Custom Music Closing Its Doors

[davewerden]

See this post below for an update on the situation:
http://www.dwerden.com/forum/showthr...l=1#post124675


According to a topic at TubeNet, Custom Music Company is closing. There is some discussion about it at this link:

http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=61144

My last dealings with them were unpleasant, but I'll still miss the company and some of its people. They did a lot for the tuba-euphonium world.

[Jrpetty24]

I heard the same news from Dr. James Shearer of NMSU. My understanding is that Buffet group was involved in the whole deal and bought Meinl Weston too. They were expected at TMEA and never showed.
I hope for Sterling lovers another major dealer pops up in the future.

[daruby]

I have known Custom was closing for some time. Currently you can purchase Sterling through Dillon, though they will generally have no more than 1 horn in stock. If you want a "custom" Sterling (like I did), work a price through Matt Walters or Steve Dillon and then arrange with Paul Rigget to audition or pick up the horn in the UK.

Doug

[JTJ]

What was the Buffet deal? Did they buy custom?

[davewerden]

What was the Buffet deal? Did they buy custom?

My question exactly! Anyone know?

[bbocaner]

Buffet bought B&S which opened up the Perantucci line, which had previously been more or less bespoke for Custom Music, to all of Buffet's retail network; and it also made it more difficult for Custom to get stock.

[davewerden]

Or maybe not so much. This announcement just appeared on the Custom site

Dear Customers: It has been brought to our attention that there are rumors spreading around on a Public Forum about Custom Music closing down. We would like to affirm to everybody that these rumors are baseless and we are very much open for business. Please feel free to call or e mail regarding our new and existing lines of tubas and euphoniums! Thank you.

Feel free to share any news you may run across about this. I'm not sure how so many people got the wrong impression, but we'll see where things lead.

[Jrpetty24]

My understanding of the situation was that they were expected to be at the TMEA Convention in February, but never showed. This was told to me by an individual who was at the convention.

[Markmc611]

I'm not sure that people did get the wrong impression. It's more like how they want to characterize a business. In my neck of the woods, there have been several music shops that have either closed, or been bought out. This speculation, appears to be wrong, at the moment. But the business climate may change. But real people work at these businesses. Good people. If somebody doesn't like doing business with one company, it's okay to express that. But only bad things can happen by circulating false rumors. This isn't a new thing on Tubenet either. The same reckless malarky came up on Hirsbrunner a few years back. I'd also note that a good portion of those comments about Custom (on that thread) are from their competitors.