| rev:text
| - First, even if this store kind of sucks, it's still kind of nice to have around. Sometimes you need some instrument-related stuff QUICK, whether it's mutes, a mouthpiece, common sheet music or whatever. Even if it's overpriced. Even if the service is kind of pretty bad. This review is long and damning, but it's the truth and writing it is a bit cathartic for me.
I've been in this store maybe 5 times. First time I was just checking it out when it was new. I went back a few more times for random stuff like manuscript paper, a spray bottle (I play trombone), guitar strings, etc. Most stuff is marked up 10-30% from an online retailer's prices. They did have a few decent professional-level brass instruments that were not marked up too badly.
I can echo another reviewer's experience that I felt kind of invisible. Only once or twice has anyone approached me when I was in there to ask if I needed help. One time I had a question and stopped a young female employee who was walking by. Without actually stopping she sort of half-answered my question, said "If you need anything else let me know" and proceeded toward her co-worker to tell him about something funny she'd just seen on the internet. I guess that was her real priority in that moment.
But one experience made me vow to never go there again unless absolutely necessary. It began when the pad on my trombone's water key finally broke apart and fell out - so I was stuck using wadded up paper as a temporary seal. Now, these pads are tiny discs of foam rubber that have an adhesive backing, which you simply press into place on the water key. A small child could do this, and the pads themselves should not (in theory) cost more than 50 cents.
I called Heid to tell them I needed a new pad for my trombone's water key, and do they have any in stock? Their response was astounding. No, the employee said, but if I wanted to drop off my trombone, they could ship it to their main store in Appleton to "install" a new pad. This would take about a week, and the charge would be $60. I told him this was ridiculous and I was perfectly capable of doing this myself, and he countered that they don't just change the pad - they inspect the WHOLE WATER KEY to make sure everything's OK (wow, great). He said this with the smarmy indifference of someone who just doesn't care what the person on the other end of the phone is saying. Frankly, I got a bit rude on him, and hung up. He deserved it. This would be like someone buying a new mouse at a computer store, and the store keeping their computer for a week til they got around to plugging the mouse in, then charging the customer $60. Absolutely no excuse for such shitty, opportunistic business practices. I ended up buying some water key pads off ebay, I think 20 for $5. They came in the mail 2 days later and I "installed" the pad myself in about 10 seconds.
So that's the kind of store this is. If you REALLY need something you can't wait a few days for from Woodwind/Brasswind, Hickeys, Amazon etc. - then I suppose you can take your chances. Otherwise, I would steer clear. If you need repair service, look around for a local independent tech. Even go to Milwaukee if you have to, it would still be a better and probably cheaper experience than Heid.
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