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Any pictures of it?!?

bloke wrote:Is this still the same tuba (that others have pointed out with comparison pictures) is possibly a piston remix of the old (rotary) "tall" 2155?

Nah, that's the 5450 aka Thor, an instrument I am watching pretty closely

The Baer is the 6450, with pics (that don't really show a whole lot) here:
http://www.meinl-weston.com/6450.htm

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the 21XX series of instruments and the new 5450 and the 6450. These horns are extremely well in tune and very responsive. I have played the 5450 (Thor) and was immediately impressed with the clarity of the sound and the response of the instrument. I would compare it to the Gronitz PCK with perhaps better intonation. I feel that these two instruments are going to be very competitive and very capable of winning auditions.

Just my impressions.

Mike Johnson wrote:I've just got back from Munich. Apart from the fantastic car I hired (that's another story) I had a visit to the folks at the Wenzel Meinl Factory. Amongst the great toys I was able to play with were a Melton Bb Hilgers model with a fibre glass bell and bottom bow. I've always been sceptical of fibre glass, but it was a truly fantastic Bb, felt much better than the hand made brass model they had there.

While everybody else is asking about the new 6450, I have a question about the fiberglass tuba. Did it seem like they just made one of them to prove that they could do it, or are they planning to make them part of their regular product line?

Some of us just happen to like odd instruments anyway, but it's not that often that we see "fantastic" and "fiberglass" used in the same sentence.

I´ve seen a Hilgers model BBb-tuba with a plstic or fiberglass bell at Melton´s in Geretsried. Upon my question about it they stated that particular horn was in use by W. Hilgers on a German Brass tour to the South American continent. And no, I didn´t get the privilege to try it.
I´d dare to bet Hilgers wouldn´t have settled for a compromise if the horn didn´t work up to his standards. I mean, he sure could have chosen a lighter (=smaller) brass instrument if convenience on the road had been an issue.

Well... the prices we discussed on the Thor were in the area ofmid $7's in lacquer and low $8's in silver, but this all depends on the landing costs and import duties, etc.