walnut soap

Comrades-

I use a Pro-Tec top-loader single case,
and a Reunion Blues black leather bag I've had for years.
They both are great in their place, I love them both!
If I could only have one it would be the Pro-Tec.

For mutes i use a soft square "lunch box"
with a hard plastic insert i bought at Wal-Mart for $5, yo.

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Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
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myspace.com/wattywelt
"Music is essentially useless, as life is."
Santayana

Grizzle

Cronkite--Made in the USA, I think. I like that.
Protec--Vietnam and China
Bona--Possibly in Brazil, but I think those are China, too.
Reunion Blues--China
Wolf Pac--South America, I am pretty sure Costa Rica.
Walmart lunch box--must be American made, yo!

All NEW Torpedo Bags are Made in the USA, and I'm trying to insource the original bag, which is the only thing I've ever made overseas. They are not agreeing to ship my injection mold, so that's the only sticking point, otherwise I'd be making them here already. I may never be able to fully insource, but man am I trying. Legal crap and all that...never mind the competition.

When I bought a Protec Single gig bag to "examine" it, and paid $40 retail(!!!) I knew something was wrong. That meant the store paid the distributor $25, the distributor paid $15 to get it from Protec, which in turn paid a factory in Vietnam (the country indicated on that bag's literature) $7!? Materials were a few $$, the owner kept a few $$, and the guy sewing it was paid...$1? Less? As someone who knows something about manufacturing, I know it took a few hours to make. It just doesn't seem right to me. If you're a collge kid, you have an excuse :)

Trying to buck the trend! My American guy pays his rodeo gear guys $15-18/hr w/ benefits. Not a great wage, but a living wage.

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--Steve