Saxophone Forum


by historicsaxwhisperer
(644 posts)
8 years ago

FRIFFLING

My Friffling Skills seem out of wack.

My input is greater than my output.

But, experience is priceless.

Anybody else evaluating their Friffling......

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  1. by Zaxman
    (31 posts)

    8 years ago

    Re: FRIFFLING

    Forgive me for asking but, what is friffling?

     

    Reply To Post Yahoo!


    1. by historicsaxwhisperer
      (644 posts)

      8 years ago

      Re: FRIFFLING

      No, Thank You for asking!

      This is an old term I use to hear between musical instrument techs. I searched the internet and see it has fallen to the wayside, as it is not even mentioned anywhere. Many of those excellent techs are now gone and only their wonderful website, now owned by someone else, remains.

      Friffling: The experience of looking over an instrument, evaluating its value, then NOT putting more bench time into the instrument than it will ever be worth.

      Enjoying my time at the bench as one of my true escapes in life, which is very limited due to my busy professional life of being a banker, has caused my Friffling to be out of wack. I am more interested in producing a wonderful near perfect instrument than I am at making a profit. I'll eventually sell the instrument I'm working on, but unless you play it prior to purchase, you just wont understand the great player you will receive for your money. Unless you have a great reputation to back your purchase, I would never buy a ready to go instrument off the internet. I enjoy looking back at the pics of an instrument as the carcass I found it as and later comparing it to the treasure it has become.

      Friffling.

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      1. by Saxquest
        (420 posts)

        8 years ago

        Re: FRIFFLING

        Interesting, I've never heard of this term before either. But it does bring up an ethical conflict of interest that repair shops face often. 

        At Saxquest we will always inform any customer if the repair cost required of an instrument will exceed the end value of the instrument. We see this a lot with old stencil saxophones and old, either cracked or mechanistically antiquated, clarinets and other woodwinds. Lots of times these are $10-$50 yard sale finds.

        However, sometimes there is sentimental value behind the instrument in which case we will go ahead and perform the restoration work. But only with a few caveats. First, we give the customer an accurate repair estimate and a responsible "real world" after repair market value. With most mechanically obsolete clarinets or double reeds I honestly tell the customer that the repair won't increase the instrument's end-value because it has no collector's value and absolutely no interest to players. Second, I will absolutely refuse the repair if the intent of the repair is to give the instrument to "Litte Jonny" to learn how to play. It is absolutely irresponsible for any repair tech to accept a repair job of an obsolete instrument without first inquiring and lecturing the owner that this is NOT an instrument for a kid to use in school band. 

        Most of the time the customer will be thankful and not pursue the repair. However, it has happened on multiple occasions where we've had a customer where price didn't matter. They wanted Grandpa's instrument that he played in WWI to be restored. So long as they are making an informed decision and its not for their kid or grandkid to learn on, I will happily accept the repair job. 

        One other thought, be sure you know the market when you give advice. There are several branded old wooden flutes, boxwood clarinets, and various double reeds that do have collector's value. Don't tell a customer that an instrument has no value just because its old. If you really don't know the brand or recognize what you're looking at don't make stuff up. Send them to a vintage specialty shop for a second opinion. I can't even imaging how many wonderful old relics have been thrown away over the years based on bad advice from ill-informed repair shops. 

        Cheers,
             Mark Overton
             www.saxquest.com  

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        1. by historicsaxwhisperer
          (644 posts)

          8 years ago

          Re: FRIFFLING

          Marks Site, Saxquest, in my opinion, would be one of the top three sites for honesty and

          the most sax for your dollar.

          Saxquest is one of the best

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