Jinbao, a.k.a. "those Asian horns"

[toobagrowl]

You can market your "name" AND be transparent, e.g.; MACK by JinBao, or WESSEX by JinBao, or BBM by JinBao. Or at the very least have your name on the bell e.g.; "MACK" with "Made in China" on the mouthpipe.

I have to agree with the others' here on Laabs Music. At first, I was quite confused about the origin of those "Schiller" tubas with "American Heritage" and "German Engineered" BS ......until I read up on all that here.

Anyway, this thread has been a big box-o-laughs for me. It should be re-named "Shits & Giggles"

[Tubadork]

http://mobile.slate.com/rss.jsp?rssid=4 ... vice%3drss" target="_blank

Food for thought
B

[averagejoe]

Slightly relevant- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPILhiTJv7E" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

I had to post something. I just can't resist a "locked" thread that has opened back up.

[sousaphone68]

I bought one of those Asian Horns and have been playing it for about 4 days now so far all is mostly good. there is one issue that i am working through with the seller and will post a more in depth review once the tuba has bedded in.
In the meantime I have posted a video on youtube showing the Jinbao alongside a Besson 981 concert model. Please view it and leave comments I am interested in everyones opinion of its sound and intonation. Search for sousaphone68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvaoYp19xd4&t=3s" target="_blank

[toobaa]

And i had bought one of those shiny sino-german-american heritage 5v CC tubas from a certain dealer in WI that people seem to hate. I paid under half the price of what a beat-up real 186 goes for.

I recently borrowed a real 4v 186 (though BBb) for about 2 months and was able to play them side by side. I treated the 186 like a CC in regards to fingering so i wouldn't be comparing open notes to multi-fingered notes. Sure, maybe the 186 needed an overhaul; just add cash and stir. So far i own the better horn.

Had i not had an oppressive communist china regime-driven slave-labored horn available to me at a low price i still would still be playing the cratered 1140 i had.

So keep the postings coming, more tuba players can't be a bad thing.

Competition: It's what makes this country great.

[sousaphone68]

I bought a JinBao from Nephune and have posted a video of it playing alongside a Besson 981 my personal taste favours the sound of the Besson but the JinBao is playable and gives OK results I found it to be as easy to play as the Besson which was a relief.
I was reassured by the comments and debate in this thread prior to making my purchase.
So thank you Tubenet as I had not heard of JinBao as a brand or of Neptunes company. A little research helped re assure me that the quality would be acceptable and that the vendor was committed to music and tubas. I wanted a Besson but a good one rarely hits the market here in Ireland or the UK in my price range. Music is my hobby not my profession so 6000 euros plus on a new Besson or £2500 sterling on a used one wouldn't fly.
So to copy some of the other posters I hope this is the sign of things to come cheaper alternatives always force the mainstream manufacturers to review their prices to compete which has to be a good thing.
The other major factor in making the purchase was that the tuba was in stock while I could not visit to test it at least I could see and hear it on YouTube and could assume it existed and had been shown any imperfections I would not have ordered and prepaid from a catalogue no matter how good the reviews or promises I have seen too many friends open their new instrument cases and be very upset or dissappointed in what had been delievered. Example is the Euph player in St James spent a good chunk of his retirement lump sum on a pro Courtois only to find unplayable due to bad valve action no redress from dealer as in a different country and feels to honest to move it on by selling it. He still plays the bands BH Imperial.
So it's always buyer beware whether it's an Asian or US or European make.
Thank you again Tubenet and it's members

[averagejoe]

http://mobile.slate.com/rss.jsp?rssid=4 ... vice%3drss" target="_blank

Food for thought
B

going viral? thought this thread was "locked"

It was.
I unlocked it after a few days to give a few folks a little time to cool their heads. Some folks wanted it to be kept locked, others wanted it unlocked. I chose to unlock it because the Chinese horns are here and "intelligent" comparisons need to be made for the benefit of those looking to buy a new horn. If it gets out of hand again, I can always lock it back up.

sounds reasonable

[bort]

Competition: It's what makes this country great.

Yeah, but it seems to me the competition within the US is really just in the sales, not the development (the hard stuff!). There are very few American instrument makers, and none of them seem to be in direct competition with the Chinese right now. The real competition is in the music stores who are selling instruments.

And interestingly enough, it looks like all of the importers/resellers who post here have made it real clear that there's not a ton of money to be made (and they are not in it to get rich). And from the looks of it, there's a lot of *cooperation* amongst them to improve and import the best quality merchandise. I'm certainly not in on any of their business ventures, but it really seems non-competitive to me.

[imperialbari]

so...

When is Jinbao going to copy those Made-in-India sousaphones?

I love those profoundly serious questions!

Klaus

[Lingon]

so...

When is Jinbao going to copy those Made-in-India sousaphones?

Good question. Those are very neighbour friendly instruments. A couple of years ago there was an Indian wind orchestra visiting our hall. There were a lot of sousaphones in the band, and when all those sousas played they were nearly impossible to hear... So why use a practicing mute when you can use the real stuff?!