The advent of Cheaper horns

Jeffrey Hicks · Post by **Jeffrey Hicks** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:04 am

If anyone goes to the Tuba Exchange Website you will notice the price of a St Petersburg 202N has dropped to 2495. Do you all think this is market related or is it because for better or worse the St Pete was always a little overpriced and now one can get an Allora 186 for that price. Just a little bit of a thought for those of us bargain basement players.......

brianf · Post by **brianf** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 3:27 pm

Take a look at www.tuba.com under "Pricing." Don't know the conversion rate but they will not ship to the U.S.

Wonder why??

Paul S · Post by **Paul S** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 3:54 pm

brianf wrote:Take a look at www.tuba.com under "Pricing." Don't know the conversion rate but they will not ship to the U.S.

Wonder why??

I am sure the reason is because of distribution clauses in their contracts providing for sales territory protection.

Paul

Sam Gnagey · Post by **Sam Gnagey** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 5:43 pm

About 5 years ago I picked up a St. Pete at tuba.com in Germany. I think I only paid about $900 for it and the flight ticket cost about $400 in the winter off-season. So I got the horn and had a nice vacation for a lot less than it would have cost here. Then I sold the horn for more than the total expense. Great way to get a free trip to Europe. Maybe it wouldn't work out as well now with the weak dollar.
It had the same valve issues. Not very well made, but pretty nice playing for the price.

Jeffrey Hicks · Post by **Jeffrey Hicks** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 8:30 pm

Dale,
I am almost 30 and have not had a private lesson in almost 10 years. I am pretty much just an amatuer who needs his own horn.

tofu · Post by **tofu** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:19 pm

bloke wrote:
It had the same valve issues. Not very well made

I've heard of lawsuits being threatened for making such statements about these instruments - though I don't know if any have actually been filed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Threatening is far different from filing which is again far different from winning. The gentleman was simply expressing his personal opinion. I believe a little thing in this country called Freedom of Speech still allows one to have and actually express their personal opinions. I can't imagine any company actually bringing suit. Any company lawyer worth their salt would know they would lose and simply waste valuable company money. Threatening - yeah - they do that all the time because it scares the pants off most folks who don't know/understand the law and can't afford a lawsuit and threatening doesn't cost a company anything. Auto magazines rountinely trash new cars as being poorly built and they don't seem to afraid of lawsuits. Why would an instrument manufacturer be treated under the law any differently?