Where is it now?

[Tom]

Does anyone out there in Tubenet Land happen to know the whereabouts of the silver " handmade Warren Deck Prototype" Meinl Weston 45-SLP?

The story, as I recall, was that it was Warren's personal tuba before he sold it to a student (was it Chris Olka?). After some time there, it went on consignment at Dillon Music where David Wilson purchased it. You might remember it as the $10,000 SLP. A couple of years ago David passed away. I *think* the tuba went up for sale at Dillon's a few months after his death, but can't recall for sure. Does anyone happen to know who owns it now?

Why do I want to find it?

It is a "sister" to the SLP that I have and I would love to see some good photos of it or possibly even play it side-by-side with my own.

Thanks!

[jtuba]

A guy in Atlanta bought that horn, if it's the same one I'm thinking of. Nice playing horn.

[Tom]

Thanks everyone.

I've tracked it down based on the posts here and some PMs.

[Tubadork]

It's sitting right behind me, BUT it's not mine, a friend of mine is letting me fiddle with it.
B

[ThomasP]

Here is what I know after having compared my horn to factory 45SLPs and after having talked with Gerhard Meinl in Cincinnati at ITEC.

The biggest obvious differences are the leadpipe and the 5th valve itself, as well as the 5th valve slide wrap. Gerhard Meinl told me that the bottom bow and I believe the top branch was hand-made at the shop in Germany, but the bell was machine made and the leadpipe was made by Warren Deck. I don't really know if the valveset is the same as a factory SLP. There are also some different braces on my horn and a couple of valve slides are narrower and/or wider in their wrap when compared to a factory horn.

My F plays tremendously different from a normal SLP, and that's ultimately why I have it. I was told the "sister" tuba is unlacquered and was in the hands of Matt Good in Dallas. Is this the one you now have?

[Tom]

I was told the "sister" tuba is unlacquered and was in the hands of Matt Good in Dallas. Is this the one you now have?

Yes, that is the one I have.

I've told stories of it on Tubenet over the years, but here is a bit of info for you:

I've owned it since 2003 or 2004. At the time, Matt Good was switching to a 45 SLZ, and as far as I know, still plays that as his primary F. Like yours, mine varies significantly from the regular production horns.

The story of my (Matt Good's) SLP as told to me by Matt when I purchased it:

Tom,

I got a phone call back in the fall of 1999 from
Warren Deck after the Philharmonic got back from a
tour. Just on Warren's recommendation, I ordered your
45SLP from Dillon Music. Steve Dillon and Matt Walters
had not even heard about the tuba at that point.

I didn't get that tuba until early in 2000. It was the
first one to be imported to the US, as far as I know
(other than a silverplated one shipped directly from
MW to Warren).

I played that tuba on "Firebird" in Carnegie and on
many concerts here in Dallas. I used it for, Berlioz:
Te Deum, Sym. Fant., King Lear Ov., Stravinsky:
Firebird, Rite of Spring, Verdi: Requiem, Wagner:
Tannhauser Ov. & Venusburg Music, Revueltas: Sensemaya
and probably some other stuff I forgot.