[Joe Jazz]

They give you a prepaid label via e-mail if something is defective. Otherwise, it's your expense. Been that way for quite some time.....

 

[steve]

I ordered some Fibracell reeds from WWBW earlier this week via their website....received an email saying they were shipped yesterday. I have always had smooth transactions with them.

 

[cymru97]

When I was there a few weeks ago they had a series III tenor in silverplate on the floor at closeout for $2899 (as I recall, under 3k anyway)... I was sorely tempted but just dropped a bunch of cash and didn't have my mouthpiece or the time to play it. VERY purdy horn though, somebody got a great deal.

They are certainly improving and I did discover that their folks are more than happy to pull items if you give them a heads up that you are on your way in. This after a couple trips that took hours of waiting. I think they're getting things back together and I'm glad to do business with them.

 

[bari_sax]

Yes . . . the warehouse is still offsite. Our retail staff is working to get more inventory back to the original building but like most things in corporate America, it takes 500 times longer than it should. If you are planning a trip here, I would call ahead and have the items you want to try pulled nad brought over for you. You're welcome to call me if you like. My numbers are below.

Scott
800-348-5003 x2209

I live within driving distance of the toy store and intend to buy a new tenor, possibly a reference 36 in the next few weeks. I would like to play gobs of horns before choosing. The last time I was there to mess with horns and mouthpieces, the stock was VERY thin. Had I known the stock situation, I wouldn't have wasted the gas. In the past, anything in the warehouse could be brought to the counter within an hour, but now I am hearing that it takes days.

I have encountered extraordinarily helpful sales people who are working musicians and the WWBW is their day gig. They were very frustrated and apologetic about the stock situation the last time I was there. I hope you do whatever you need to do to retain these people. It would be a shame to see these folks replaced by 'big box store' style generic employees.

So the big question... Is the warehouse you refer to the one in South Bend about a mile north of the store, or is it one of the other MF/GC/Giardelli warehouses? Are YOU based in South Bend? If I ask for a stock pull, am I really waiting for something to be shipped in from another state?

I really and truly wish you well. (BTW, my first purchase from the WWBW was when it was in the converted house / barber shop on the North side of South Bend.)

 

[cymru97]

Hey Steve, I found a huge difference in their timing when I called ahead to check inventory. If they know you're coming they are more than happy to pull the stock from the warehouse. I went through about a dozen YAS-62II's and called ahead. They just lined them up out near the counter and I'd take them back three at a time. That was last summer but I've been a couple times since and they've been just as accomodating. Plus a phone call can confirm the stock their website says they have, learned that lesson the hard way...

Andy

 

[saxboy]

I work for WWBW - do a little contributing writing and reviews of products they send out. I know there is some change going on but believe the change is designed to stay open and strong in this economy. I was told, directly from my boss, that they are not going anywhere - just changing a few things to be more effective in the marketplace.

I personally love WWBW and have for years. It is the go to place for prices and selection.

 

[MartinMusicMan]

A 4-year-old thread brought back to life. WWBW is still there. I guess they didn't close.

 

[bari_sax]

Re: WWBW NOT Going Out Of Business

There has been much talk recently on this board with regard to The Woodwind & Brasswind going out of business. I can assure you all that the case could not be more the opposite!

Scott Kurtzweil
Woodwind Manager
MFI / Woodwind & Brasswind
800 - 348 - 5003 x2209
[email protected]

Technically correct Scott, but the spin is in big time. Remember Bill and Monica?

WWBW is now owned by Guitar Center and will still exist online, but according to South Bend Indiana media, the flagship store WILL close at the end of this year.

WSBT-TV Report

5:47 p.m. EDT, August 17, 2011

WSBT has confirmed that Woodwind & Brasswind is closing its retail store, call center and warehouse.

This affects 115 jobs. The employees were told in a company-wide meeting Wednesday.

The lease on their current facility on the west side is up in February. Dennis Haffeman, the executive vice president of human resources for the Guitar Center, said in October the company will begin moving jobs to another call center in Indianapolis.

They are offering the positions in Indianapolis to employees here if they want to relocate. If not, they will get a severance package.

Haffeman said the last day of operations will be December 31 with some layoffs happening before that date. They will be liquidating the merchandise in November and December.

