Thanks, Roger Lewis

[Slamson]

Sure, I'll chip in my two cents - Roger's a good guy. I appreciate the fact that he has strong opinions and isn't afraid to voice them - even at the risk of losing a sale (heck, he even trashed my F while I was there trying out some 1291s, but dammit, he's right!)
He's sold me a horn and two of my students horns. He can pile BS as high as anybody I know, but personally I consider that a sign of talent. What's more important to me is that whatever he promised to do in our dealings, he did without fail. Has anybody stopped to mention that he's a good player, too?

If you've got a negative opinion of Roger, you should go ahead and voice it. You've got as much right and responsibility to throw in your thoughts as the rest of the group. It's not going to change him, and it's not going to change my opinion of him, that's for sure.

[tofu]

I've bought stuff from WWBW since they first opened and my experiences have been ok. It is annoying however, to have little things such as them say they will send a catalog (twice) and never get it. To get told delivery times and then stuff comes two weeks or more later. Yes I know stuff happens, but a business on it's game either notifies you of the delay or doesn't over promise what it may not be able to deliver.

And this idea that you can't be helped because the expert isn't in is BS. Any business worth it's salt will have cross trained some or all of it's staff with at least a basic understanding of what they sell so that a customer doesn't walk out the door without being helped. I mean after all any brass player employee or even a woodwind player ought to be able to show you a tuba even if they can't play it.

If I walk into a Chevy dealer and the Corvette expert isn't in I still expect to take one out for a test drive. It's my sense and experience that counts and I don't need someone to tell me whether I like the tuba or the car or have them drive it for me. Sure if you need the Experts help by all means call ahead. For me when I have found myself in the area I just drop in and yes I expect to play horns just like I expect to drive a Vette at the Chevy dealer if I drop in.

Bottom line you have to separate the WWBW and Roger. I have always found Roger to be very helpful and first rate. I realize he has little control over the rest of the operation.

[TubaRay]

"Emily Post of TubeNet"

Wow!
Doc certainly has his talents.

[windshieldbug]

"Emily Post of TubeNet"

Wow!
Doc certainly has his talents.

Well, maybe the Emile Post of TubeNet...

[MartyNeilan]

If I walk into a Chevy dealer and the Corvette expert isn't in I still expect to take one out for a test drive.

The one time my stepfather went into a GM dealership to check out a Saturn wagon (early 90's) the salespeople did everything they could to pull him across the hall and into a new corvette. I guess they figured a middle aged balding man was the primo target for a vette. So, he went and bought an AWD Subaru wagon instead and loved it.

I have personally not had a lot of dealings with Roger, but the few times I talked to or emailed him he went out of his way to be helpful.
Same goes for Matt W, Dave F, Lee S (who also came to rescue me from the most dangerous part of Atlanta one time), and Charlie back when he was at BW. In fact, truth be told, I think Joe Bloke might even be a little nicer than he lets on

[TubaRay]

In fact, truth be told, I think Joe Bloke might even be a little nicer than he lets on

I think we should be more careful about starting vicious rumors, especially concerning other TubeNet members. I suspect Bloke will weigh in on this very soon.

[tubeast]

This may be slightly off-topic, but the kind words of praise directed at Mr. Lewis remind me of our relationship to salespeople at work (hydraulic components are what these are trying to sell us).

More than once we experienced the following:
"Old School" salespersons show up every couple of weeks and ask if there´s anything new we´re up to or presenting stuff they recently added to their portfolio.
Doing this to the point when we wondered if these people didn´t have anything else to do. On the other hand, these got that new diagram of a valve block just on a side note, resulting in quite some business. If there is a technical question / problem, they either solve it themselves or hook you up with the engineering department in a conference call.

One day we´d receive a personal, friendly letter by these people, announcing their retirement and telling us who their successor was to be.
Never heard of that new guy ever since. No visits. No eMail, except if called for BY US. These people seem to be happy with the products they already sell on a regular basis.
I tend to forget their names.

Those old-fashioned guys still are around, and some (few) new guys do old-fashioned travelling and shaking hands.

Guess who´s getting the (sometimes hand-drafted) new hydraulic features we´d like to implement in the future ?

[jacobg]

Our performance in that WWBW was the most exciting thing that ever happened there. Yeah, during the 30 seconds they let us play they lost some business selling Chinese guitars and jazz play-along records to middle school students, but they were reminded (and they needed reminding) that musicians are unpredictable creative artists, not just customers waiting to be milked for cash and loaded up with Guitar Center junk. That store had a crusty corperate vibe that needed busting. Their reaction to us was proof.

[Randy Beschorner]

they were reminded (and they needed reminding) that musicians are unpredictable creative artists

It must be my Midwest myopia. I understand the unpredictable part of your lesson to Woodwind and Brasswind. What was creative or artistic about it?

Randy "who thinks that Steve Martin did Wild and Crazy Guys a long time ago and much better" Beschorner

[windshieldbug]

Hey guys, let it go! I'm betting that the "corporate" attitude is a reaction to lots of stuff having walked off when people are distracted. And I'm betting that in Manhatten everything would be under lock and key, so it would be less of a problem. And I'm betting that everybody needs to lighten up, too. It was a cool idea that didn't work in a tuba stronghold. Yeah, that sucks on both ends.

So get over it.

[Steve Inman]

Our performance in that WWBW was the most exciting thing that ever happened there. Yeah, during the 30 seconds they let us play they lost some business selling Chinese guitars and jazz play-along records to middle school students, but they were reminded (and they needed reminding) that musicians are unpredictable creative artists, not just customers waiting to be milked for cash and loaded up with Guitar Center junk. That store had a crusty corperate vibe that needed busting. Their reaction to us was proof.

Absolutely amazing perspective.

Your post provides all the proof I need -- but not regarding anything you claim -- sorry.

[Rick Denney]

So, you guys are, what, music's answer to Earth First! ?
How has WWBW changed, now that their crusty corperate [sic] vibe is busted?

Yup.

As I wrote recently (now in the bit bucket), if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

Whatever our hero thought he was accomplishing, he didn't. Frankly, he can't even make it sound like a good idea in retrospect. Maybe it's time to reconsider his objectives and strategies.

The guy buying the Guitar Center crap had as much right to be there as anyone else. In fact, more. He was buying something.

Rick "thinking the crusty corporate vibe is bringing lots of folks good prices on great instruments, which is the point of being a store, after all" Denney

[195/1291]

Roger is the person you want to deal with, Hands down,