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Hi everyone i'm a junior who is aspiring to become a professional musician playing tuba but i need to get my own tuba. I would like to purchase with my parents a 4/4 CC tuba i haven't decided on the brand yet but does anyone have any ideas on what i could do to get money like grants or scholarships that i could apply for or somewhere that i could buy a good quality horn for a reasonable price. post on here with help it will be greatly appreciated
PDCII

There is going to be a lot of responses on this along the lines of "don't get a loan to buy a horn" and etc.

Since you're in high school and want to switch to CC, you probably have a teacher which is a help. It is probably in your best interest to switch to a CC if you want to pursue a performance degree.

Most players (not tuba/bassoon kinda instruments, etc.) throughout their public schooling end up getting a horn. It is always a good idea for tuba players to get one too. I suggest looking used for something like a Miraphone 186 or the like. They have good consistency and you can usually find them used.

Again, look for a used horn (especially if you don't have the cash to burn) because you can likely find a good price for a quality instrument. I am not sure about any scholarships/etc. so I'm interested in hearing what people have to say. I will say however, though most people seem to be against it, using student loan money to help finance a horn (when the time comes) isn't a terrible thing. I consider owning an instrument a necessary school cost and you should take whatever steps needed to obtain one.

So again, look for a used horn. Don't overpay when your still learning a lot. Used does not always equal bad. I'd much rather own a used Miraphone 188 than a brand new St. Pete CC. (Nothing against the Pete, but c'mon...a 188?? )

I know a violinist that played a benefit concert and sent out letters to doctors and lawyers and businesses in the community to help him buy a new violin ... it worked out well for him ... He sent out over a thousand letter though. you could always do something like that ... or just get a summer job, lol

ztuba wrote:I know a violinist that played a benefit concert and sent out letters to doctors and lawyers and businesses in the community to help him buy a new violin ... it worked out well for him ... He sent out over a thousand letter though. you could always do something like that ... or just get a summer job, lol

That is awesome.

I think there is a long, informative, and well thought out post by Rick Denney about this. This topic comes up a lot because, well, tubas are expensive.

In another thread in the last couple of days, elephant said:

elephant wrote: Pay for tubas with actual money. Creating a life damaging account like this "store credit card" or a "store account" is a bad idea. Period. If you have the money you have no need for this rip off tactic. If you do not have the money you are not ready to make a purchase. Unless it is your job to play the instrument it is a very dangerous and frivolous way to damage your future life. If you are a student and can not get a tuba any other way then JUST WAIT!

There are no grants for individuals to buy tubas for themselves. There are many, many different grants available for various musical activities, but not that one. Scholarships to buy tubas? I've never heard of such a thing, and it seems unlikely to me.

Most high schools (and colleges/universities) have tubas that can be played/borrowed/rented during your tenure there. This is an opportunity worth taking advantage of while you can. When the time comes to purchase a tuba, I personally would shop the used tuba market. Look here, at Baltimore Brass, Dillon Music, Woodwind Brasswind, Hornguys.com, Custom Music, Tuba Exchange, and Tuba Dome. All of those stores also stock new tubas, if you are so inclined.

Although I purchased my first tuba during the tail end of my senior year of high school (and paid cash), I wouldn't do it that way again and I'd actually suggest waiting to purchase a tuba until you get to college. Why?

-You'll have a teacher that you will possibly spend 4-5 years with. They will become very familiar with your playing and should be able to guide you in purchasing a tuba that would suit you.

-There will be others in the studio that will probably own their own tubas. Get to know these people. Ask if you can play their instruments. Start to develop opinions on what you like and what you don't.

-Your playing will develop and you'll be able to appreciate and evaluate tubas much more seriously.

As for actually paying for it, there is cash, credit, or loans. I have only ever purchased tubas with cash, and would advise doing so if at all possible (and it's nearly always possible). Credit cards (or worse yet store credit cards) mean paying insane interest rates (you'll be carrying a balance otherwise why wouldn't you pay cash) and ultimately paying more for your tuba. Loans also involve interest and having to pay back the money. Lots of people have done this. Good luck getting a reasonable loan to buy a tuba in this economic climate!

Minimum wage now is $6.55 and will be $7.25 in July. That means at the current minimum wage even something as expensive as a $10,000 tuba would take about 1,527 hours to purchase outright. Even if you only worked about 4 hours per day 7 days a week, it would take little more than a year to be able to raise the money. With a little birthday or Christmas money or help from your parents/grandparents/etc. you could have a really nice tuba in even less time.

The bottom line from me is:

Work hard, save your money, buy high quality used equipment, and pay cash.

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This took five seconds to find:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=31693

There are often such deals available on the used market. A college kid, even a performance major, could easily do well in school with such an instrument, until such time as he can earn enough money to do better. Better? What am I talking about? Many a professional career has been built on one of these. Even if you do decide to sell it someday, this one will still be worth what you paid for it. Think of it as free rent with a very large and well-enforced damage deposit.

How to buy it in the first place? Say you live at home. Say you decline to drive (and therefore put gas in) a car. Say you eat at home. Say you do your own laundry at home. Say your parents cover your health insurance. Then, let's say you have a summer job that pays $8 an hour (if you are smart, energetic, and willing to work hard, you can do better. But let's just say this for now.) You'll get to keep most of it because you won't owe income tax, so you'll keep around $6.50.

$4700/6.50 = 725 hours. That's 18 weeks working full time--4-1/2 months. Then, you can pay cash.

