posts: 720
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Do not expect any of these kind of businesses to survive.
It is quite possible that in 3 years time the only instrument manufacturers in the world still trading will be chinese.
This not due to coronavirus it is due solely to government incompetence. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Brassnose Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Mar 2016 Posts: 2095 Location: Germany
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
@Bflatman, while I tend to agree with your last sentence, I firmly believe that there will be companies making and repairing instruments in three years. Especially the smaller makers with only a few (i.e. below about 10) employees seem to be going reasonably strong over here: loads of repairs, new developments etc. seem to come up. My go-to shops, both very small, tell me that they are doing good. I assign this to the fact that keeping a distance in such a small shop is much easier than in (any) large(er) factory-type setting. But it will sure be interesting to see how many medium to larger size companies will need to adapt. _________________ 2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Klier, (Frate or Curry) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
James Becker Heavyweight Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2005 Posts: 2827 Location: Littleton, MA
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:54 am Post subject: |
|
|
Surprisingly, my work load has not lightened. Mind you, the great majority of retail and repair shops rely on school music programs. We do a fair amount but it’s not the lion’s share of our business. Having a back long of restoration work before the shelter in place order, I returned to a substantial amount of repairs, not to mention the seasonal wave during the summer months. It will be interesting going into the fall and winter as live music activities remain on hold.
Difficult times ahead for everyone in the performing arts. _________________ James Becker
Brass Repair Specialist Since 1977
Osmun Music Inc.
77 Powdermill Road Rt.62
Acton, MA 01720
www.osmun.com
Our workshop is as close as your nearest UPS store https://www.ups.com/dropoff?loc=en_US |
|
Back to top |
|
|
yourbrass Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 3655 Location: Pacifica, CA, USA
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
Interesting that the layoffs occurred on March 25 - that's not wasting any time waiting to see what happened, is it? We only locked down in CA on March 15.
I wonder if layoffs weren't in the works already. _________________ "Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Croquethed Heavyweight Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2013 Posts: 621 Location: Oakville, CT
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 10:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
March 25...depending on how much of their material came from China, could have been supply chain issues. Thereafter compounded by our own lockdowns. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
adagiotrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 915
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Bflatman wrote: | Do not expect any of these kind of businesses to survive.
It is quite possible that in 3 years time the only instrument manufacturers in the world still trading will be chinese.
This not due to coronavirus it is due solely to government incompetence. |
It's always the government's fault. This had nothing to do with buying up smaller companies producing quality instruments and then running them so far into the ground that when there is a temporary setback like the pandemic, they don't have the resources to ride it out. Oh yeah, it's the fault of the Chinese too.
I mean if it wasn't "due solely to government incompetence" (by the way would that be Local, State, and/or Federal?), I might still be able to buy new original Benge trumpets, King trumpets, Conn trumpets, etc. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
LittleRusty Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 12681 Location: Gardena, Ca
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Guys, in my opinion, this thread can provide some good discussion of these times as well as offering extemporaneous documentation of our current events.
I too have political opinions but I strongly recommend that existing political statements be self edited prior to the mods deciding to pull the thread.
Peace. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
khedger Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 754 Location: Cambridge, MA
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
After seeing what Conn-Selmer did to the Benge line of horns, I don't have too much sympathy for them. After playing Benge for decades, I unwittingly bought a Conn-Selmer Benge and it was a total piece of sh**. They totally ruined the horn.....
keith |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Liberty Lips Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 986
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I sincerely believe that the world came to an end in 2016, we're all dead, and this is hell. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
LittleRusty Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 12681 Location: Gardena, Ca
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
nevermind |
|
Back to top |
|
|
adagiotrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 915
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 8:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
khedger wrote: | After seeing what Conn-Selmer did to the Benge line of horns, I don't have too much sympathy for them. After playing Benge for decades, I unwittingly bought a Conn-Selmer Benge and it was a total piece of sh**. They totally ruined the horn.....
keith |
Sympathy should go out to the workers who got laid off. It would be interesting to know how many in management were also laid off.
And without suggesting any cause and effect, isn't this the same Selmer that moved Tedd Waggoner over from Bach to the clarinet division for something like 20 years, during which time Bach's quality and reputation suffered? Only when he was finally brought back, was Bach's quality and reputation restored. Gee, who could have perdicted this?
