Steve Goodson

[CMelodyMan]

I live in New Orleans, and, as most of you know, Steve Goodson's shop is in New Orleans as well. I am thinking about bringing my sax to him next time it needs to be fixed, just to see how good his work is, but I don't know if he's as great as he says he is. Has any of you ever had him work on your sax before? would you reccommend him for his work?

[Steve J.]

I'll take a step into the open fire by stating I've noted extremely negative and extremely positive reports over the years.

Personally I would steer clear of any controversial place of business. There are always other choices.

The majority of personal direct knowledge of his past business practices-not his knowledge, friendliness and sharing of both - have been abysmal.

[Bill Mecca]

I've personally seen one example of Mr. Goodson's work about 5 years ago and it looked fine, (nothing extraordinary, but competent work) but in furtherance of you being an informed consumer I suggest your check this link

http://www.neworleans.bbb.org/commonreport.html?compid=10001527

[CMelodyMan]

Thanks for the tips. I'll just stay with the repairman that I usually go to.

[Jerry K.]

I'll just stay with the repairman that I usually go to. Probably a good call.

[Hyman Irons]

He's the best I ever had work on my horns, and is very creative. He has a low tolereance for people who can't play. Almost all of his clients are full time pro players, no kids, no pretenders. A visit to his shop is like a visit to heaven.

[Dave Dolson]

I don't know Steve Goodson, but if that truly is his business attitude (no kids, no pretenders, low tolerance for someone who can't play), I am not impressed regardless of how good he may be. We've ALL been those things (well, maybe not pretenders) at one time. I'm sure glad a really good soprano player encouraged me when I was a kid. DAVE

[Hyman Irons]

Dave:
My comment was about who you see at his shop, and what composes his customer base. I didn't say anything about his attitude, but you did. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: You also said you don't know him. Why comment on something not said about somebody you don't know? :? Go figure...

My point was probably poorly made :shock: it's strictly a professional player establishment, and not exactly "G" or "PG" rated either. He sets high standards for playing for himself, and expects professional players to do likewise. You often get a playing lesson when you pick up your horn from him. He's a colorful, highly opinionated sort of guy, but he most definately has the chops to back it up. 8-)

[StrtdTooLate]

He's the best I ever had work on my horns, and is very creative. He has a low tolereance for people who can't play. Almost all of his clients are full time pro players, no kids, no pretenders. A visit to his shop is like a visit to heaven.

Sounds to me like you DID comment on his attitude. Low tolereance for people who can't play.

[Sigmund451]

Putting aside my very negative view of his personhood, I have been advised by persons of considerabe reputation to steer clear. Some of his inovations are quite good while others reportedly make quite the mess of a horn down the line. If Hype were the equivilant of quality we would all be Sugal customers :D

[rispoli]

Sounds to me like you DID comment on his attitude. Low tolereance for people who can't play.

I absolutely agree.
And my interpretation was exactly Dave's one. Let alone pretenders, I don't justify a "low tolerance" attitude towards beginners or not-yet accomplished players: that would be enough for me to turn elsewhere, I have zero tolerance for big egos and, by the way, I also heard what Sigmund reported, so the foundations of his ego are likely to be questionable at best.

[Mike Ruhl]

Ask Roger Aldridge about Steve Goodson.

[Dave Dolson]

Hyman: You are new on SOTW (at least under the name attributed to your posts) and have not had the poor fortune of seeing the endless negative comments about Goodson. It was a HUGE issue in years past. Like I said, I don't know the man, and I never took sides in the Goodson debate. In fact, my favorite repair-tech thinks highly of Goodson, or he did when I last saw him.

But, your own posting was not as complimentary as you may have intended. I commented on YOUR posting because I wanted to comment on it and I will continue to do so when I think it is appropriate. I don't have to go figure anything. You said it all. DAVE

[SaxPlayer1004]

for Bassaltensoprillophone, I believe Paul Coats is down there also somewhere, drop him a PM and check him out, I have had two mouthpieces checked over by him, and have gotten endless vats of knowledge just through the internet, great guy to deal with. worth a try I guess, if you're willing to try out Goodson might as well try another SOTW guy.

[Sigmund451]

...And just to throw in another note; Goodson may have chops but they arent sufficient to back up poor manners. He is an internet big shot who will fade into history like most of us. Hype cheats buyers but it dont cheat death. Im done. Live long, prosper and play a lotta sax.

