TubeNet

Just had a horn turn 3 years in the shop.

Admittedly, when I brought it in I told them to take their time as it needed major repairs. I just didn't think they would take me quite so literally. They are a good shop that has always quickly turned around a horn I really needed.

Sure glad this one is not one of my primary axes!

Anybody had a longer turnaround period?

...

bloke wrote:

Most everyone (I'd think) ends up having a slot somewhere or another...

LOL

Having recieved a good TubeNet lashing about 3+ years ago for over extending myself, I've learned not to make promises. If this isn't about the Custom built tuba I owe Joe, then there is someone else out there who made too many promises many years ago. We all get over extended and mine had me in the hospital for 10 days from working like a dog when I had pneumonia. I'm getting better at saying "no", thanks to this group.

My goal is to keep up with the profitable small and medium jobs while chipping away at the back log. After all, it doesn't make sense to pay down one credit card while maxing out another. Almost done!!

That's the other side for what it's worth.

TubaView, I'm not certain, but I believe you are guilty of exceding how much you are allowed to contribute in one "reply." I believe two cents is the maximum one is allowed to contribute on this board(or whatever the heck this is). We may have to have a ruling from Sean as to whether or not it is permissible to contribute your THREE cents.

[quote="Tom"]I've got some questions for you before I draw any conclusions...

You just let them have it for 3 years?

You didn't ever call and encourage them to get on it?

What exactly did you ask for?

Is this one of those "a friend said he'd build me an amazing tuba in his spare time that would cost me almost nothing because he owns a shop and can do it for "free." kind of deals?

And, I'm curious...what did you get that was worth waiting 3 years to have repaired?

FWIW, the longest I've ever had the horn in the shop has been overnight. I always call and make an appointment and give them a detailed outline of what I want done. I always take the horn in when they "have a slot" and get it back when they promised...all because I had an appointment. That said, I've never had any major work done (overhauls, etc.) so I've never had to leave them for a long time.[/quote]


Horn is a turn of the century Helicon that came out of a barn. Horn literally had no dents and on first blush just had a heavy coat of tarnish, but a very bad smell to it. I bought it so cheap I didn't even bother to try it, made an appointment with the shop and dropped it off to them 2 days later. They were to dip it and put it into playing order with instructions to call me if there were any major repairs needed pass a certain dollar amount. I literally got a call 2 hours later from a frantic shop. They dipped it and out came tons of horse flys/maggots and the remains of several dead rats. They had to completely dump the dip tank and open all the windows and flee the premises the stink was so bad.

The effect of the decayed rats on the inside was so bad that they had to decide if it was better to patch it or replace the metal completely. We decided to go the route of the latter and they had lined up a donor horn that in the end didn't quite match up. They also needed to fabricated a new neck.

I actually forgot about the horn for a year or so and then went up there after calling them and finding out nothing had happened because I thought that maybe they had actually lost it. I have stayed in occasional contact with them, but I've been in and out of the country and really have not been in a big hurry to get it back and thus have not really pushed them. I know a couple of local Chicago pros that have had similar waits for not needed now horns. It is a big shop and they really do quality work. I'm sure if I pushed them the horn would get done quickly.