Dolly Bags??????

[USStuba04]

Seriously.

I have been trying to get ahold of them for about 2 years. Yes. 2. Years. !

Anyone know what's up. I have left messages and emails and tried to contact them thru eBay.

Anyone know what's going on?

Also, what was the name of that tuba mouthpiece pouch they had on eBay? Where can I get one of those?

Thanks!

[jamsav]

hmmm, I ordered up via ebay- using the buy it now facility and they were slow to respond and ship- follow up emails were ultimately answered and the items shipped. Both mouthpiece pouches were as described , a single and a triple carrying case. I forget what they call them, but by way of explanation " Dolly" was away and a son ( if my memory serves me ) was handling the ebay portion of the biz in her abscence....

[peter birch]

It was called something like "the tuba butler". I have one in black leather that is well made and quite cool and has stood up to a few years of use. Good luck in finding one.

[Dean E]

I have been trying to get ahold of them for about 2 years. Yes. 2. Years. !

Anyone know what's up. I have left messages and emails and tried to contact them thru eBay.

Anyone know what's going on? . . . .

A few years ago, I bought a mouthpiece pouch via ebay and it was promptly delivered. I believe that Dolly's employees cut, assemble, and ship the mouthpiece pouches. Dollybags was NARUed (Not a Registered User) on the auction site, but her son Steve Wiseman provided his own data in order to resume sales.

Steve Wiseman (a pro trumpeter in the New York City area-he can be Googled) e-mailed me that Dolly would also accept my tuba Dollybag and replace the broken zipper. I mailed the tuba bag to her, but I received no responses to my e-mails whatsoever for a couple of years. Steve did send me one e-mail saying that Dolly sets her own schedule. I have offered to pay whatever the bill for the repair and shipping. Also, I've offered to pay the bill for shipping just to get my tuba bag back without a zipper replacement.

I have sent a few first class letters, certified mail, and did reach Dolly by phone once. She acknowledged getting the bag for a zipper replacement, and was apologetic on the phone for taking so long. But there has been absolutely no follow up. They will not call or write me, and Mr. Wiseman does not answer e-mails. I cannot get my bag returned, and assume that my bag was sold to someone else.

Dolly is elderly, but Mr. Wiseman has no excuse. Anyone intending to do business with Dolly or her son would be taking a risk.

I have the phone number, e-mail, and New Jersey mailing address. Dolly moved away from Indianapolis. Send me a PM.

[Frank Ortega]

I have had a very similar experience with Dolly Bags.

I called for several years trying to get a gig bag fixed to no avail. Eventually, I sold the gig bag with the horn it was made for, apologizing for it's condition.

On the other hand, I've bought several gig bags from Glenn Crokhite and always had great service as far as repairs and replacements go.

I will never buy a Dolly product again for this reason.

Frank Ortega

[Tom]

When I purchased my F tuba several years back, I set about looking for a Dolly Bag for it. I had seen them and was especially impressed with plastic liner. I initially set about to order a new one, and was prepared to wait for it due to comments here about how slowly they operate. When weeks went by without any response from them or (at that time) Indiana Music (I think), I gave up and posted in the For Sale section that I wanted to buy a used one.

Within a week, I found one and had it shipped to my door. It is a nice bag and I'm glad to have it.

After a few years of constant use by me of this already used gig bag, the zipper needed to be replaced. Recalling my experience trying to purchase one, I didn't even bother going to them for repair, and instead took it to a shoe and luggage repair shop. The repair was quick, reasonably priced, and the bag was never more than couple of miles away from me.

When the brass butler mouthpiece pouches first came out on ebay a few years ago, I purchased one. I did want the product, but also wanted to test the seller claiming to be "Dolly Bags." I figured that it was $25 or so and that by purchasing through ebay and using paypal that I had some recourse if the transaction went bad. There were no issues with this transaction, and I had the product in hand within a week or so.

It is unfortunate that her business afairs are handled so poorly because the product is pretty nice. It is their business practices that I've experienced first hand along with those that I have read about here that will keep me from ever buying a bag from them or sending in my current one for repair.

[USStuba04]

I am not looking to purchase a bag. I am mostly happy with mine (a dolly bag).

I am looking for the pouch though. I have seen them and really liked it.

But I also would like to have some repairs on my bag so that I can sell it.

I don't know what kind of bag I want. I have had them all. tuxedo, RB, altieri, soundwear, dolly. I haven't had the protec or Cronkite though. I will not be getting the protec. And I have tried out the Cronkite. I really like Cronkite. But I really like the giant pocket on the altieri. And I really like the soundwear too. Great protection there. But no place for stuff.

[TubaRay]

I am looking for the pouch though. I have seen them and really liked it.

I own and like a Milnarik mouthpiece pouch. They are well-padded and well-constructed. I bought mine from Mike Finn, however I see he shows them as "out of stock." They can be found at: http://www.tubastudio.com/mp.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank

There are other sources of decent pouches, as well.

[Dylan King]

I own a Dolly-Bags F tuba bag, trumpet bag, and several multiple mouthpiece pouches. They are all exceptional products, and protect my instruments better than my Cronkite bag and others I have owned in the past. I think that the plastic insert in my bags is a fantastic improvement over foam only products. They have protected my horns for years. The plastic in my tuba bag has broken apart a little bit, but still holds up and serves its purpose. I have literally stumbled into walls and my YFB-621 has never been as much as scratched in that bag.

I remember working with Steve Wiseman and Dolly herself when buying the products, and they were SUPER slow about delivery and in their communication back to me. It seemed like they could care less about getting me the product once I paid for them. Each and every time I bought one of their products, I had to hound him until I had just about given up, and then the product arrived, just as described. Recently when I received my new Miraphone "Bruckner" CC tuba, I emailed them and they said they would gladly customize a case for me, but wanting to actually use and move with the horn right away I decided to get the Cronkite case that Steve Fergusen recommended at Hornguys.com.

If Dollybags had even the smallest 64th note of dependability in my book, I would have paid top-dollar for another one of their bags. I wish I had one with my Bruckner to give extra protection to the rotary valves, especially.

All that being said, I see an opportunity here. I don't know if their bags are patented or not, but there is a desire for this type of product from a reputable business. Hint, hint, hint. I believe that if Dolly-Bags had a good reputation for customer service, they would surely be at the top of the musical instrument "garment" world today.