[SAXISMYAXE]

I'm not going to post my opinions on this subject (for a change, what a shock, huh?!), however I'll reiterate what others has suggested, and implore you to take a look at archived threads on this topic. You will get a good idea of the consensus of opinion, and from there you will be better armed to make your own choices. I think you'll get a good (and pretty accurate) idea (from many reputable people in their own right) of popular sentiment regarding their real life experiences with that vendor. 8-)

[shmuelyosef]

I normally don't comment on these ranting threads, but this one begs for a 'step back'. The 'larger' the personality of anyone, the more the tendency of people to feel passionately negative or positive...often equal numbers on both sides. My dad used to tell me, "...just don't be boring..."

I don't know Steve personally other than some email dialogues (he has been generously helpful with style), but many speak positively and many negatively about him....c'est la vie

[Pete]

Mmmm. Let's not get worked up into too much of a froth here, folks.

Brief recap (this is DEFINITELY just a breezy summary):

** There have been some Forum members that have said that Goodson has done excellent work on their horns. **

* Goodson was a member of this Forum for quite awhile. He isn't any longer. He will NOT respond here.
* Definitely read the above listed BBB report (http://www.neworleans.bbb.org/commonreport.html?compid=10001527) before doing business with Goodson. IMHO, you should read the BBB report on ANY company you plan to deal with.
* Roger Aldridge's story is probably in our archives somewhere. It's definitely on alt.music.saxophone (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.music.saxophone/browse_frm/thread/a954dcc312e31afa/11007d7a09be27e3?tvc=1&q=aldridge&hl=en#11007d7a09be27e3). (Somewhat of summary -- if you can call 147 posts a summary -- is included in this link.)
* There was a website (archived HERE (http://web.archive.org/web/20020206161228/http://myweb.accessone.com:80/~khenson/goodsonbeware.html)) devoted to describing a rather unfortunate incident involving Goodson and a repair job gone awry.
* Goodson is no longer listed on the the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians website (http://www.napbirt.org/).
* Goodson had an association with Unison awhile back that caused some Forum members a lot of grief -- including me, because I had to deal with the cleanup here. No way I could even summarize that episode here.
* In interests of full disclosure on where I'm coming from, there's another incident: Goodson has posted some comments about a SOTW staff member in the recent past on alt.music.saxophone (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.music.saxophone/browse_frm/thread/368ea6521464d247/297c9c5799b46a8a?tvc=1&q=funny&hl=en#297c9c5799b46a8a) that I, personally, found offensive. And I complained to Goodson about it.
* Goodson has also posted (http://saxgourmet.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=1213) that he's annoyed with a post I made here (http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=20639), so note that Goodson's not a fan of me :).

I also do not post on alt.music.saxophone, Goodson's own Forum or practically anywhere else. I really don't have the time or desire.

Again, I have NO opinion on the QUALITY of Goodson's work or his merchandise. I have not bought anything from Goodson or have used any Goodson-branded products. I, therefore, cannot and will not speculate on the QUALITY of his goods or services. I did review his original repair video awhile back on the old, old eesites Forum because Goodson sent me a copy specifically TO review.

I do have some opinions regarding Goodson and, for that matter, how SOTW handled Goodson in the past. I am not going to post those opinions here, so don't bother asking.

===========

FINALLY, only continue posting in this topic if a) you've got a problem with Goodson and can document it or b) have heard of a problem with Goodson and you can document it or c) want to say that you've had a good experience with Goodson.

So, please cool it a bit folks. I don't want to have to make this thread go *poof* because we have people at each other's throats.

Edit: I also should throw this thread in the Dealer Evaluations area. I have to remember to make sure that area has the appropriate subtitle to reflect Repair Shops.

[Morry]

It's funny that SG takes a shot at this site by saying that it sells ads to dealers. Is that supposed to be a bad thing? I see the Kessler Music ad at the top of the page, and I assume it is paid for by Dave. It would only be bad if Dave was paying Harri, and then Harri endorsed Kessler without noting the compensation.

Also, since Goodson is a dealer also, isn't his forum just one big advertisement?

I'll tell you this...Goodson's reputation as a repairman here in Birmingham (his hometown) was not good, and the local Union was very upset with some of his Union-related activities. I have seen the Union newsletter where they discussed it, so it is not hearsay.

