I was reading advertisements for musical instrument repair shops. It brought back memories of my childhood. The repair shop claims read:
“As a trumpet player, I realize how difficult it is to entrust one’s horn to just anyone for repairs or modifications. I pledge to you my absolute best effort honed over 30 years as a brass repairman. I will listen carefully, make suggestions, and share the knowledge I have acquired during that time to help you put your instrument in a condition that will enhance it’s performance and make you proud to display it.
Our goal is that every horn leaves the workshop playing and looking as perfect as possible. We take great pride in our work, and also in the smiling faces of our customers when they receive their instrument.”
As a child I fell in love with the notion that I wanted to be a trombone player. I was fascinated by the number of notes and the smoothness of the music that a slide trombone could produce. For true musicians, the worst words one can hear are “… I am sorry your trumpet fell … I will be happy to pay to straighten out that dent in your horn.” For me the words came from a little old lady who did not see me riding home on my bike carrying my new trombone in its new case. “I am sorry I didn’t see you. You should not be carrying that big trombone case.” The case lay shattered on the ground with a dent in the horn and the slide bent at a 30 degree angle.
The promise of the repairman above speaks the truth. The empathy of the brass repairman demonstrates his love for musical instruments, but the harsh truth is once a brass instrument is damaged it will never be the same. But the goal is that every horn leaves the shop playing and looking as perfect as possible.
For me the words of this trumpet player speak more than the mere repair of any musical instrument. I believe it speaks to not the true reality of life? We are all broken, damaged or dented by the hard knocks of life. Yet with hope, care, and love damaged as we maybe, we can still be proud of playing and looking as perfect as possible.
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Vintage Harry B. Jay Co. Trumpet for Repair s/n 6076 US $10.49 |
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Vintage Pan American Trumpet for Repair s/n 114440 US $15.00 |
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Tools For Brass Horn Repair Conn Elkhart King Brasswind US $9.99 |
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Tools For Brass Horn Repair Conn Elkhart King Brasswind US $26.00 |
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Tools For Brass Horn Repair Conn Elkhart King Brasswind US $9.99 |
