Besson no more?

[iiipopes]

The steps we are taking are necessary to ensure that the business’s cost base, as it enters new ownership, is commensurate with the scale of its operations.

Boy, now there's a chunk of corporate doublespeak!

In a "former life" I got to both write and decipher the doublespeak. It sounds to me that they're canning staff, cancelling parts/materials orders and shipping out as much as they can to get the receivables up and the payables down; all so that, legitimately, they can make the balance sheet look as good as possible and sell something besides the blue sky in the name.

[Rick Denney]

The steps we are taking are necessary to ensure that the business’s cost base, as it enters new ownership, is commensurate with the scale of its operations.

Boy, now there's a chunk of corporate doublespeak!

I was thinking the same thing. Judging from the fact that everyone seems to have been sent home and the door is locked, it would appear that the scale of the operation is zero, which would (to achieve the objective stated above) require a zero business cost base.

As I keep telling the corporate types I talk to when they go about looking for new ways to chop costs: You can also eliminate cost altogether, as long as you don't need revenue.

Rick "laughing at the ping-pong bouncing of corporate types between obsessing about revenue growth and obsessing about profitability, the two of which oppose each other" Denney

[Chuck(G)]

Anyone have a solid clue on how this affects Mr. Nirschl's relationship with TMG?

[imperialbari]

While I still was able to walk and to travel unassisted, one of my great funs was to tour the Copenhagen brass shops researching new models and finding good second hand deals.

Along the road I gathered quite a bit of information on the business practises of several companies.

One of the worst ones was a Czech company, but as it hadn’t made really relevant instruments since WWII, my sadness in that matter was manageable.

However I also learned how horrible the internal logistics of the Besson/B&H worked.

Downright annoying in everyday acquisition situations!

Still it saddens me immensely, if Besson/B&H goes down the drain.

They are the present day torchbearers of cornerstone inventors of brass history like Adolphe Sax, Distin, Besson (of course), and Blaikley. And then probably many more less known contributors to the development of brass instruments.

I would find it immensely sad, if the valuable knowledge inherited into this one-and-a-half-century of brass tradition evaporates into oblivion.

Not all instruments emerging from that tradition were stellar samples.

But the instrument behind my forum screen name and my 981 Eb tuba most certainly have enriched my musical life. Most of my 10 other samples out of the same tradition aren’t bad either. The slides of my two 1920-era trombones are more suited for bodybuilding than for smooth playing. But I am forgiving in that respect.

Klaus

[T. J. Ricer]

Does anyone know what happened (will happen) to Hofner? This is B&H's guitar and bass company, made famous by Paul MacCartney and the "Beatle Bass"

I think I may be the only person in the states who likes 'em, but for me there's no better sounding bass guitar. . .



--T. J.

[prototypedenNIS]

I think I may be the only person in the states who likes 'em, but for me there's no better sounding bass guitar. . .

we carry them at my work... don't worry, many people like them... too many people just haven't tried them yet.

[tubatooter1940]

Can the new Hofners hold a tune? Paul Mc Cartney complained his old one didn't.

[prototypedenNIS]

was he high?

I don't get why he would have said that...

[imperialbari]

Can the new Hofners hold a tune? Paul Mc Cartney complained his old one didn't.

As a formerly-accomplished classic guitarist/electric bassist,

I really never understood this remark about an instrument. Assuming strings have settled in - yet are not worn out - and the bridge and neck are stable, what in the world could cause an instrument to be put in tune but not stay that way (compared to other guitars) with there being any problem other than (incredibly easy to fix or replace) headstock tuning gears?

bloke "who knows that no classic guitar (nylon or gut strings) 'holds a tune' through more than c. 10-15 minutes of serious playing."

Having built a bass guitar myself and having been around the bowed string bass, I agree totally with Joe.

But are our own brasses any better?

I have a King 2B+ tenor trombone built in very thin gauge gold brass. During rests it gets cold cum flat very fast. During long entries it gets warm cum sharp.

When I find, that I have to change my slide positions more than I feel comfortable with, I adjust the main tuning slide accordingly.

The same goes for my more heavy gauge valved brasses: euph, tubas, sousas.

If the temperature conditions are extreme, be it indoors or outdoors, I will adjust the main tuning slide, whenever I feel, that I have to do too much lipping in either direction.

I am convinced that top-pro orchestral players have similar strategies to make sure, that entries under whatever conditions are spot on.

In my experience the horn is the most difficult brass instrument to play. But exactly in the pitch matter it has one great advantage. The general tuning can be adjusted instantly by means of the right hand position.

Klaus

[iiipopes]

How did a Besson thread take a left turn to Beatle Basses? Oh, well, I do have to say that having played real 1962-3-4 Hofners, and the new reissues, that my style of playing does not fit. For me, they sound like pebbles being dropped on wet cardboard. Now the Rick 4002, on the other hand, and I did say 4002, not 1 or 3, sounds like a J-bass with attitude, and really rocks!

I understand that The Music Group is not completely liquidating, but that may be like Churchill saying he had not come to preside over the dissolution of the British Empire!

[prototypedenNIS]

Guys on the trombone forum are saying Yamaha has bought Besson... I haven't seen anything official yet so as of now, just hearsay.

http://forum.trombone.org/viewtopic.php?p=288720#288720

[prototypedenNIS]

When is Steinway going to go ahead and decide to buy Yamaha?

I'd like a nice black lacquer 900cc euphonicycle.

I think I'd rather have Black nickel gold trim, lexan handlebars

[Kevin Hendrick]

When is Steinway going to go ahead and decide to buy Yamaha?

I'd like a nice black lacquer 900cc euphonicycle.

I think I'd rather have Black nickel gold trim, lexan handlebars

... and don't forget the 6-rotor engine!

[prototypedenNIS]

and "plazuma" fused parts