Dillon's Cerveny special

[eupher61]

and remember there is a "Sanders", which was a CMC stencil, and a SANDER, of which I don't remember anything but its existance.

[Rick Denney]

I own a 4 rotor Amati Kraslice CC that plays surprisingly well. I'm guessing it is an older horn due to its S linkages. If I recall correctly, these horns are identical to Cerveny's correct ?

They are not just identical to Cervenys, they ARE Cervenys. They just have Amati engraved on the bell.

Rick "recalling that Cerveny has been making tubas in the Kraslice (Graslitz) area since the early 1850's" Denney

[Rick Denney]

1) That story comes from Walter himself.

In which case it was hearsay. Now, if you saw him with torch in hand doing the assembly after opening boxes with a Kraslice return address that contained mere parts, then it would be an eyewitness report and would justify the authoritative way you presented it.

The one eyewitness report we did see on the topic seems to support the notion that Mr. Sear didn't do any assembly, even if he said he did.

Of course, it makes no real difference--the instruments are what they are. DP didn't question that, however.

Rick "'Mozart, you are passionate but you do not persuade'" Denney

[eupher61]

I admit to not knowing for certain...did I hear sometime in the past year or two that Walter had passed away?? I know Don Butterfield has, but someone mentioned Walter at one point, somewhere...I can't find any evidence either way!

BTW, the tubas were imported whole. Designed and built in whatever factory, shipped to him. No question about that.

[Mark]

2) I'm not trying to thinly-veil any slams. Dillon use to be an excellent repair shop. You'll probably still go to them. I won't. I'm entitled to my opinion. Why should people pay almost double the price for the same Chinese tuba that they can get on Ebay? Who cares anyhow... those horns suck...

Considering the way you acted at the Woodwind and Brasswind, I would guess that Dillon's would prefer you didn't come back.

[Rick Denney]

Dude, I've known Steve for a long time and I can call him up today and talk to him.
...
So, people give me a hard time because they feel like I'm Dillon bashing. ...

No, Dale said you were burning a bridge. And he was right--all I see are ashes floating down in the stream. He didn't say whether he thought you cared, and obviously you don't.

A lot of us can call Steve today and talk to him. I have a nice chat with him at every Army conference. Why don't you call him now and resolve the situation? That's what I would do if I had an issue that might lead me to make public complaints about it. By airing it here where the other two or three good tuba technicians in the country can see it, you might find more bridges were singed than just the one. But you wouldn't be using them anyway--some of them have waiting lists measured in years.

Rick "whose opinion is that some people--not saying who, mind you--can be impossible to please and are shown the door, come what may" Denney

[Roger Lewis]

My apologies to snufflelufigus for my comment. I feel it may have been taken the wrong way. When I see a horn in that kind of condition, I know it's a great playing horn and that the player is obviously good enough to be getting enough work where keeping the horn shiny is a low priority. Keeping it playing is what's important. Jen's horn makes yours look brand new.

As to my comments about your teacher I was just trying to be polite. I've not worked with him before and haven't seen him in 30+ years.

I DO remember giving free valve oil and slide grease to your co-workers, in objection to the counter sales folks who wanted to sell them full bottles of overpriced lubricants.

Maybe we can both get on with our lives now.
Roger

[windshieldbug]

and remember there is a "Sanders", which was a CMC stencil, and a SANDER, of which I don't remember anything but its existance.

That would, of course, be the amazing famous re-appearing ex-Fred Marzan tuba, for one!...

[The Big Ben]

and remember there is a "Sanders", which was a CMC stencil, and a SANDER, of which I don't remember anything but its existance.

That would, of course, be the amazing famous re-appearing ex-Fred Marzan tuba, for one!...

Oh, yeah! Just love that copper! Probably too much of a hassle for words but I do love it.....

Copper wash inside a brass lacquer bell? I'd love it. And my recording bell comes off, too.... All the guards in copper? That would be cool, too!

Jeff "Copper penny for your thoughts" Benedict

[windshieldbug]

Wouldn't be so bad... it's not really copper, just a high copper brass alloy!

[Steve Inman]

My apologies to snufflelufigus for my comment.
....

Roger

I tip my hat in your general direction . . . .