But (sarcasm alert) in reference to an earlier post, it's the government's fault. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
yourbrass Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 3655 Location: Pacifica, CA, USA
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
adagiotrumpet wrote: | khedger wrote: | After seeing what Conn-Selmer did to the Benge line of horns, I don't have too much sympathy for them. After playing Benge for decades, I unwittingly bought a Conn-Selmer Benge and it was a total piece of sh**. They totally ruined the horn.....
keith |
Sympathy should go out to the workers who got laid off. It would be interesting to know how many in management were also laid off.
And without suggesting any cause and effect, isn't this the same Selmer that moved Tedd Waggoner over from Bach to the clarinet division for something like 20 years, during which time Bach's quality and reputation suffered? Only when he was finally brought back, was Bach's quality and reputation restored. Gee, who could have perdicted this?
But (sarcasm alert) in reference to an earlier post, it's the government's fault. |
The workers always take it in the neck. Factories don't just lay people off w/o a reason, and the pandemic excuse may be a convenient one that covered for what was already planned. _________________ "Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
yourbrass Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 3655 Location: Pacifica, CA, USA
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
Also wanted to say that Conn-Selmer is not entirely to blame for what happened to Benge. King Musical Instruments and then UMI owned the brand and the Eastlake, OH factory for a long time before Conn-Selmer was formed. _________________ "Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
adagiotrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 915
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 12:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
yourbrass wrote: | Also wanted to say that Conn-Selmer is not entirely to blame for what happened to Benge. King Musical Instruments and then UMI owned the brand and the Eastlake, OH factory for a long time before Conn-Selmer was formed. |
Good to know the sequence of events and that the demise of Benge cannot be attributed entirely to Conn-Selmer directly. However, once Conn-Selmer was in control, could they have started making original Benges again had they wanted to? Or was it at that point that Zig Kanstul had already acquired the original tooling? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
LittleRusty Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 12681 Location: Gardena, Ca
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 12:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
People have attempted to resurrect brands, including Benge, and buyers often are not too appreciative. Plus why would one want to add dozens of failed brands to their own successful offerings? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
OldSchoolEuph Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Apr 2012 Posts: 2458
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
adagiotrumpet wrote: | yourbrass wrote: | Also wanted to say that Conn-Selmer is not entirely to blame for what happened to Benge. King Musical Instruments and then UMI owned the brand and the Eastlake, OH factory for a long time before Conn-Selmer was formed. |
Good to know the sequence of events and that the demise of Benge cannot be attributed entirely to Conn-Selmer directly. However, once Conn-Selmer was in control, could they have started making original Benges again had they wanted to? Or was it at that point that Zig Kanstul had already acquired the original tooling? |
It is a mixed bag. By the time Conn-Selmer came into existence, Zig had owned the old Benge plant and most of the tooling for a long time. There had been "new Benge" tooling at Eastlake, but I dont know if it was still around by then. The Eastlake plant is not huge, and it has always been fully utilized. I don't think they had space for a lot of archiving.
(Plus, it was "new Benge" tooling and I think the emotional desire is for older) Let's keep our fingers crossed that the new new Benge out in KC will be everything that the historic materials and compilations of several masters' lifes' work going into it offer the potential of.) _________________ Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com
2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
plankowner110 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 3623
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Conn-Selmer, Inc.
Do they have a professional Conn trumpet today? No
Do they have a professional Selmer trumpet today? No
C'est la vie! _________________ C. G. Conn 60B Super Connstellation
Getzen 800S Eterna cornet
Bach 5C (Jens Lindemann is right)
https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26763 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
adagiotrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 915
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
LittleRusty wrote: | People have attempted to resurrect brands, including Benge, and buyers often are not too appreciative. Plus why would one want to add dozens of failed brands to their own successful offerings? |
1) BAC seems to think resurrecting at least two Benges has promise, and after playing them at NAMM, I would have to agree.
2) Other than Bach, which is definitely successful and justifiably so, what are their other successful offerings in regards to trumpets? And forget about dozens, I would settle for King and/or Conn.
Last edited by adagiotrumpet on Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|