Underwriters
Laboratories is the organization that tests stuff to be sure it will stand the
test of time. Almost anything you buy
will have a UL tested stamp on it in some location. They drop it, submerge it in water, set it on
fire, hit it, leave it out in the rain, freeze it or let a 5 year old play with
it, all in the name of making products that will last and be safe. I think herein exists an opportunity for the
Houston Band. With very little exaggeration
and even less effort, they could break a block of steel. If it survives life in the Houston band
program, it should be stamped HHSB tested with the assurance that it will
never, ever break.
We broke
the first vibraphone we purchased in 3 days time. We broke a piano into nothing but
kindling. Michael Theuns shattered a
string bass such that the biggest piece left fit easily in the palm of my
hand. None of this was done maliciously
but by accident. We also wore stuff
out. Wenger Music supplied the music
stands we purchased to go into our new band room. They were plastic and had a lifetime
guarantee. We bought 100 and 80 survived
the first year. The folks at Wenger were
shocked but did send us 20 replacements.
After a couple of more years of that, they negotiated a buyout of the lifetime
guarantee. I believe there is only one
or two left.
There is
also quite a bit of band equipment that wore out long ago but is still being
used. Stand carts, podiums, jazz fronts,
drum cases, etc…. are put back together with straps, tape, bailing wire and
glue so that available funds can be spent on shifting instrument needs, music,
drill, and an assortment of other stuff.
Many of the actual wind
instruments are older than the kids playing them. Equipment is not purchased by Germantown
Schools just as it was not purchased by Shelby County Schools. It falls to band boosters to buy and replace
everything.
I was in
the band room the other day to visit Matt Taylor and saw something that made me
very sad. Partly because of the pitiful
nature of what I saw and partly because I was at least somewhat responsible for
its occurrence. Matt was preparing
sousaphones (tubas) to go to the shop for repair. He had them in cases waiting for the repair
folks to pick them up. Every single case
was broken in some way. Many were held
together with bungee cords or rope.
There should be 5 latches on every case and only one case had as many as
3 latches. Many had holes covered with
duct tape. Here is a picture of one of
them.
New
sousaphone cases cost $480 each and Matt will need at least 12 of them for this
next year. If the cost is a little
shocking, keep in mind that the case is protecting a $5,000 investment (cost of
a sousaphone). These cases are SKB-380’s
and come with a (wait for it…………) Lifetime Guarantee! I am going to approach local businesses about
helping out but also wanted this group to have an opportunity to join in. You can make a donation using the PayPal
button on this blog or you can send a check to:
The Houston Band Foundation
C/O Jim Smith
556 Grand Steeple Dr.
Collierville, TN
38017
It is hard
to make the case (get it……… CASE) for having a world-class band program when
your equipment is in such dire need of replacing. Help if you can.
plz yes
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