Re: Chinese Junk!

Posted by docmirror on February 16, 2017 at 11:35:28 from (107.213.165.255):

In Reply to: Chinese Junk! posted by Rusty6 on February 15, 2017 at 10:28:30:

Is anyone else a musician, or knows about instruments? I am a veteran instrument repairman. I've worked on brass, and wood instruments for decades. Mostly as a hobby, because I like finely tooled things.

Like most other consumer products, instruments have migrated from being produced mainly in Indiana, IL, NY, and other new England places to locations with cheaper labor and materials.

There's a range of stuff out there that I will work on, but a lot of stuff that comes to me I have to send back out unrepaired. Mostly because it's unrepairable, and the customer will blame me when it doesn't play right. Mostly woodwinds, but plenty of other instruments as well.

Back in the late 60s, one of the biggest builders in the world, Conn musical instrument company set up production in Nogales Mexico. The specs were the same, the materials were supposed to be the same, and the workmanship was supposed to be the same. They started moving the sax, trumpet, trombone, and french horn production to Mexico. There were instant problems. Shoddy rod fitting in to the cup, poor location and setup of the springs, lousy mother of pearl keywork, etc. The horns are now known in the industry as "MexiConns" and no one wants them.

The same happened to the others when they moved mfg to China. I can take one look at a sax or trumpet, and tell you if it's from China in a matter of seconds. Because - that's all it will last, is a matter of seconds. I've repaired badly damaged saxes from the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s from Martin, Conn, Buscher, etc and bring them back to life. Trying to fix a Chinese horn is a waste of time and money.

It's very sad to tell a parent that they bought a POS for their kid to try to learn on. They always ask me what to do, and I have to tell them to spend 3 times what this new sax cost, and find one from 1960 or so. Bring it to me, spend another $300-1100 and then it will be ready for them to play. But - in another 20 years, it will be even more valuable.

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