Is there a university nearby, with any kind of a music program? They
always have somebody to whom they can turn, when, to pick an
absolutely random example, the trombone player gets his slide slammed
in a band room door. (That couldn't happen, right? :-0 )

Circa 1974. I played a POS Conn trombone for many years before I'd "earned"
a new instrument from the parents. Finally, in high school, I got a new,
good one. A Yamaha Professional with F-Attachment, somewhere in the
neighborhood of $500 (twice what I paid for a used motorcycle. ;-)

THE VERY FIRST DAY I HAD IT I dropped it on the field in marching band
practice!!!! The slide was sprung, and is still sprung. Several people
worked on it but there is still to this day a slight catch between first and
second position.

I had never dropped or dinged the Conn... sigh

-- Mark