Woodwind & Brasswind is a musical instrument company that began in 1978. The lease on their current facility on the west side is up in February.

Stay with WSBT for updates.​

For the TV news video, go to http://www.southbendtribune.com and type woodwind in the search box.

Please note that much of this information came from the Guitar Center executive vice president of human resources. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the VP of HR a bit higher up the food chain than woodwind manager?

The worlds greatest music store will now exist only as a website.

If you have not experienced WWBW, you simply cannot understand what losing this brick and mortar store means. A music store the size of a small Wal-Mart stocked with EVERYTHING will vanish.

As it is, the physical WWBW only a ghost of it's former self.

Want to try and compare 20 or 30 mouthpieces in one sitting? 3 or 4 cuts of the same piece? Or multiple examples of the same cut?

Want to compare multiple samples each of a Ref 36 to a Ref 54 to a JK to Yani on the same day?

This WAS a wind player's paradise, including brass.

After this year? an empty building. And then try getting a dozen or two mouthpieces to play test and compare from WWBW/Guitar Center. Or 5 or 6 tenors. Ain't gonna happen.

Sure, WWBW is technically not going out of business, and Bill Clinton technically did not have sex with Monica Lewinski.

Scott, I was born in a hospital, but not yesterday.

 

[Joe Jazz]

I guess they're closing the WWBW hospital too(you know, the one you were born in:bluewink. Now where are all those injured instruments going to go?

 

[dogster]

I deal with them all the time online and they are the best company I have ever dealt with Incredible !

 

[Grumps]

Re: WWBW NOT Going Out Of Business

Want to compare multiple samples each of a Ref 36 to a Ref 54 to a JK to Yani on the same day?

Ahhh, new horns are pretty much crap these days anyhow. I've had better luck taking E-Bay gambles on vintage horns than finding anything new I could live with.

 

[Buck Laughlin]

Re: WWBW NOT Going Out Of Business

Technically correct Scott, but the spin is in big time. Remember Bill and Monica? . . .

Sure, WWBW is technically not going out of business, and Bill Clinton technically did not have sex with Monica Lewinski.

Scott, I was born in a hospital, but not yesterday.

Perhaps . . . but you're attacking as "spin" something Scott Kurtzweil said in a post 4-1/2 years ago.

 

[bari_sax]

Re: WWBW NOT Going Out Of Business

Perhaps . . . but you're attacking as "spin" something Scott Kurtzweil said in a post 4-1/2 years ago.

I called shortly after the TV report hit and was treated to carefully parsed doubletalk avoidance.

 

[bari_sax]

Re: WWBW NOT Going Out Of Business

I called shortly after the TV report hit and was treated to carefully parsed doubletalk avoidance.

I need to clarify that the gobbledygook did NOT - repeat - NOT come from Scott, but from some self-important phone drone.

I apologize for dumping on Scott, I'm just upset that Guitar Center bought a fantastic one-of-a-kind musician's candy store and destroyed it.

If you have spent a day at the store, you will understand. If not, you might see this as just another rant.

 

[shmuelyosef]

I personally have been waiting for a double clarinet case that I ordered in January. After several unanswered emails and a couple of phone calls saying that it was expected to arrive in thier wearhouse the following month,,,,,, Needless to say I'm still waiting with little hope of ever recieving the case. I hope the refund policy is still good.

The refund policy is still good. I bought a couple of Berg-Larsen mouthpieces on clearance recently. Unfortunately, even though they were listed as new stock, they showed enough variety of bite marks that it was obvious they had been trialed more than a few times. I, too, figured out why they had been returned and joined the crowd. They were very polite about it, and didn't charge me for shipping or sanitizing when I indicated they were neither clean NOR new as I received them.

 

[Bari Sax Guy]

The refund policy is still good. I bought a couple of Berg-Larsen mouthpieces on clearance recently. Unfortunately, even though they were listed as new stock, they showed enough variety of bite marks that it was obvious they had been trialed more than a few timeous. I, too, figured out why they had been returned and joined the crowd. They were very polite about it, and didn't charge me for shipping or sanitizing when I indicated they were neither clean NOR new as I received them.

Yuck... ...