Getzen ("Allied Supply") only stocks the brace in raw brass, and claims a 6-weeks backlog for "buffing" for silver plating.
(wtf...?? How could ANYONE buff something this small/delicate without tearing it up...??)
Whatever...I bought it in raw brass, and (due to the high costs of mailing and ASP's handling charge) we went ahead a prepared a couple of never-plated sets of nickel silver clarinet keys (a beautiful-condition Buffet R-13, and a very nice vintage Noblet) for silver and nickel plating, respectively.
...so If you are interested in a professional quality (Buffet) B-flat clarinet, or a nice quality (Noblet) B-flat clarinet, here's your invitation to reach out.
The Getzen gent seems a little antsy, and has called a few times. (I've been "on" this since Day 1, and the clarinet keys thing was to avoid having to charge HIS butt off for plating his rinky-dink part. I'm thinking he's some sort of yankee.
They're somethin' else, aren't they...?? ...and - though they need US to do stuff for them - because they can't - they assume an attitude of superiority. bloke's motto: "Hey...I didn't break it; YOU did.") Anyway, everything arrived back today, so I'll NOT do what I had INTENDED on doing, and go ahead and get this guy done, so no more neurotic-sounding phone calls.
old life:
Sadly, Bella had to be put to rest, today (age 18). Out of all of the cats that we've had, most of them died natural deaths without too much suffering. When we've had to put them down (which requires a time/date/place decision on another being's life), it's been hard on us. This picture is from four years ago. We lost her sister two years ago, at age 16.
new life:
We picked up some female Rhode Island Red baby chicks (egg-layers), today...a dozen. Our other egg-layers are doing fairly well, but aging out.
