[TPIN] "True Bach/Primative??

[Tim Swensen]

You raise a very good point, Jon.  Year after year, Schilke's quality has
  been fantastic.  Yes, I know there was the Yamalloy affair, but that
  was a long time ago.  I remember going to the Schilke table
  at the Lexinton ITG Conference.  Their horns just played beautifully.
  Pat Schilke was manning the table, and I complimented him on
  the wonderful quality of those horns.  And even since the selling
  of the company, when Andrew Naumann took over, the horns have
  remained great.  They have a certain design philosophy.  It will appeal
  to some and not to others.  Their construction quality is held to a
  very high standard.
   
  Bach could do the same, but it would be a different business model.
  I think it would mean reducing production to the level at which only
  _great_ horns left the factory.  Some great horns do now.  I've also
  seen some that would be embarrassing to the company, brand new.
   
  This reduction in quantity could be supported by an increase in price.
  And demand would drop off if Bachs were $2800 while Yamahas remained
  $1800.  But, the company has probably calculated that total profit under the
  present business model will be higher than under the new business
  model.
   
  Still, there is such a thing as pride in workmanship and satisfaction
  in making something excellent -- whether it be great trumpet playing
  or great trumpet making.  Profit alone would not satisfy me.
   
  Tim
   
  jontrimble at suddenlink.net wrote:
  All of this is really interesting but I have one question. Schike has been 
around almost if not pretty close to the same amount of time as Bach. Last 
Schilke I played was about a year ago. They still make them as fine as they 
did years ago. I guess they're one of the few that caters to pros. They 
still make horns. There are a lot of fine horn makers still out there too. 
I think it comes down to nothing more then money and business. I wonder, 
how much profit is enough?.....
Jon Trimble
jontrimble at suddenlink.net
http://myspace.com/jontrimble
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Kellogg" 
To: "Glenn Bengry" ; ; 

Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 12:11 PM
Subject: Re: [TPIN] "True Bach/Primative??


>I don't know about the quality of the new Bach horns; I've never seen one.
>>From reading the previous e-mail threads I conclude that we are talking
> about a quality that modern manufacturing techniques have a tendency to 
> omit from the current production line. In the interest of meeting consumer 
> demand and maximizing profits for the shareholders, quality is sometimes 
> sacrificed in the rush to "get the order out." In the short term, for an 
> established product, the faster you get the product shipped, the quicker 
> you see a profit for the stockholders. The bosses can show wonderful 
> quarterly results and get their bonuses. Everybody in "the company" is 
> happy. That works in the short term until shoddy workmanship and lack of 
> attention to detail tarnishes the reputation of the previously established 
> product. The result; word gets out and consumers decide to shop elsewhere. 
> It's a business philosophy driven by the appetite for short term profits 
> that has to change. Instead of looking at the bottom line; companies have 
> look past the short term profits and concentrate on the long term growth. 
> Build a quality product that people want to buy and you will make a profit 
> because your product is the best.
> Stephen Kellogg
>

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