"To each his own" is always trump, of course.
I think the interesting issue beyond that is something like how much and what kind of value a US distributor can add to a horn manufactured in Asia.
In Business 101 terms, this question would be analyzed using the four different forms of "utility": time utility, place utility, ownership or possession utility, and form utility.
Ironically, it seems that some brands could lose out in the time and place utility derby precisely because they sell through retailers which, in many cases, can't or won't keep them in stock.
Also ironically, whereas brands like CB and PM have to work very hard to prove that their products confer real form utility--eg resonance stones--because they cost more, the CE Woodwinds type operation can just sit back and capitalize on that hard work. Check out CE Woodwinds' rhetoric: "by all means buy a Selmer or a PM," he says, "if you can afford one, but if you can't we're almost as good." As this thread seems to prove, the form utility argument is hard to win, once you make your customers aware of the conditions of production in Taiwan, which you need to do.
With respect to form, the big edge Barone has right now, IMHO, is the provision of a top notch mouthpiece. The neck thing, IMHO, is hype. Interestingly, Barone's erstwhile partner and current big competitor--Macsax--has struck a deal with Theo Wanne. It's not hard to see where this is coming from, but I'm not sure if folks who are looking for a $1400 sax are really going to be after a $700 mouthpiece?
That leaves possession utility and that's a marketing crapshoot: do you get more satisfaction from owning a more expensive PM horn, one with some high profile endorsers, or does "Baronership" float your boat. Perhaps most curiously, CE Woodwinds seems to use religious affiliation as a marketing tool.
Yadayadayada....
In my case, using the same analysis, the Martin wins hands down, except for some nagging doubts I have about the keywork. But that's another story...
Rory
ps: I'm not sure if this angle has been beaten to death, but one consideration that has been keeping my GAS at bay viz a Houli horn is the environmental footprint. My inner tree hugger keeps reminding me that buying a refurbished vintage horn doesn't harm the mother, whereas buying anything from Asia feeds the Leviathan.
I think the interesting issue beyond that is something like how much and what kind of value a US distributor can add to a horn manufactured in Asia.
In Business 101 terms, this question would be analyzed using the four different forms of "utility": time utility, place utility, ownership or possession utility, and form utility.
Ironically, it seems that some brands could lose out in the time and place utility derby precisely because they sell through retailers which, in many cases, can't or won't keep them in stock.
Also ironically, whereas brands like CB and PM have to work very hard to prove that their products confer real form utility--eg resonance stones--because they cost more, the CE Woodwinds type operation can just sit back and capitalize on that hard work. Check out CE Woodwinds' rhetoric: "by all means buy a Selmer or a PM," he says, "if you can afford one, but if you can't we're almost as good." As this thread seems to prove, the form utility argument is hard to win, once you make your customers aware of the conditions of production in Taiwan, which you need to do.
With respect to form, the big edge Barone has right now, IMHO, is the provision of a top notch mouthpiece. The neck thing, IMHO, is hype. Interestingly, Barone's erstwhile partner and current big competitor--Macsax--has struck a deal with Theo Wanne. It's not hard to see where this is coming from, but I'm not sure if folks who are looking for a $1400 sax are really going to be after a $700 mouthpiece?
That leaves possession utility and that's a marketing crapshoot: do you get more satisfaction from owning a more expensive PM horn, one with some high profile endorsers, or does "Baronership" float your boat. Perhaps most curiously, CE Woodwinds seems to use religious affiliation as a marketing tool.
Yadayadayada....
In my case, using the same analysis, the Martin wins hands down, except for some nagging doubts I have about the keywork. But that's another story...
Rory
ps: I'm not sure if this angle has been beaten to death, but one consideration that has been keeping my GAS at bay viz a Houli horn is the environmental footprint. My inner tree hugger keeps reminding me that buying a refurbished vintage horn doesn't harm the mother, whereas buying anything from Asia feeds the Leviathan.
