TromboneChat

It is my understanding that when you go to Shires or Edwards to be fitted for an instrument you walk away with that instrument you settle on. With Rath the process is a bit different - you settle on a combination of parts and effectively place an order for that combination to be built for you and take delivery 6-8 weeks later. So, my question is how consistent is the production in the Rath workshop for the guys to be able to build a new instrument to match the one you tried when getting fitted out?....

At one time you did the same thing for Shires: you'd find a combination of parts that worked for you, place an order, and it would arrive some time later.

I would expect Rath manufacturing to be pretty consistent.  Shires is.  (Although nothing is perfect.)

Quote from: Duffle on Yesterday at 01:17 PMIt is my understanding that when you go to Shires or Edwards to be fitted for an instrument you walk away with that instrument you settle on. With Rath the process is a bit different - you settle on a combination of parts and effectively place an order for that combination to be built for you and take delivery 6-8 weeks later. So, my question is how consistent is the production in the Rath workshop for the guys to be able to build a new instrument to match the one you tried when getting fitted out?....

Your understanding,at least as far as Shires is concerned, is not entirely the case, but they do TRY, very hard, to allow it to happen. My father went there because he wanted to try a new horn and settled on the new, not yet in full production, dual bore rotor. They didn't have any in stock, but they grabbed Steve Shires's personal horn and pulled the valve off of it to let it go home with him.

Other times they either don't have the part in stock, or they do but it's already been sold (I remember playing Irvin Karan's new Shires jazz horn... before he did - this was probably close to 15 years ago, so it's not exactly a recent thing). You just have to trust that the consistency is there such that the horn you actually receive will match the one you tried out.

What I'm not sure of is whether or not they'll allow you to put your stamp on some of the more variable, hand-finished components (bell, leadpipe) and say "This is mine, put it together with the rest of the horn when you get the rest of the parts in", but I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

With Edwards as well, you go to get fitted, and then usually the parts are made. Keeping all of the myriad possibilities in stock ready to ship would result in quite a lot of extra inventory, which increases overhead costs.

Quote from: Duffle on Yesterday at 01:17 PMIt is my understanding that when you go to Shires or Edwards to be fitted for an instrument you walk away with that instrument you settle on. With Rath the process is a bit different - you settle on a combination of parts and effectively place an order for that combination to be built for you and take delivery 6-8 weeks later. So, my question is how consistent is the production in the Rath workshop for the guys to be able to build a new instrument to match the one you tried when getting fitted out?....

I don't think this is 100% true anymore. Someone here on the Forum just ordered a stock Edwards and he was told to expect an 8 month wait. I'm not sure but i don't believe Shires will let you walk out with their demo equipment but maybe you can. I played and then ordered an M&W. It's been about 3 months since I put down my deposit and I might get it in a few more months-but I haven't asked and I'm not going to. They are busy.

Shires does have inventory for sale in the showroom now all of the time. They try to keep the most popular components in stock.

I believe Edwards has waiting lists for their non-modular instruments - the Alessi tenor and the B502 basses.

Yes, my T396 took about 6 months. But it was worth the wait.

Rath horns are crazy consistent from horn to horn. More so than many other brands in my experience.

I got my Rath from Dillons at ATW 2 years ago. Picked it out and drove home with it. They stock most of the common parts.

I got my Rath from Dillons at ATW 2 years ago. Picked it out and drove home with it. They stock most of the common parts.