Also, everything he says about his new LA Sax horn was previously said about his Unison model, and the one I saw was a piece of crap horn.

Caveat Emptor.

[Razzy]

I've had email correspondence with Goodson in the past about how to repair my own horns. He would always get back to me within a few days and his explanations and recommendations were always very thorough and helpful. I thought it rather generous of him to help out a novice in repair in such a way. Can't say the same for one local repair tech which I called on the phone once about a minor repair, and then received a 10 minute speech about why I should instead just pay for the service... ugh. I then figured out how to do the repair myself and, voila, haven't had a problem with the octave key on my bari since.

Anyhow, that experience seems to contradict everything else I've read, but it's the only thing I've got to go on, so for me at least he was helpful and a good guy to deal with. I don't think I'd ever actually exchange goods with him though: there are enough other options LOCALLY for everything that I need.

I've always found that the less a person tries to seem interesting, the more interesting they actually turn out to be, but that's just me o'course... could it be that they are trying to make up for some lack of depth in their personality? Or does the simple act of promoting your image destroy your own unique personality beneath? None can say...

[Sigmund451]

Well, back to the topic at hand....and away from personalities. SG has never worked on one of my horns. His work is not cheap nor is the work of a number of other big name techs. I can say...and have, that Randy Jones set my horn up nearly a year ago. It hasnt required a single shop adjustment (Ive made a couple of minor ones), it plays in tune, is responsive and in everyway excellent. My suggestion would be to find a tech where there were few if any doubts regarding their competence. I hear Les is good. No experience from my end though. Keep in mind that celebrity status does not insure precise work. I hear Sarge is amazing as well on vintage horns. It all depends on what you want and your budget.

[Randall]

I'd have to back up Siggy on his comment about Sarge....

I did a poll on my Yahoo group of about the reputability and overall satisfaction with all the online and well known dealers/techs and Sarge was the really only unblemished record in terms of responses.

My experience with him confirms this 100%. ;)

[SAXISMYAXE]

I have to give still more kudos to Sarge. Steve is absolutely amazing, and does top notch repair and restoration work. One of the few techs out there who really understands vintage horns, their peculiarities and how to handle them (as well as their players!) I refer anyone looking for a top notch tech to him without hesitation.

[innerear]

I'll refrain from any comments about character, but after watching one of his repair videos I was a little dubious about the quality of his work. There's a scene where he's demonstrating resonator installation - a couple of solid wacks on the rivet and the top of the domed reso is obviously pretty badly bashed in.

[BayviewSax]

I've only dealt with Steve via e-mail, as he would not return my calls, apparently not wanting my money(:Shocked:). I've found his customer service to be woefully inadequate, particularly as pertains to communication. When I ordered his repair video from Music Medic, they wound up giving me a partial refund because his shipment to them was so drastically delayed. A pattern is forming, and this post should be enough to shut off my access to his forum.

Not wishing ot beat a dead horse (save for the pure sadistic joy of it:twisted:) I would like to address two comments:

My point was probably poorly made :shock: it's strictly a professional player establishment, and not exactly "G" or "PG" rated either. He sets high standards for playing for himself, and expects professional players to do likewise. You often get a playing lesson when you pick up your horn from him. He's a colorful, highly opinionated sort of guy, but he most definately has the chops to back it up. 8-)

And yet, there are a number of pro players who don't know who he is. Jeff Coffin comes immediately to mind. If you're promoting your business and you offer me Charles Neville against Jeff Coffin, guess which way I'm going?

I'll refrain from any comments about character, but after watching one of his repair videos I was a little dubious about the quality of his work. There's a scene where he's demonstrating resonator installation - a couple of solid wacks on the rivet and the top of the domed reso is obviously pretty badly bashed in.

I'd like to echo this, not to mention the 'how to level a tone hole' segment where Steve reaches for his file!!!:yikes!:

[blaine hoopes]

My only experience with SG is that I noticed an ad on ebay for a stencil Bari that was claimed to be a Yanagisawa. It was not a low A, didn't say made in Japan and didn't have the Yani logo and didn't look remotely like a Yani.

Now to my knowledge (I could be wrong) Yani has never made a low Bb bari. There very first model was a low A and every model since too (to my knowledge).

