Custom Music, Inc.

[arpthark]

So, does this company still exist?

Google gives a Farmington Hills address.

Has anyone been in contact with them recently?

[bort2.0]

A few years ago, I was in Farmington Hills. Many phone calls, and finally one terse answer, the guy was a jerk and also hung up on me. I called back, "sorry I thi k we were disconnected..." and then he talked normally for a few minutes.

I never got to visit or anything, and gave up on trying to find the address after being treated so lousy.

I can't imagine anything has changed significantly.

Also, their website hasn't been updated in like 15 years

[the elephant]

I bought a bunch of nickel silver slide tubing from them a few years ago. It was a terrible experience, and NONE of the tubes were even remotely accurately measured. I still have all of it here, as none of it can be used with any other, nor with any of the other stuff I have bought anywhere else. It is all metric but in weird sizes. The guy on the phone was a complete "engorged phallus" to me when I asked whether the listed measurements were accurate. I was very polite and happily allowed him to waste fifteen minutes of my $ on long-distance charges while I waited for him to confirm that the two in the batch I was about to purchase that I actually *needed* were accurately measured and that they could, indeed, be used as a set of inner and outer slide tubes. He disappeared for about a quarter of an hour and he assured me that the two tubes fit properly and could be moved and that the bore of the inner tube was correct.

Not only was every tube labeled incorrectly, but the two in the set only fit together because the inner one had tape all around it.

Never again. That sullen jerk can go jump off a cliff so far as I am concerned.

[Three Valves]

[bloke]

Which store was it that had a collection of "artistes" ?

I recall (at some ITEA shindig) some store's "artistes" (mostly - seemingly - 'fessers) going off into a closed door room and having some sort of confidential meeting.

[matt g]

Which store was it that had a collection of "artistes" ?

I recall (at some ITEA shindig) some store's "artistes" (mostly - seemingly - 'fessers) going off into a closed door room and having some sort of confidential meeting.

Sounds exciting.

I never bought anything from Custom Music, mainly because I was way too poor.

At least when VMI came along to sidestep their stranglehold on imports and was shipping through WW&BW and Brook Mays, I could get what was tantamount to a PT-7P for a 40% discount.

Just too many other shops offering better service and prices.

With Floyd Copley’s recent passing, this also reminds me of how silly that HB-50 pricing was when the Nirschl York Copy came out. I think that when the Nirschl first hit the market, it was something like $10,000 less than the Hirsbrunner. It was also completely handmade, whereas I think some of the HB bows were made hydraulically, and most people were saying the WN horn was better overall.

Interesting times.

[arpthark]

Has anybody bought their PT mouthpieces? I know the scoop: RT and MrP and whatnot, and all the stuff that has happened, but it seems like PTs are still available (made by who-knows).

In fact, I went to the aforementioned 15-years-outdated website and saw that you could still order mouthpieces online.

I even went so far as to put one in my shopping cart and check out (wasn't gonna buy it, just wanted to see if it would let me or if it was a dead link).

Sure enough, it sent me to a legit PayPal vendor screen. I could've bought it (or at least given them money) had I wanted to go through with it.

[Jperry1466]

I bought a PT-82 from them about 2 years ago, and it came as advertised. I've been happy with it. Mainly use it in community band to make my CC sound closer to the BBb guys.

[the elephant]

I remember the Tuba House. I also remember being buttonholed by FM, who, to me, came off as a used car salesman (or Herbert R. Tarlek, Jr. of WKRP) — very pushy. So I did not make a purchase.

I'm also not impressed with *real* Rolls Royces (unless we are talking about the Merlin engine). But comparing tubas to a RR car is just flat-out tacky, IMHO.

I avoided that company completely after that one experience.

[bloke]

There seemed to have a regional following of high school and college boys who had been transformed into (I don’t know how else to identify them) Miraphone haters. I met a few of them at Interlochen.
‘ funny how 186s are so much easier to play in tune than most things being offered there at that time.
LOL… I sort of scratched my head about all of that until finally – when I started my intermittent studying with Gene – he talked about how he would always use a 186 to get past the first round of an audition.

[jonesbrass]

I never bought anything from Custom Music, mainly because I was way too poor.

Isn’t that the truth. Not like tubas have ever been inexpensive, but holy cow.

[Grumpikins]

When i was shopping for my Cc tuba, i went there. Were talking about the place in a suburb of detroit, right? My dad and i went in, and they were like "Can i help you...( down his long pointy nose with a snear..)?" um, im shopping for a Cc tuba. Theyre over there. You can try any of them out. If you need assistance, ill be out back (where you cant find me). This was 2001. I looked at the hirbrunners, wow. Too expensive, i cant even afford to look at them. Tried the pt6s, very nice. I think they had willsons... dont remember. Anyway, i had sticker shock. I knew a good Cc tuba was going to be expensive, but they only offered new stuff and i wasnt willing to spend that much.

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[bloke]

There seem to be a couple of businesses that tuba players always love to hate. Even if 60% or 80% of tuba players hate this business or that business, I'm not sure that it's a really good idea to start/encourage/sidebar a thread about that.

Lots of businesses charge the most they possibly can, and a few attract customers with cut rate prices. As a well-known tuba salesman is quoted as saying, "Every tuba has someone's name on it." Some sales people are naturally grumpy, and some people are naturally cheerful. No one has to buy stuff from anyone - other than from their tyrant rulers (whether those forced tyrant purchases be useful services/products, unwanted services/products, or just BS rhetoric). Every other purchase is optional.

[iiipopes]

Keeping in mind bloke's comments above, I had a great experience with Custom Music. Some years ago they stopped in Springfield, Mo at the regional university on the request of the music department on their way back from that year's Texas show. I got an invitation to attend. I got to play the popular tubas of the day. I almost traded my Miraphone on a B&S GR51, which was a new instrument then, but decided to go home with the lady I brought to the dance, since I was a community band player, and not a tuba major twenty years younger than I was at that time. Jeff Rideout and I discussed mouthpieces for the 38K souzy I was playing for outdoor concerts at that time, and he let me try several mouthpieces in his dealer box. He sold me the PT82 out of his dealer box, and I played that mouthpiece for as long as I had the use of the 38K. So I have had good experiences with Custom Music.

[arpthark]

I was 20 years younger at the time, but of course that was 20 years ago.

[Three Valves]

I was 20 years younger at the time, but of course that was 20 years ago.

You too?

[tokuno]

. . . came off as a used car salesman (or Herbert R. Tarlek, Jr. of WKRP)

. . . Bailey Quarters . . . *sigh* . . . Bailey Quarters

My Sterling Virtuoso (2nd-hand, private-party) was originally from Custom Music, and while it can take some effort to get ahold of someone, my phone interactions with them have been pleasant, informative and helpful.
Interestingly, I bought a PT-64 from WWBW but the box had a Custom Music sticker.

[jtm]

Somebody (Robert Tucci?) suggested that my Scherzer (Inh. Sander) CC tuba was likely imported by Custom Music, so I thank them for that, anyway.

[YorkNumber3.0]

.

[JRaymo]

I did buy from them a long time ago when Fred still owned it. He formerly had a pawn shop and he ran custom music the same way. He had two tuba professionals at the time. They were ok to talk to and somewhat helpful. The best employee they ever had was their repair guy who they fired after 30 years of service when the new owner took over.

The prices even in the mid 90s were high I thought but back then I was not as informed on options for other venders. I would stay away from that place now as it sounds like things have not improved.


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