Posted by Rick Denney on March 15, 2001 at 19:44:48:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Your thoughts on the new Besson CC posted by Michael Russo on March 15, 2001 at 19:18:00:
Well, that wasn't exactly my point, heh, heh. But parents are concerned about different things than their kids. They want to know that 1.) other parents won't think they are mistreating their kids by denying them something like a tuba, 2.) the tuba they bought for their kids is better than the tuba the Joneses bought, 3.) the tuba will fit in the car, 4.) the tuba will retain its value so that they can sell it with little loss if Junior loses interest, and 5.) Junior will bow down and worship them for being so generous.
Their kids are concerned that 1.) the horn they have will be as cool or cooler than the horn their bandmates have, and 2.)... well, I can't think of #2. I know this is true because that's how I would have been at that age.
The exception, of course, is the rare prodigy who is driven to excel and it glows in the dark. In my limited experience based on distant observation, the prodigy is more grateful for the tool that unleashes his talent than the kid in the previous paragraph, and the parents more noble in sacrificing to get it for him.
In any case, a dent and a nonchalant attitude about it ("it doesn't affect the sound") violates all those parental desires to some extent, kinda like racing the family car and burning up the clutch and the tires in the process. And ratty looking used tubas, no matter how good the salesman says they sound, also violate those desires.
Rick "with cynical tongue planted in cynical cheek--sort of" Denney