Re: Willson 3+1 BBb compensator


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Posted by Chuck Jackson on October 10, 2003 at 17:49:59:

In Reply to: Willson 3+1 BBb compensator posted by Mary Ann on October 10, 2003 at 09:37:24:

Permit me to jump in here and clear a couple of things up:

1. The military uses them for 7 years and puts them up for sale. NOT TRUE. Before anyone gets their collective jollies thinking they can walk into any military band and buy an instrument has got another thing coming. A horn has to be really used up for it to be "Deadlined". If a unit is getting rid of instruments, the pecking order that I remember is this:

a. other bands get first crack
b. Reserve and Guard Units get the next crack
c. Other srvices get the next crack
d. Prisons and other places of prolonged confinement get the next crack.

They never make it beyond A or B. Sean's band has some very nice Mirafone 4 Valve BBb Helicons that didn't catch on at FORSCOM when I was there. The 6 Valve Rudy F made it as far as the field band.

No unit will get rid of an instrument unless it's completely shot, Then it goes to a DRMO
Auction. Basically this is a big cattle call auction. Yes, you can get the odd musical instrument, but it may be palletted together with engine oil, the odd pontoon bridge, a couple of manual typewriters and the such. The last auction I saw where anyone made a killing was in 1994 when the School of Muisc deadlined 4 tubas, all of which were bought by Tom McGrady.

I am not suggesting that the gentleman in question was prevaricating, just misled. DO NOT EXPECT TO GET A HIGH QUALITY INSTRUMENT AT A DRMO AUCTION. If and when they come up, the instruments are generally, well, junk.

Chuck



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