JZ Instruments

[JChiang]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anybody has tried or have had any experience with the brand JZ. Baltimore brass carries them, and they look quite appealing, but of course looks can be deceiving

I'm looking at the bass bone as something to double on and it's quite cheap. Just wondering if this chinese brand has any edge over any other brands around or if it is close enough to a established brand to justify getting one.

Cheers

[bisontuba]

Hi-
If Dave carries it, I am sure it is OK--made by JinBao in Asia.
mark

[TMurphy]

Not too familiar with their low brasses, but a local music store carries them, and I have several students who have bought various JZ instruments. They sound ok, but aren't exactly the most durable, especially the flutes, in my experience. Unlike some other Chinese-made instruments, I've been able to reliably get them fixed, which is a good thing.

[thames]

It's been over ten years since I've been on Tubenet. Hence, couldn't remember my old username or even email address from back then. Anyhow, heres to a new avatar.....

Its great to see that Tubenet is more popular than ever and that most things haven't changed. The one thing I noticed is all the talk of Chinese tubas and it's made me think that perhaps I should get one for myself..........they are so darn cheap.

It seems that there are multiple sources for house branded Chinese tubas, eg Dillons, Schiller, JZ, TE. I'm intrigued, all these house brands have similar models based on previously successful originators. Do they all coming from the one factory in China, Jinbao? I can't imagine there there can be multiple Chinese factories with the capability to manufacturer these "high quality" low cost tubas.

If they all come from the one factory then it shouldn't matter which US retailer I go to. Correct?

[MartyNeilan]

Only problem with the chinese stuff is it always needs to be fixed and will not hold up to constant playing, think student model instruments like the ones given to 4th and 5th graders, made it numbers, not quality.

I had the 186 copy (same horn, different stencil than JZ)
VERY decent tuba, one could conceivably make their living with it if necessary.
Only sold it when wanted something with a bigger, fatter sound.
(Like they say in drag racing, there's no replacement for displacement )
I still kind of wish I kept it around for quintet/small ensemble use when a BAT is just overkill.

[Uncle Buck]

If they all come from the one factory then it shouldn't matter which US retailer I go to. Correct?

Short answer is no. Lots of factors besides the factory including, for example, how picky the retailer is about which inventory it will accept, modifications made by the retailer, etc.