Anyway I contacted the seller to ask what markings might be there and what it was about the horn that led him to believe it was a Yanagisawa. The reply I got back was from SG (apparently using a different name to sell on ebay) indicating that he was personal friends with the head of Leblanc who assured him this horn was manufactured by Yanagisawa for them.

I suppose it's possible --- but I have a hard time believing that either Leblanc or Yani would want to tool up a completely different looking Bb version when they already produced a perfectly good low A horn stencil for Leblanc.

[paulwl]

for Bassaltensoprillophone, I believe Paul Coats is down there also somewhere, drop him a PM and check him out, I have had two mouthpieces checked over by him, and have gotten endless vats of knowledge just through the internet, great guy to deal with. worth a try I guess, if you're willing to try out Goodson might as well try another SOTW guy.Is it any of my business why Paul left SOTW and the Forum for Saxgourmet? Did Steve make him an offer he couldn't refuse? :|

[Sigmund451]

The whole thing puzzled me too Paul but I do have a high degree of respect for Paul. I hold him and his willingness to assist others in high regard. His presence here is missed. I simply figure as I trust him I respect his reasons...I simply wish he hadnt made them...but the best to him always.

[Razzy]

I'm of the persuasion that personality has a LOT to do with my business choices. Who you hire for a gig has more to do with personality and common sense social practices than chops... lots of guys have chops, how many guys have a great attitude, always show up on time, are always friendly and easy to work with? Along the same vein, how many repair guys always turn your horn around in time, are always willing to extend a good policy on follow-up work, always have a good attitude? Not many, and the guy I go to happens to have a great attitude and excellent business sense on top of his stellar workmanship. It's no wonder he has the busiest repair shop in the area...

[Sigmund451]

Good point Razzy, for most of use our horns are very personal. Having a tech that treats us and our concerns with serious respect is an important part of doing business. Much like a doctor...If I have concerns I want to feel and know that they have been treated with the utmost regard...not the old medical model of "Im the doctor, I know best and I will do it my way"....just to use a metaphore.

[kcp]

Is it any of my business why Paul left SOTW and the Forum for Saxgourmet? Did Steve make him an offer he couldn't refuse? :|

As saxpicss says: "Let's not get worked up into too much of a froth here" (http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=201918#post201918) (Please re-read his post) This is no place to be speculating about anything. Paul Coats was already a member of Saxgourmet forum BEFORE he left SOTW - Do not make conclusion that you don't know. As far as I am concerned and knowing Paul, he's been far too busy lately to participate in either forums, he doesn't waste his time at alt-music-sax either. Paul also explicitly said to me that he does not wishes to take part and to be mixed-up into this kind of discussion/speculations - While you may be dissapointed in the decisions he made, at least you gotta give him the credit for moving-on.

[Pete]

Thanks, Kim.

(BTB, the "Steve" mentioned by saxismyaxe is Steve "Sarge" Stransky from www.worldwidesax.com, not Steve Goodson, just to clarify, because we have these multiple names going 'round.)

Paul Coats hasn't returned any of my e-mails regarding his departure -- and subsequent departure of his articles from this website. I can make bunches of assumptions, but I'm not.

Paul Coats is actually more than a member on Goodson's Forum. He's a moderator there.

I would request that we honor Paul Coats' choice not to participate here nor be drawn into discussions about him leaving.

(... Not a problem asking about it, though. As I said, Paul didn't provide very much to go on when his departure was announced via e-mail by Steve Goodson.)

[paulwl]

Nevertheless, it sounds largely NOMB, then. I won't press.

[Pete]

Thanks. paulwl. I'll PM you about something related in a min.

[SAXISMYAXE]

(BTB, the "Steve" mentioned by saxismyaxe is Steve "Sarge" Stransky from www.worldwidesax.com, not Steve Goodson, just to clarify, because we have these multiple names going 'round.)

Yes Pete, THANK YOU for clarifying that point! I don't want anyone to get them confused for even a minute. Cheers.

[HC]

I looked at a site that Saxpics gave the link to, http://web.archive.org/web/20020206161228/http://myweb.accessone.com:80/~khenson/goodsonbeware.html

It was interesting when you scroll to the bottom and look at the sax ring, it says
This Sax Ring site removed from the sax ring
.
Steve Goodson is a member and advertises using the sax ring

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[Pete]

I'm also a member, FWIW, but I'm not a dealer.