TubeNet

Does Meinl Weston still manufacture the 45 H-S F tuba? Or...if you have any other stories on the MW 45 "Hilgers" small F tuba, please share.

Thanks!

Joseph

It is still on their website (to be found via the Shops menu above here).

It is similar to the Cerveny quint valve "Harmonia" he played on his first few recordings before becoming an MW artist:

imperialbari wrote:It is still on their website (to be found via the Shops menu above here).

I realize this, I guess I'm just wondering if there is any demand for it (I know my original post asks if it is still being manufactured, but I couldn't come up with a better wording at the time really late at night)

Thanks Marty for the information. Hopefully others, as well, will chime in on the post.

Joseph

UTSAtuba wrote:

imperialbari wrote:It is still on their website (to be found via the Shops menu above here).

I realize this, I guess I'm just wondering if there is any demand for it (I know my original post asks if it is still being manufactured, but I couldn't come up with a better wording at the time really late at night)

Joseph

As I understand the industry, professionel tubas only are made to specific orders. Some very few dealerships and distributors may stock high end tubas. Choosing among the top models nearly aiways involves travelling. As I read TubeNet, the situation isn’t much different in the US and in Europe.

Klaus

LJV wrote:If you reeeeeealy want one, they will make them. They will try to talk you out of it .

Indeed.

If you really, really, really want to OWN one (note that I did not say "try one"), a dealer can, with much frustration and arm twisting, plus a substantial amount of the purchase price paid up front (possibly paid in full), place an order.

And, as LJV also said, they (meaning both the dealer and the manufacturer) will try very hard to talk you out of it and will encourage you to purchase something readily available (ie, sitting in inventory, costing them money).

The Hilgers F tubas might be found in stock in Europe, but even then there might only be one floating around. If you can locate this instrument, it might be cheaper/easier to purchase and import (maybe take a European vacation to claim it?) than it would be to have one built for you to purchase through a dealer in the U.S.

That said, if I was in the US and I absolutely knew that I had a to have a particular model of tuba that required a special order, I'd talk to the folks at Dillon Music.
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As an aside, when it comes to built to order or factory customization:

I know from personal experience that even some "big time" tuba pros have had a difficult time getting tubas built to order (either existing, obscure models, or customization done to off-the-shelf models). When requeting customization, the response from the manufacturer in question has usually been that they are "done" with a particular model and not interested in further research and development ("tweaking") of existing models or that nothing is "wrong" with some their other existing models and to try those.

Interestingly enough, some of the persistance has paid off as evidenced by such tubas as the 2265 and the new piston valve Fafner, both of which were really pushed for by noted professional American tubists.