The more of that you fritter away on other stuff, the longer it takes. The fancier the tuba, the longer it takes. So, how much do you really want a good C tuba?

Rick "who has always had the money for what he really wanted, even in times of relative poverty" Denney

Greta post above from Rick....I'd add:

Work odd jobs outside the 40 hours. Cut grass, clean peoples crap up, pet sit...talk to neighbors and relatives. Knock on privately owned business' doors and see if there's short term things they want to have done. Do anything that's safe, legal and profitable. Take your own bagged lunch and drinks to work. Go on lock down and a tuba is yours in very short order.

Also...enjoy the buying experience. It's a lot of fun - I was just at the US Army Tuba conference and playing cool horns is every bit as exciting in my early 50s as it was when I was your age.

If you currently have available and usable (Specifics, please?) equipment, I do not suggest buying your own tuba at your age. If you are short on the money, you can get a job now so that, when the time comes, your spectrum is wider, but I wouldn't look at a horn now, especially if you aren't looking at it with your teacher.

Well i am looking at tubas with my private instructor and i do have a job and im getting about 7.75 an hour but i have to give my mom 20 for insurance every week and gas for my car to get to school and to rehearsals and such so its tough putting money aside i mean im going to have to but ill just have to start out small like 5 or 10 dollars her and there

I also have a question :

Would it be possible to take out a student loan for a tuba? This would be the best way for me to do it since I could pay after I get out of school.

PDCIITuba wrote:Well i am looking at tubas with my private instructor and i do have a job and im getting about 7.75 an hour but i have to give my mom 20 for insurance every week and gas for my car to get to school and to rehearsals and such so its tough putting money aside i mean im going to have to but ill just have to start out small like 5 or 10 dollars her and there

You are in high school, and right now, high school should be your top priority. Now is not the time to buy a C tuba or make these sorts of time sacrifices required to work full time.

But, when you graduate, you'll have a summer in front of you. Work two jobs. Work so hard they give you a raise. Ride a bicycle.

And learn the good lesson your mom is teaching you: You have to pay your own way in this world. I have borrowed money to buy tubas, but only when I did so as a matter of convenience rather than desperation. And I was in my 30's for the first one of those. Money can only serve you if you have some of it, and having it when you need it means setting priorities and sticking with them.

I'll bet that even now you could spend less and save more. You probably bring home about $125 a week, working part time. You cover your vehicle expenses with $20 of that. What's the other $105 for? If you're like me, it's for Starbucks, lunch, cokes out of the machine, snacks, and other stuff you don't even remember buying. The difference is that I can afford it without compromising my priorities (too much). See a goal and get committed to it. If you saved $80 a week (which would still leave you $25 a week for the occasional--occasional--treat), you'd have $1300 by June. That would be a good start.

Believe me, if you sacrifice and save the money yourself for that tuba, you'll value it more, and you will have earned the pride you'll feel carving your own way in the world. I absolutely guarantee you that it will play better, too.

Rick "who learned this the hard way" Denney

Real simple. Save up what you can, then buy the best you can afford spending the least amount of money on a tuba that will loose the least money or maybe appreciate. A year or two later trade that first horn plus the extra money you have continued to save towards the next step up in a horn. If you are smart and frugal, you will do as well or better than buying a new horn on credit even at student loan interest rates. Repeat until you have finally upgraded to the caliber horn(s) you want.

yeah HAHAHAHAHAHA ... file your income tax return on time and Obama will buy us all 6/4 Nirschls. Thus Sprach Savior Obama.

I have played a Lidl C-Tuba. The one-tone smaller brother of the Bb-Tuba that sells quite good.
Value for money and decant intonation. Very good handwork on the instrument!
It costs around USD 3.000,- I guess.

I'll bet that even now you could spend less and save more. You probably bring home about $125 a week, working part time.

i wish i was bringing home that much they have like cut back my hours it seems so now ill be lucky if i bring home 80. I know what your going to say now is get another job and i would but i have no time i have rehearsals a week a private lesson work and school all week. so it's tough to do that.

I know of people with coveted jobs who did not own their own tuba until they had a couple of years of college under their belt.

I would honestly never dream of asking a tuba player to buy a CC while still in high school. There are far too many variables in regards to having that player keep playing well into college.

I did have some students buy their own tubas. Their parents did pay. In two out of the three cases, they bought used tubas. In the third, they bought a solid value new tuba (2 piece 2341 King) that was picked up at a good price, however, these folks were a bit more financially comfortable than most. They could have bought a $10K tuba ten years ago without any financial burden, I would think.

I never would push a CC, because it is not a needed tool for a player at this level in 99% of the cases, IMO. I had players place in all-state and all-county groups in addition to placing in the regional youth orchestras. All of the literature was BBb "okay". If the stuff got a little bit high and seemed like bass tuba lit, then they had to suck it up. For groups this level, it really isn't going to make a tremendous difference.

However, if you must buy a CC, buy something that is a benchmark. The Mirafone 186 that Rick links to is a good deal. Chris Olka also recently had one listed for $3500, and it should be a decent player, because he really doesn't pick up stinkers. I had made deals with my parents in regards to college. If I got a tuba, I had to maintain superior grades. Those grades and my playing earned me free college tuition. That was worth significantly more than the tuba's value. My horn was a 186 BBb. It worked fine in most cases.

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im a dietary aide at the nursing home down the street from me