Ordering from Calace

[margora]

I am just about ready to fax an order for music from Calace (my first). My understanding is (a) you fax the order (b) he sends it, with an invoice © you pay the invoice. As opposed to sending payment info with the fax.
Correct?

[vkioulaphides]

That is correct, Robert.

Raffaele Jr. is most gracious in this respect: when I bought (grandpa) Calace's Method, it was shipped to my office in Lower Manhattan, where it languished for months on end, as that part of town was off limits from September '01 to early '02. Yet Raffaele never e-mailed to complain, request/demand payment, or anything of the sort.

Unless, of course, I am miscrediting negligence as graciousness. #

When I DID pay for the score, veeeeeeeeeeery late, he was most thankful and understanding, having read my note that accompanied the check.

P.S. # #Rumor has it that a certain mandolin-ensemble in New England was picking away at one of my creations yesterday... I hope you all enjoyed it.

[margora]

Victor: re: your piece. Could be, I am away from Providence at the moment.

[John Craton]

You are correct, and Calace is very trusting in this regard. One word, though: You cannot get international postal money orders for Italy. You'll either have to send them cash or wire the funds through your bank. I'm always leary of sending cash, but since Calace had been so trusting to send me the material without prepayment, I did anyway. You might ask them what type of payment they prefer when you FAX your order. Sending cash, especially large amounts, is not really recommended as it could get lost or stolen en route.

[Jim Garber]

They don't take credit cards?

Jim

[margora]

John: re Italian postal money orders. Can't one simply get a money order in Euros? Or, say, a bank check in Euros? Not sure I understand your point, please elaborate.

[Jim Garber]

I think that John is referring to US Postal Service International Money Orders. I had that same problem a few years ago dealing with a seller in France. It seems like the only countries that will acccept the money orders are Canada and the UK (I think).

I checked Western Union and the fees were absurd, esp since the whole item cost only $20 or so.

It is difficult to deal with Europe, except when they accept credit cards.

Jim

[John Craton]

John: re Italian postal money orders. #Can't one simply get a money order in Euros? Or, say, a bank check in Euros? Not sure I understand your point, please elaborate.

The U.S. Post Office has agreements with countries about what services can be extended. Italy is one of those rare European countries where Global Priority shipping is unavailable as are international postal money orders. IPMO's are issued in the currency of the respective country, but Italy simply won't accept them -- who knows why. I suppose your bank could draw a draft for the amount in Euros, but most banks charge a hefty fee for that. And no, Calace does not accept credit cards # (At least they didn't as of February when I last ordered from them.)

[Eugene]

Somebody really needs to introduce Raffaele Jr. to PayPal.

[vkioulaphides]

Ah, Raffaele and PayPal...

You can have a bank or a specializing agency (e.g. Travelex) issue you an international bank check, in the currency of the recipient. Yes, the fees ARE indeed absurd but, hey, you might as well put in a LARGER ORDER!

[vkioulaphides]

To put this in perspective:

When I ordered my Calace mandolin, I got the requisite international bank check from the Thomas Cooke Agency (now partly or wholly subsumed by Travelex). The flat fee for the check was (then) $25, NOT including, of course, the commission one pays for the currency-exchange, and which is obviously an inevitable common practice in international banking.

Obscene, you think? Well... yes, IF, that is, you are buying $20 worth of music. Calace's Method, priced then at $22, ended up costing me over $50. Still worth it, I think, despite my annoyance with all the costly banking inefficiencies involved.

But, if you are ordering, say, +/- $200 worth of music (which is easily imaginable, considering the enormous output of Calace), is $25 too much to stomach? Factor in shipping: you're already looking at $250-ish; call it a round $300, if you will...

It's a judgment call, and one that only the buyer can make.

This very morning, I was just reading in the financial press that online account-holders at Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo can now make immediate —and free— transfers to other customers of the same bank; even transfers to account-holders in OTHER banks are possible (albeit with a $3-5 fee); international transfers of this sort cost only slightly more.

Now, the question of when Raffaele, Jr. (or Italy in general!) will tune in to all that...

[a12]

I may be taking a trip to Europe next spring and could use some advice on where to locate Calace's store
in Naples and what music to buy. How much is available and at what prices? Any favorites? Or should I just but it all.
Thanks

[vkioulaphides]

The actual street-address is on Calace's website; you can access it through the Eye Candy section of the Café.

As for the most up-to-date price-list, you should e-mail Calace... and waaaaaaaaaaait. # #Raffaele is NOTORIOUSLY late to respond.

As for which music: well, that really depends on many factors such as genre (i.e. music for mandolin solo, mandolin duo, guitar and mandolin, quartets and larger ensembles, etc.) and, of course, the level of your playing. In all honesty, there are works by Calace that will simply NEVER come out of my own, squeaky apparatus. #

If you have a fax number, I could fax you an old pricelist; still, accurate as regards the actual catalogue, INaccurate as regards the prices. Other MC-colleagues may have this as an electronic file, which I am sure they would gladly e-mail to you if you wish.

Cheers,

Victor

[Jim Garber]

Bill:
IM me and I will send you a pdf of the list of sheet music they have. Much of it, I believe, is photocopied from the original out of print printed editions.

Jim

[a12]

fax 608 664-3319
I'm not sure how to email people directly from this site.
Thanks for the quick responses!

[vkioulaphides]

Just faxed it to you, Bill: prices quoted in Lire italiane, which, of course are obsolete— long replaced by the Euro.

For direct messaging through the Café, simply hit the "handle" of any user (e.g. in my case, the "vkioulaphides" in blue) and you get to a user's personal info page; one of the options is "Send a Message to..."

If, for any reason, you wish to contact me at my home address, it is: vkioulaphides@earthlink.net

But I am obvioulsy no salesman for Calace and you are best off dealing with the firm directly.

[Eugene]

I have a newer price list to give prices in Euro. I will post it here at a lull in the afternoon's business...unless Jim or somebody else beats me to it.

[Jim Garber]

I sent Bill the one I have which is in euros. The Calace 6 book method is €26,00.

Jim

[vkioulaphides]

[QUOTE]"The Calace 6 book method is €26,00"

If you remember where the exchange-rate was in 2001, Jim, you see how my copy set me back —nominally at least, i.e. minus all the nasty fees— $22.

[margora]

The order has been placed. 95% solo mandolin + 1 piece for guitar (out of curiosity). Will report upon arrival.

[Jim Garber]

Bob:
I am just curious which pieces you ordered. Want to list them?

Jim

[Bob A]

For what it's worth, I've had occasion to purchase Euro notes from a local currency broker, and mail them to Europe. So long as the amount is not breath-taking, this is not a bad way to go. Still, the thing is not entirely without risk.

[margora]

Jim: I ordered (a) "Variazioni su tema Beethoven" (mandolin/piano) (b) "Corale" (solo mandolin) © "Prelude #11" (solo mandolin) (d) "Prelude #12" (solo mandolin) (e) "Prelude #14" (solo mandolin) (f) "Gran Preludio" (solo mandolin) (g) "Notturno" (guitar solo) (h) "Silvia" (solo mandolin).

[margora]

My music arrived from Calace, all in good order. Now I have to figure out how to pay for it (i.e. cash, bank transfer, wire, etc.).