Curry mp I cannot find info about

PaoloOneArm

Hi everyone
I'd like to purchase from a a friend a mine a Curry mouthpiece, but I cannot find any info about it.
On the mp, I can read "RENO NV" (NV is Nevada, as you perfectly know)
Than, I can read "L" and a smaller "3"

I'd like to add a photo but I don't know how to do it.
From the photos I have, Iìm quite sure it is Lead mp, but I'd like to have a Bach comparison...3E, 3F or what?

Can you help me?
Thanx!
Paolo - Italy
_________________
Bach72* customized (Amado, rings, golden part)
Getzen Eterna 900 (dated 1977)
Couesnon flugehorn (around 1940)
Olds Ambassador cornet (dated 1954)

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

Does Mark Curry not respond to questions? I know he commented here years ago but abruptly stopped.

Kent

trickg · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 6:34 am Post subject:

Richard III · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:15 am Post subject:

He's very busy. That's all. I just had him make a custom mouthpiece recently. It took him 2-3 weeks to answer the order saying he had made the mouthpiece. I paid. He shipped. His only response was that he had made the mouthpiece and was ready to ship when I paid him. He's aware of email questions coming in, but doesn't have the time to respond.

On another note. He also doesn't respond to questions from stores and other suppliers. They send him an order and receive their mouthpieces about a month later.

Imagine you are the guy in a one man operation. How often do you warm up the equipment? You are probably flooded with hundreds of emails. Pretty amazing that he can do what he does.
_________________
Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

Ed Kennedy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 3187

Chances are that it is a custom made piece. If it works for you, why worry about it?

PaoloOneArm · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:45 am Post subject:

Thanx a lot my Friends.
This is exactly what happened. I wrote to Mark a couple of data ago. No answers. It is very unusual. Customer Service is actually the key point for a Company. Help can hire somebody to help him if help has so much work to do. Kanstul, Schilke, Adams, Monette answers me, both technical and commercial answers.

Ok, i wait. And I Hope someone Can help me.
Thanx again Mu Friends
_________________
Bach72* customized (Amado, rings, golden part)
Getzen Eterna 900 (dated 1977)
Couesnon flugehorn (around 1940)
Olds Ambassador cornet (dated 1954)

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:06 am Post subject:

trickg · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:18 pm Post subject:

Turkle · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:22 pm Post subject:

trumpethead · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:31 pm Post subject:

[/quote]
If that's the case, you'd think he'd hire someone to help - even a HS kid to do basic stuff for minimum wage.[/quote]

Yes. Completely agree.

It would be in Mark's advantage to get help, as customer service should be a priority.

Richard III · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:05 pm Post subject:

Custom mouthpiece from Curry was $86. Custom mouthpiece from another manufacturer that I talked to was $250. Those were the extremes. Another maker it was $150. From Curry I got exactly what I wanted for much less money. And the rim matched all my other mouthpieces. I think Curry is great.
_________________
Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:09 pm Post subject:

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:12 pm Post subject:

trumpethead · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:13 pm Post subject:

I was making a blanket statement regarding customer service, NOT the case you've cited.

My opinion still apologetically stands as without happy customers, you've got NO business.

(BTW, I think Mark is great and his products exceptional.)

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:16 pm Post subject:

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:17 pm Post subject:

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:28 pm Post subject:

I've read every word here. I honestly see no value to adding a minimum wage person with limited knowledge in a business like Mark's. If he adds someone, it should be someone who knows the product well enough that they can address questions without having to pull Mark away from work to do so.

If you call Monette (as I recently did), BJ answers the phone. In the past, Tom Raney or Jason have answered phones, and addressed questions. All have been and are Monette clients and players. All the guys that work at Monette (with few exceptions) are Monette players and musicians. They speak in the terminology and vocabulary of Monette, and that level of expertise makes the client (as Monette calls his customer base) more comfortable and well-informed on a potential purchase. I've always understood that kind of service at Monette is part of why his equipment is priced at a premium. If you call Schilke, for a long time it was Phil Baughman who answered those questions. If you call other custom makers, the fewer are the number of people in the inner realm, and therefore the guy behind the vision spends more and more time on the phone with clients. The trade-off of time to design and make vs. talking on the phone with clients costs money, drives up the cost of the product, and adds value to the purchase.

In the case of Mark, he fills all of those spots. If he hires outside folks to do the calls, to answer questions, they have to know the product, the line available, and to know when to turn the client over to Mark because the questions asked are above their "pay grade". That takes someone with more than just, "I'll take your number and have Mark call you." It takes someone with a working knowledge of the products, how it is made, and the potential alterations of that product. It takes a Mark Curry. It takes a David Monette. It takes help like BJ Cord, or Phil Baughman.

Not a $7.25 an hour kid off the streets.

AL
_________________
Dr. Albert L. Lilly, III DM
Artist/Clinician for Vincent Bach Trumpets (Conn-Selmer)
Principal Trumpet, Hendricks Symphony (Avon, IN)
Arranger/Composer; Lilly Music

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:34 pm Post subject:

Let me add one other things: I mean none of this as a negative toward anyone here, Mark, or any other maker. I am interested in the perceptions of the board, even if I disagree with your ideas, they are important to me because that's how we all learn to appreciate differing viewpoints.

Please do not take my posts as attacking anyone negatively. If they come off that way, I sincerely apologize and hope this statement clarifies my "tone".

AL
_________________
Dr. Albert L. Lilly, III DM
Artist/Clinician for Vincent Bach Trumpets (Conn-Selmer)
Principal Trumpet, Hendricks Symphony (Avon, IN)
Arranger/Composer; Lilly Music

trumpethead · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:34 pm Post subject:

[quote -And a minimum wage hire is going to be able to do what to alleviate any of the issues cited? (Asking sincerely, since I do not see the advantage of a hire without significant knowledge in the field.)[/quote]

Absolutely!

As someone who's been in business for a long time, it's extremely important that potential/customers feel valued and heard, otherwise they WILL move on.

Even someone who responds to Emails/phone calls expressing that Mark is unable to answer their enquiries would go a long way.

Also, they could field responses from Mark and convey the message.

Keeping customers in the 'loop' is CRUCIAL to success.

dr_trumpet · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:37 pm Post subject: