TubeNet

With all the discussion and debate about Jinbao, is it possible for any ordinary tuba player to go to their factory shop and just try out and play their various horns? Buy direct? Anyone have any experiences or information on this topic?

Fortune may be taking me to Beijing, and I hear it's just a very affordable 30 minute bullet train ride (imagine that?! perhaps we can clone that?) to Tianjin, location of Jinbao's factory (from what I can see).

Does anyone know who the local pro tubists are in greater Beijing & Tianjin? Are they friendly, speak English? I wonder: do they shop at and play Jinbao?

Update:

Thanks, goodgigs.

Micky Wrobleski (wrobotuba memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=30) is the big tuba-kahuna at the Beijing Symphony Orchestra and in China, it would appear. With a career (no less talent) many would envy, he seems nonetheless very friendly, open, helpful.

From several initial inquiries, I get the impression that it is possible to try horns out at Jinbao and other manufacturers there, and there there is growing interest in producing tubas of high, consistent quality, with original designs involving tubists of high caliber and reputation.