TubeNet

What am I missing, other than all contact is through the "Administrative Office" in NJ?

The tubas look more like rebadged AMATI products to me. Is there a Chinese maker that puts garlands on their tuba bells?

'Fabrique en chine' or not, I, for one am suspect. Nothing good with an Olds nameplate has been seen since the 70's.

bloke wrote:MENC in New Jersey has owned the Olds name...which has been a hodge-podge of manufacturers.

Don't you mean NEMC:

http://www.nemc.com/

and not MENC:

http://www.menc.org/

Nothing like a little hokey-pokey with names to keep folks confused.

I know, I know. It just bothers me that a once-great nameplate has become just another stencil.

I have to completely agree. I hate to see those classic brands cheapened by the import of these chineese horns. If they want to ship in horns from China, then they should build thier own brand to rest their reputation on.

The name that's on a horn isn't what matters, anyway. The name may sell a few horns but it's the performance of the instruments that's going to dictate whether they rise to the top or fall to the bottom.

Chuck(G) wrote:The tubas look more like rebadged AMATI products to me. Is there a Chinese maker that puts garlands on their tuba bells?

I tried a Cerveny 4/4 CC knock-off once that turned out to be just that. The nameplate was Hans Somethinerother, but it sure didn't play like my old Cerveny!! Roger @ WWBW (at the time) straightened me out on that one, otherwise I wold have given up on the Czechs, too!

When I lived in Indonesia, a fellow instrumental music teacher bought a set of Jupiter tubas for his band. During his annual trip back to the States, he tried to drop in (unannounced) to the Jupiter factory in Taiwan. He even stayed in Taipei, just so he would have enough time to see the place. Unfortunately, they told him that he would have to be scheduled by the corporate offices in Austin, Texas, to make a visit on the factory of any type! All they have in Taiwan is a factory. Everything else is done in Austin! (This was true in 1996.)

the elephant wrote:

OldsRecording wrote:I know, I know. It just bothers me that a once-great nameplate has become just another stencil.

Looks like we were thinking/typing the same thoughts at the same time!

How wierd... (cue Twilight Zone theme...) Well, there's something to be said for just letting a great old marque die in piece rather that just trying to make a buck off it.