And it seems Cucinotti's philosophy has paid off. About 70 percent of his customers come back for upgrades or to sell them on consignment. The rest of his customers largely come in after he has been recommended to them, Cucinotti said.
"I can't compare with stores downtown. The only thing I can hope for is word of mouth. My main thing is that I'll beat anyone else's price," Cucinotti said.
When Cambridge musician Heidi Larisch came in last week looking for a small saxophone to take with her on a trip to Bolivia, Cucinotti was able to sell her one for about half the price she'd find it elsewhere. He even showed her his cost, which surprised Larisch.
"It was nice working with Dominic. He's kind of an old-fashioned deal maker," Larisch said. "He was really up front about everything and that's refreshing because some people aren't."
While Cucinotti has sold to many local musicians, some of whom have played with well known bands, he said he also sells to many families who have children just starting to play. Not only are the prices reasonable, but Cucinotti will pay the full value of the instrument on trade in if it is in good condition.
"He's a nice guy who tries hard. He's a very honest and reliable person who stands behind what he says," said Lyons.
Music has been important to Cucinotti since he was a child.
Growing up in Boston, Cucinotti played the saxophone, clarinet, and flute. His siblings, and now his own children, nieces and nephews, also have an interest in music, which allows them to play and sing, especially during the holidays.
"We got together at my brother's house for Thanksgiving and played for five or six hours," Cucinotti said.
Although Cucinotti no longer plays many gigs, his last major concert was for a host of pretty impressive guests, including President Bill Clinton. When the president was in Boston for a fund-raising event a few years ago, Cucinotti played in the 22-piece John Payne Saxophone Choir at the Park Plaza Castle. Security was so tight, the Secret Service did background checks on each musician and they had to leave their instruments at the door to be searched by White House staff.
Now that he spends most of his time buying, selling, trading and repairing instruments, Cucinotti is glad he left his job in the corporate sector to own and operate his own shop. And while he sometimes misses playing gigs, he likes the flexible but more stable hours of running a business in the town he's lived in for 20 years.
"When I came into this business, I decided to give people a really good deal hoping they'd come back. I think it's worked," said Cucinotti.
By Michele Netto
TAB Staff Writer
The Brookline TAB, December 11, 1997
Saxophones - Band and Musical Instruments
