...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
Forum rules
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
Post Reply
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

Hey...You know that older car that you have - that still runs great...??

Image

You need to sign this contract, so that you will pay us - over two years - what someone would pay you for that good-running car, in order to rent-to-purchase THIS bottom-of-the-line trumpet, from us...

Image

...so hurry and sign these papers, so ya'll can get started with your band class on Monday.


X COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, EVERY SINGLE YEAR... :bugeyes:


User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4613
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 818 times
Been thanked: 505 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by Three Valves »

Early Halloween sighting of the dreaded Yama-Yama Man?? :smilie2:
These users thanked the author Three Valves for the post:
bloke (Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:43 pm)
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
User avatar
greenbean
Damn good stuff
Posts: 445
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 11:19 pm
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 102 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by greenbean »

Someone needs a hobby...
These users thanked the author greenbean for the post:
iHeartLowBrass (Sat Sep 04, 2021 3:12 am)

Tom Rice
www.superfinecases.com
Currently playing...
1973 Mirafone 184 BBb
1972 Böhm & Meinl Marzan BBb
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

Locals are being handed contracts to rent-purchase beginner trumpets for a total of $1700 over two years. 🙄

Even if it’s the Yama-Yama Man, don’t those only cost music stores about 500 bucks…??

(I sell shiny/used ones for $450 - because of the clamor for the name), shiny/used Bach/King/etc, for $350, and Jupiter for c. $300.

Can people not do the math? I quote these prices over the phone and they say, “oh… I don’t want to buy; I just want to rent.” 🤪
User avatar
LeMark
Site Admin
Posts: 2838
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:03 am
Location: Arlington TX
Has thanked: 77 times
Been thanked: 821 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by LeMark »

Around here, band directors are strong armed to stay quiet about the rental racket. I couldn't do it
These users thanked the author LeMark for the post:
bloke (Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:45 pm)
Yep, I'm Mark
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

That’s a nice word for it.
LeMark wrote: Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:44 pm Around here, band directors are strong armed to stay quiet about the rental racket. I couldn't do it
tubaing
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 4:15 pm
Location: Dunkirk, MD
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 46 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by tubaing »

My band director job would be easier and perhaps by some metrics, more successful if I didnt care about other people wasting their money. Don't get me started on fundraisers.
These users thanked the author tubaing for the post:
bloke (Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:01 pm)
Worth
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 6:26 pm
Location: Tampa, FL
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 48 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by Worth »

I'm obviously not involved in music education, but with how connected people are these days, I am surprised this is still a thing. It shows how uninformed non-musical families and those who are barely getting by are getting the shaft. For many small local music stores I would think this is probably a big source of survival, albeit an opportunistic, outdated model I would hope they feel ashamed about. This whole thing smacks of rent-to-own stores who prey on those who can't make it paycheck to paycheck. The word that comes to mind is parasitic.
These users thanked the author Worth for the post:
bloke (Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:53 am)
2014 Wisemann 900
2013 Miraphone 188
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

…”looto” tics and payday loan joints come to mind.
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4613
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 818 times
Been thanked: 505 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by Three Valves »

It was figured out, a long time ago, that the money is in financing whatever it is you are schlepping, not what one is schlepping.

:coffee:
These users thanked the author Three Valves for the post:
bloke (Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:19 am)
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

Yeah…
Even if I found “treating people in that manner” to be attractive, such a large percentage of people (who fall for that stuff) have to be reminded to pay each month and/or default on their payments and/or tear up the merchandise (after only a few payments have been made, and they stop paying) it’s just not something I would ever want to get into. It’s tend to group the “financing” industry in with pawn shops and titty bars.
Three Valves wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:14 am It was figured out, a long time ago, that the money is in financing whatever it is you are schlepping, not what one is schlepping.

:coffee:
User avatar
iiipopes
Posts: 1059
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:26 pm
Has thanked: 138 times
Been thanked: 189 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by iiipopes »

Three Valves wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:14 am It was figured out, a long time ago, that the money is in financing whatever it is you are schlepping, not what one is schlepping.

:coffee:
Truth.
Jupiter JTU1110 - K&G 3F
"Real" Conn 36K - JK 4B Classic
User avatar
bort2.0
Posts: 5257
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 1000 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bort2.0 »

One problem is, folks without a lot of money are far more willing to spend $30 month (or whatever) than $400 up front... Because they can find $30 now to get started, but can't find $400 so easily.

Side note -- BoJu loves to walk over to my Conn 20J (laying on the floor) and start honking around on it, at random. He's actually pretty good at it, and pops out some.solid Fs and almost a low Bb from time.to time. So... Maybe I already own his first tuba? (He's 6 years old. Big guy. Will still be a few years until he can lift the 20J. Maybe I should get it set up on the Hercules stand I have stored in the garage?). Or, once the Conn Eb is stabilized, get him started with that? It's a much better size and is surely "good enough" to fill the "is a tuba" requirement of learning to play the tuba.
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

bort2.0 wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:34 pm One problem is, folks without a lot of money are far more willing to spend $30 month (or whatever) than $400 up front... Because they can find $30 now to get started, but can't find $400 so easily.
I completely get that, but it’s more like $70/mo. (TWO YEARS) vs. $400 cash.

It totally reminds me of people rolling over and playing dead because someone uses the phraseology “The Science” when laying a spiel on them.
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4613
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 818 times
Been thanked: 505 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by Three Valves »

bort2.0 wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:34 pm One problem is, folks without a lot of money are far more willing to spend $30 month (or whatever) than $400 up front... Because they can find $30 now to get started, but can't find $400 so easily.
That’s why there is good term money management/liquidity debt vs. allowing yourself to be screwed debt.

Not all debt is equal or equally bad.
These users thanked the author Three Valves for the post:
bloke (Sat Sep 04, 2021 5:06 pm)
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19369
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3858 times
Been thanked: 4118 times

Re: ...so the local gov't employee stands next to the music store salesman who basically says...

Post by bloke »

Most any thing - that is deemed too expensive to buy for cash right now, which is only a “nice to have“ – is “bad debt“…at least, in my view.

…and (though they are nice to have) I include “floaters” and “honkers” in that category.
These users thanked the author bloke for the post:
Three Valves (Sat Sep 04, 2021 5:51 pm)
Post Reply