Benge Loyalist

Rhdroc,

I saw no where in MusicalMason's post that any sort of deception was used. It appears to me (in what little has been said about this) that he recognized the trumpet as a LB Chicago Benge and, when inquiring about it, discovered it was priced such that the owner couldn't have known its true value to a very eclectic set of trumpeters.

What was he to do? Tell the owner that it was really a $1200 (or more) item? Now, if Mason had been an appraiser, then he would have been duty-bound to reflect its proper value. But this appears not to have been the case.

Did he take advantage of a situation? You bet'cha! Was this immoral? I don't think so.



It does make me wonder, however, how a person can end up with a Chicago Benge and not know what they have.

Regards,
Steve

__________________
Benge Loyalist(aka UsedBits) owns the following instruments:
Benge Bb, 5x, ml #8162 Burbank 1969, gold plated
Benge C, 2x+, mlp #7481 Burbank 1968, silver plated
Benge D/Eb, ml #6579 Burbank 1965, raw brass
Stomvi piccolo, m15, #901885

camelbrass

Steve,

What do you think of this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...324558236&rd=1

Regards,

Trevor

rhdroc

Taking advantage of someone's ignorance maybe considered OK in the business world (or to you, BengeLoyalist) but that still doesn't make it moral or honest. Then to gloat about how he "pulled it off"...it's like being in on a conversation with a couple of car salespersons.

---<Rick

__________________
Trumpets
Tulsa Calicchio 1sZ/3rL
LA Benge 2X (88XX)

Flugelhorn
Hollywood Calicchio brass flugelhorn

TotalEclipse

That's a bit of an unfair generalization don't you think.

trickg

My Dad always said that if you entered into a deal as either the buyer or the seller, and you didn't KNOW what you were buying or selling, then you deserved the deal that you got, whatever the outcome. I can certainly see both points though. And sometimes things change. Prior to this somewhat recent surge in the prices of vintage instruments, trumpets like that old Chicago Benge would have been considered old, and therefore wouldn't have commanded a good price.

Back in about 1984, my Dad, a hobbyist guitar player, decided that he wanted to get himself a decent instrument, so he packed up an "old" electric guitar and his no-name acoustic guitar and headed up to a music store in a neigboring town to make a trade. He came home with a pretty nice Ibanez Lonestar series acoutstic guitar. He had to pay a little bit on the trade, but overall, he was very happy with the deal.

But check this out - the electric guitar that he traded was a 1962 Fender Jazzmaster in Ivory White and it was in pristeen condition. Today, that guitar would probably be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $3000 - he certainly didn't get that for it at the time. In 1984, that Jazzmaster wasn't considered "vintage", it was considered old.

It sounds to me like everyone walked away from the Benge deal happy and I would love to get my hands on it and give it a go. I've never played a vintage Benge, but I'm sure that they have the reputation they have for a reason.

__________________
Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com

"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
"At my signal, unleash hell."
- Maximus Decimus Meridius

rhdroc

To answer your question damo_4701, I think it's a very fair comparison. I've actually over heard car salespersons gloat (or brag), just as I've read earlier in this thread, about how they took advantage of some poor, unsuspecting soul. I thought their attitude (or tone) was inappropriate too!! Maybe car salespersons deal differently in Australia

I guess my problem isn't so much the actual deal -- after all, since musicalmason didn't ask me for any $$, it's none of my business what he did or didn't do. I was more offended by his trivializing the fact that honesty isn't that important when it comes to cutting a great deal.

In any case, it's none of my business and I've probably said too much already.

---<Rick

__________________
Trumpets
Tulsa Calicchio 1sZ/3rL
LA Benge 2X (88XX)

Flugelhorn
Hollywood Calicchio brass flugelhorn

brian moon

I think that the seller can't do math. That horn was made in 1948 or 49.

What else are they lying about? Which former member of the DSO lives in Missouri?

camelbrass

Good points Brian. Yes agree it's one of the later Chicagos..it's difficult isn't it? I can't remeber seeing a Chicago C before...I've seen Burbank Cs...you guys would know more about the ex-symphony player though.

Thanks.

Regards,

Trevor

musicalmason

I think most people who have been members of this site for some time know me. Im a 17 year old trumpet student, and this is an old post. at the time of the deal (which was some time ago), I didnt know nearly as much about benge trumpets as I do now. At the time I recognized it was a benge trumpet, and not umi. so be it burbank, chicago or la, considering the condition its in, $395 is a good deal, so I bought it. I didnt find out till later that it was a valuable chicago, and at that point, how many of you would have tracked down the seller, and give them the extra money that you should have paid for the item. I didnt decieve anybody, they simply did not know what they had and I got a lucky buy. Im sorry if I look like a low life busniess man in this, but I also believe that people who frequent this forum probably know that Im just a member here because I love trumpets, theyre not my busniess and I dont need to rip anybody off for my own good. I got a lucky buy.

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Bach strad 180s ML 25 37
Bach Strad 65 vindabona raw
Callet Grand prix .470
Chicago benge L bore
warburton 3 rims
getzen capri flugel marc. 3fld

DaveH

Quit worrying about it...you said all that needs to be said - the seller was ignorant and you got lucky. Cool...now move on and forget it. I'd have done the same thing if I had been in your situation.

You got a great deal. You don't owe anyone any explanation.

Ignore all the moralizing and pontificating, and enjoy the horn.