Warburton MP's and Horns - Buyer Beware

2LIP · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:52 pm Post subject:

I played Warburtons from 1993-2003, and end of last year I wanted to make some changes. I went right back to Warburton to get some advice and new tops/backbores. The story is long, but the bottom line is their customer service STINKS! I no longer play their MP's, and I hear they are coming out with a new trumpet. Based on my experiences, I would not send Terry and team another dollar. If you want details, contact me offline.

The LIP

BADBOY-DON · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:56 pm Post subject:

sorry to hear that, bud??? After all...one is truly only as good as their last gig?

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

Sorry to hear of your problems with Warburton. FWIW, I spent an entire afternoon at the Warburton shop in Florida just this past Friday. I found them to be a great bunch of people, knowledgeable, helpful, and a pleasure to hang with. I also played around with their Warburton trumpet prototype (serial #001) for about an hour or so. A very nice horn, by the way, that played great and was clearly designed to be a class act. But of course this is all just my experience.
Larry

smithwatkinsguy · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 3:14 pm Post subject:

Is that Warburton trumpet geared more towards jazzers or just an all around horn? It definitely doesn't seem to me like it would be a *legit* horn...but I could be wrong. Also, how did it play in comparison to the other horns you've tried? And who does he get his valves from or does he make all the parts himself? One last question - is it just me or does that horn look an awful lot like a Yammie lightweight? (not Xeno or Mark II)
_________________
Aaron G.
Bach Strad Bb 37G bell/Stork 1
Bach Strad C 229G bell, 25H pipe/Stork 1
Rhode Island All-State Orchestra
The Hartt School of Music

cujazztrpt · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 4:56 pm Post subject:

The last time I personally spoke to Terry and Ken was about 3 years ago in his shop. I saw the some copper bells and some valve clusters and he told that those parts are for the Warburton trumpet that they are planning for the future. From what I remember that the valves are made in Brazil, and that his horns will be based on Bach 37's,,,Ken is not really a big Z horn fan. As far as my experience with Terry and Ken is theyre really there to help someone out finding the right MPC , their customer service is great though I don't play on a Warburton, I went there for some custom work. They even gave me a free t-shirt!
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dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

[ This Message was edited by: dbacon on 2003-09-25 11:41 ]

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 5:19 am Post subject:

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with Warburton. I've talked with Terry on the phone a couple times and he was the nicest fellow, maybe they were all having a bad day or something?
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J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

Sorry to hear about your experience. I have dealt with them on several occasions and my experiences have been exactly the opposite. I have ordered custom pieces by phone and e-mail and the service was always very prompt and professional.
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Best Regards, Play Well!!

ScottA · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 9:38 am Post subject:

I have also had nothing but great service from Terry, Ken and Bruce. Always top notch.

Scott

Oxfordite · Veteran Member Joined: 16 Nov 2001 Posts: 180

Not that any of it is my business, but having worked with people for a long time, it's been my experience that there are just some really bad days. I can take just about anything off of anyone now, and I also can be the nicest person to assist you. But everyone once in a great while some poor customer will catch me right after a really bad customer and when I am in a really bad mood already and then they will be just a slight bit questionable and BAM! I generally appologize for any rudeness. Don't know that that's what happened but you never know.

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

Not all customer's are right either.

B. Scriver · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 4:43 am Post subject:

I am just wondering if your latest exchange with warburton was via e-mail. I must answer 30 or 40 e-mails a day through my work at GR and sometimes I have to keep my replys short. I am not the fastest typist on the planet!
At times these e-mails may be taken in a different light than what was originally intended. Phone conversations or working face to face is always better than e-mail as true intentions are much more easily conveyed.

B. Scriver
http://www.brianscriver.com

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

Good point, Brian. While I was visiting the Warburton shop last week Terry was lamenting the fact that he gets between 150-200 spam emails per day that he has to wade through and delete. They just clutter up the legit emails that need his attention. While I was there he was experimenting with some sort of spam filter. The guys energy level blew me away. He was involved in about 6 things at once, from cranky machinery being affected by an electrical storm rageing outside, answering phone calls, working at the computer, occasionally giving any one of his 3 or 4 dog supervisors attention, assisting me, and greeting other drop-in visitors. Just another average day at the Warburton mouthpiece shop.
Larry

[ This Message was edited by: Larry Smithee on 2003-08-13 08:37 ]

bophead · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 8:29 am Post subject:

I have played Warburton mouthpieces for several years, my first was a flugel horn piece that I bought maybe 10 years ago. I have bought over the past year a number of tops and backbores. Both Terry Warburton and Bruce Gordon have been extremely helpful through those experiences. I've found the entire Warburton staff to be not only helpful and forthright but truley concerned for the customer.
_________________
Earl
CG Benge

2LIP · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 8:54 am Post subject:

DBacon:

You are correct. Not all customers are right. I deal with that everyday in business, but it is your job to communicate, coordinate, have integrity and do what you say you will do in a timely manner. Here are some highlights of my experience.
* Local Dealer - Didn't have the things I wanted to try. I don't think he is continuing his relationship with Warburton (1st bad sign)
* Contacted Warburton on line and via phone.
* Got 1st shipment of MP's and none were what I wanted. (KT top, KT backbore, and 4FL - needed french taper)
* Returned those and got 2nd shipment (late, because they were not shipped as promised). Flugel MP was good, the 4M top was fine, but the backbore didn't work well for me because of the gap difference from what I was using (Blackhills backbore).
* Also, the 7* backbore that I received was used. It had wear marks on it from another horn. I paid full retail and expected it to be new!
* I need to be fair here. He sent me an extra backbore as a "gift" which was nice, but it didn't really work for me.
* When I called and spoke with Bruce the second time, ON THE PHONE, I felt that I was treated like this was a pain in the a$$ for him and he really didn't want to take back the 1st shipment, which he had agreed to before the transaction. I may have caught him on a bad day and that is understandable.
* I sent Terry Warburton an e mail and asked him to contact me a few weeks later. This was end of January or early February, and I still have not heard from him.

This is the bottom line to me:
Communication is critical and I don't feel that I was communciated with properly, or treated professionally. I don't care if Terry gets 1000 spam e mails a day. He needs to find a way to weed through them and respond to his loyal customers, which I was. I also get 100's of emails per day. My customers still need to feel like they get the level of service that they expect and I do what I promise and deliver on time and on budget. If there is an issue which there almost always are, then communicate that via phone or e mail. That didn't happen!

Some of the responses to my original post have missed my point. My point is not about the quality of their MP's, it is about their customer service and ability to meet customer expectations.

My expectations were not met, and I am not a satisfied customer. I let them know and they didn't respond. They have lost a customer. Buyer beware!

The LIP

[ This Message was edited by: 2LIP on 2003-08-13 11:59 ]

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

[quote]
On 2003-08-13 11:54, 2LIP wrote:
DBacon:

*Some of the responses to my original post have missed my point.*

That could be, but most of us are simply saying that our experiences with the Warburton brothers has been greatly differenent.

*Buyer beware!*

Unerstood, and that's always good advice.

Larry

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

All stories have two sides. I had a dispute with Dillon Music a year ago, and as I look back on it we were both wrong. I've done business with them since and have been very pleased.

I've done business with Terry since the 80's. Any problems were always worked out.

Can't say the same for some other mouthpiece makers.