| That's a saleman cop-out. They (the dealers, not the salemen) can sell for whatever they want and not risk their franchise, but they can't advertise for less than allowed by Conn Selmer. Conn Selmer will authorize specials occasionally, but they're almost always for a limited period.
BTW, many (most?) of the horns that you see in the big dealers are in on consignment (Jupiter, some Conns, etc. - it varies with what's hot and what's not). Anyway, the manufacturers rightfully and legally set the prices on those, because THEY OWN THEM, not the dealer. (The dealer receives a commission.)
Most, if not all, Strads are sold out of dealer stock, so the penultimate paragraph to this post does not apply to most Bachs.
Dave |