[The Big Ben]

The last job he did was crap. He made a leadpipe in from two pieces of tubing and made it 4 - 5 inches short. He then handed me a bill for $550 or so bux and said you can pull the slide out 4 or 5 inches to compensate. I smiled like the gentleman that I am and paid the bill and left realizing I wouldn't be back. Do you know that the whole center of the horn changes when you pull out 4 - 5 inches more? The funny thing is he made the leadpipe before this one and it was absolutley killer. He knew that this leadpipe was wrong when he handed me the horn and the bill

Why didn't you show some stones and say, "I'm sorry but I have to refuse this repair. It is unacceptable. I know you can do better and have. I don't want to pull my slide out and should not have to do so. Please do it over. I am willing to wait a reasonable amount of time but not over two weeks."

Don't be rude, don't bitch online. Just stand up for yourself. I had a repair done on my trumpet which was substandard and was to cost $300. I refused it and they redid it correctly. After the fact, I realized that I brought it into the wrong shop but, in the end, I did get my work done the way I wanted it. You took your horn to the right shop. It was up to you to insist that the work was done right and as previously discussed if you were not pleased. "Not going back" does you no good in your situation. You didn't stand up for yourself and now you are unhappy, have a **** up horn and are $550 poorer.

[Roger Lewis]

Walter Sear horns, according to George Sieger of Amati/Cerveny, these were most likely horns made from Cerveny parts that were assembled in the Amati factory (cheaper - old East Germany - good labor at a good price). I too unpacked a number of these horns as they came in from Europe already assembled and playing. In fact, I OWN a Walter Sear Cerveny Piggy 4 valve CC that is a GREAT playing horns and cost me about $600 and my bass guitar set-up about 30 years ago.

The first batch that come in were called the "Walter" horns because the engraving said:

WALTER
E. SEAR

but they played great for the price. Walter was one of my teachers in high school and college and he is a great man. I have a ton of respect for what he has done in both the low brass industry as well as the recording and electronic music industries - heck, he's the one who backed Bob Moog when the synthesizer was developed.

Okay, I'm done now.
Roger

[The Big Ben]

The last job he did was crap. He made a leadpipe in from two pieces of tubing and made it 4 - 5 inches short. He then handed me a bill for $550 or so bux and said you can pull the slide out 4 or 5 inches to compensate. I smiled like the gentleman that I am and paid the bill and left realizing I wouldn't be back. Do you know that the whole center of the horn changes when you pull out 4 - 5 inches more? The funny thing is he made the leadpipe before this one and it was absolutley killer. He knew that this leadpipe was wrong when he handed me the horn and the bill

Why didn't you show some stones and say, "I'm sorry but I have to refuse this repair. It is unacceptable. I know you can do better and have. I don't want to pull my slide out and should not have to do so. Please do it over. I am willing to wait a reasonable amount of time but not over two weeks."

Don't be rude, don't bitch online. Just stand up for yourself. I had a repair done on my trumpet which was substandard and was to cost $300. I refused it and they redid it correctly. After the fact, I realized that I brought it into the wrong shop but, in the end, I did get my work done the way I wanted it. You took your horn to the right shop. It was up to you to insist that the work was done right and as previously discussed if you were not pleased. "Not going back" does you no good in your situation. You didn't stand up for yourself and now you are unhappy, have a **** up horn and are $550 poorer.

Last I heard this was a forum where people could express their point of view. A bunch of phone calls were made. A lot of time was waited. I paid my bill and took off because I needed my horn/s and I didn't want to wait another 9 months. Steve and Matt know my opinion. I am $550 poorer. They've offered to fix it but I don't know if I want to take my baby back to go on the butcher's block. Maybe they'll make my tuba into the first CC# tuba!

It is a forum where people could express their point of view. I did mine. A shop who had done good work for you in the past, and does good work for others, have offered to make things right and you call 'em butchers. I imagine it would be the next horn on the bench and you would just have to wait the time to fix it. You like to whine and your subsequent posts show you have no class whatsoever. Karma's gonna be a bitch...

[SplatterTone]

What is a Hirschbrunner?

It is a fine wine that goes especially well with pork chops, fried okra, and corn bread.
Dear, please pop the cork on the Hirschbrunner and let it breathe a bit.

[bttmbow]

This thread has gone on too long.

Steve Dillon is a good guy and runs an EXCELLENT shop.

Matt Walters is an excellent technician/repairman, and knows more stuff about almost every kind of tuba than pretty much all of y'all. (also a good guy!)

and... Ron (also actually a good guy...sort of...) has not hidden from us (he is not hiding behind an alias moniker), so...

let's let this thread die here, and let Ron, Steve and Matt figure this out privately, please

THANK YOU, ALL