(I post this under .general, as it's not neither clarinet-specific nor repair-specific. Moderators feel free to move this to the .rant section)
Anyone else who feels humiliated by sales people, for not having a $9000+ instrument? This saturday it was about the third time in a row I got scolded for buying a student-class instrument (which I overhauled and that plays fine, btw).
I was about to inquire about a one-piece case for a Bundy Bass. (I bought a bell with a spike (my Artley didn't have a pegged bell) and it came with a clarinet attached, but sans the case around it).
The clarinet case salesperson did the Spock eyebrow thing and asked "uh, er, is it one of those Vee-toe clarinets?" (emphasis and approx pronounciation by me) and I sez "actually, it's a Selm..." - "Oh!" (and his face reddened) "...one of those plastic instruments! You should know that they have nothing, nothing, I repeat nothing! in common with Selmer!" (not that I didn't know) "Sorry Sir, no, we don't have cases for those. Good afternoon."
The time before was when I needed a pivot screw for a Mazzeo Bundy, different shop, same reaction. Even before it was about a broken trill key for an Amati - near same reaction.
Meanwhile I found a repair person who just - repairs. Doesn't sell. Just fixes, solders, bends and pampers. I think I'll stay clear of shops that don't actually sell one of the model's I'm having an issue with.
I can understand that a technician or a sales person won't marry you just because you bring in an instrument they wouldn't touch with a conductor's baton, but is it really necessary to let the customer know what a closefisted cheap a* he is?
Hrmph. End of rant.
Anyone else who feels humiliated by sales people, for not having a $9000+ instrument? This saturday it was about the third time in a row I got scolded for buying a student-class instrument (which I overhauled and that plays fine, btw).
I was about to inquire about a one-piece case for a Bundy Bass. (I bought a bell with a spike (my Artley didn't have a pegged bell) and it came with a clarinet attached, but sans the case around it).
The clarinet case salesperson did the Spock eyebrow thing and asked "uh, er, is it one of those Vee-toe clarinets?" (emphasis and approx pronounciation by me) and I sez "actually, it's a Selm..." - "Oh!" (and his face reddened) "...one of those plastic instruments! You should know that they have nothing, nothing, I repeat nothing! in common with Selmer!" (not that I didn't know) "Sorry Sir, no, we don't have cases for those. Good afternoon."
The time before was when I needed a pivot screw for a Mazzeo Bundy, different shop, same reaction. Even before it was about a broken trill key for an Amati - near same reaction.
Meanwhile I found a repair person who just - repairs. Doesn't sell. Just fixes, solders, bends and pampers. I think I'll stay clear of shops that don't actually sell one of the model's I'm having an issue with.
I can understand that a technician or a sales person won't marry you just because you bring in an instrument they wouldn't touch with a conductor's baton, but is it really necessary to let the customer know what a closefisted cheap a* he is?
Hrmph. End of rant.