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Does anyone have any comments, good or bad, about tuba exchange brand instrument?

Can You say "Beer can"

actually, I recall someone having tried a tuba exchange comp. euphonium, saying that they rather liked it...ESPECIALLY for the price.

I'm not throwing in any opinion, since I havn't played...but this is what I heard.

anything i worth at least checking out.

seriously, if you look at cost, the tubas are not that bad......but for most musicians(this does include tubists) quality comes before anything else. Save your money and get a quality horn with great reputation, and more importantly, the aspects that you are looking for personally in a horn.

Schlep, I like the way you think.I hope I don't have to hate the Germans too,though...

MikeMason wrote:Schlep, I like the way you think.I hope I don't have to hate the Germans too,though...

Now, how 'bout those Brits and their Besson? (1812 - we will never forget)

Without voice inflection and body language,a lot can get lost in translation.I support Schlep's attitude about Russia,they are indeed still a danger,have made steps backwards from democratic reform,and are now flying bombers closer and closer to Alaska.Germany and Japan are not threats,are good(well,pretty good)trading partners of the US and,not insignificantly,make some really good,popular tubas.The situation with Russia ,IMO, is not truly resolved yet...However,upon further reflection,I suppose China is basically in the same category,and I've got plenty of their junk...Oh well...

This is why I only ever purchase things made in the South. But what about the owners? I can get a Mississippi-made Nissan to haul my Mississippi-made Peavey amps, basses and guitars.

ya might check the mfg location on those Peavey pieces...since Hartley retired, and whats-her-name (daughter) took over, not only are there now B-mark products (which Hartley absolutely refused to do), there are now some imported things. Not parts, THINGS.

Why worry about where stuff is made? The bucks are made in the distribution networks and point of purchase.

I've bought 3 tubas from Vince between 1992 and 2006: 2 Yamaha Eb's and a Miraphone 186 4u BBb Recording bass. I have been completely satisfied with all 3 purchases. End of story.

I tend to agree w/ Schep'.

.....and TE happens to be my local, so I'm cool with it. He's a knowledgeable salesman, so you should know what you want rather than buying what he wants you to buy. He's got a fun store w/ lots of very cool stuff to look at. I bought an excellent Cerveny 686 from TE...back-in-the-day. Vince, at the time actually steered me away from the St.Pete's because they were having big prob's with the valves. I was happy w/ the Cerveny...and he kept working w/ St.Pete and corrected the issues. After a while I sold the Cerveny and bought a sweet old B&S, but I have certainly played some St.Pete's that were very good.....the good ones have a beautiful low register IMO. they are big bore and are quite free blowing. But I like my B&S better.

1 - Know what you want!
2 - buy what plays best for you!
3 - Apply 1&2 to the TE brands.

FYI..... If you need high quality tweaks, repairs & mod's. Mike Morse is by far one of the best in the southeast! ...and he's now working at TE.

I don't think a lot of people are getting what I am asking. I am not conserned about the actually service of the tuba exchange nor the owner. I am wondering about the Tubas that the tuba exchange actually make.

They are most likely Chinese made horns with his name on them.You need to play test.There was someone in Texas a while back vouching for the euphonium,but not the tuba.Seems like Floozy tubist was at the TE a while back and played alot of horns.Not sure if he tried these.Probably somewhere in the Dalyan-M&M range,if I had to guess...

schlepporello wrote:

Richardrichard9 wrote:I am wondering about the Tubas that the tuba exchange actually make.

You obviously haven't been paying attention to what we've been trying to tell you. Tuba Exchange doesn't MAKE tubas. They sell tubas that are built by somebody else.

Well the disscussion seems to have grown into a talk about the owner, not the tubas!

BBbDave wrote:.... How many other name brand items were once made in the USA or Western Europe now are mfg. only in the Far East? I'm afraid that the New World Order will be shoved down our throats whether we like it or not.

Virtually everything is at least partially made in a country other than the US. It's probably a good thing. Without foreign competition, NONE of us would be able to afford a tuba!

I'm afraid that almost all beginner level Conn-Selmer(king,conn,artley,armstrong,vito,leblanc,etc) will very soon be made in China.But,it will not quite be like the instrument shaped objects of today.Conn-Selmer will build the factory,train the workers with folks who know what's going on,use the same designs,etc.,so,in theory,it might not be a disaster.I'm sure there'll be some growing pains.If the quality doesn't cut it,competitors will spring up and thrive.

If we're still talking about asian imported horns, I can't wait until Gemstone musical comes out with their Tuba. Hopefully I can secure a ticket to the NAMM show and Gemstone/W. Nirschl debut their tuba there.

BBbDave wrote:Dan, I do understand the facts of life and have, as you indicate, taken advantage of the situation and am not displeased with my Chinese horn(I really like the sound quality, even with me playing). I was just wondering when other 'classic' horns might start coming from there. Are the Kings and Conns even still made here? ....... I think it's more expensive to mfg. in Japan now than in the USA.

It should come as no surprise that many Yamaha parts and complete horns are manufactured in China. As an example, I know for a fact that the same factory that manufactures tubas for M & M also makes parts for Yamaha. There is still some domestic King and Conn production going on at Eastlake but my guess is that many of those parts being assembled there are produced in other parts of The World. NONE of this bothers me as long as the bulk of the dollars are made in the sales of musical instruments, and that we have a range of price/quality choices

The real fact-of-the-matter is.... YOU AND I will continue to determine the quality level of what we choose to buy. There will always be 'cheap' and 'expensive' alternatives.

I've said this before... Had it not been for foreign competition, we would still be driving the crap that GM tried to cram down our throats in the 70's!

MikeMason wrote:I'm afraid that almost all beginner level Conn-Selmer(king,conn,artley,armstrong,vito,leblanc,etc) will very soon be made in China.But,it will not quite be like the instrument shaped objects of today.Conn-Selmer will build the factory,train the workers with folks who know what's going on,use the same designs,etc.,so,in theory,it might not be a disaster.

Conn-Selmer already makes a lot of its instruments in Taiwan. Or, rather, has instruments made in Taiwan. Any Bach or Selmer instrument with the notation "Aristocrat" or King horn with the word "Tempo" or Conn or Artley with the word "Director" on it is Taiwanese made. Conn Selmer does not own the factories, but rather it solicited bids from several factories that had to meet certain requirements to build its instruments, and found the best factory to make these horns. Vito clarinets are still made in Wisconsin, but if you happen to find a Vito sax or brass instrument, it's coming from Asia.

Selmer doesn't make ANY saxes in the US today (unless you special order an AS300 and wait a year for it). Bach and King still make student line brass in the Elkhart and Eastlake. The Bach 300 brass and King 600 brass are American made. The "background brass" (including King and Conn tubas and Sousaphone, despite the opinion of a well known brass repairman) are made in Eastlake.

jacojdm wrote:.... The "background brass" (including King and Conn tubas and Sousaphone, despite the opinion of a well known brass repairman) are made in Eastlake.

It's true that the final assembly takes place at the Eastlake factory. But... do you know where all the parts are made? I'm not looking for an argument here. I'm only trying to make a point that it doesn't really matter where stuff originates as long as the quality (and price) is at a level acceptable to the end-user.