Another good reason to buy local

[Mark Horne]

Some of you may remember I posted a few weeks back about deciding on a new horn and eventually deciding on the Bruckner (over a Mira 1293, 188 and Alex 163). At the time, I lamented a bit about how much more it cost compared to the tax-free mail order options, but I also stated my belief in supporting local businesses because of the unique services that they can provide.

The wisdom of this decision became evident during the past couple of weeks when I decided that the Alexander 163 would really be the better choice for my situation.

I contacted Steve Ferguson of the Horn Guys to investigate options, and he was perfectly willing to credit my full cost for the Bruckner towards the Alex. He even brought the horn to a trade exhibit that was much closer to me in order for us to make the exchange, saving me about 400 miles of travel costs.

I know that some musicians are offered trial arrangements for some horns, but I wasn't operating under any such arrangement, and Steve had no obligation to accommodate my request. It's great to work with businessmen who are also musicians and understand the unique processes involved when a fellow musician is trying to find a personal instrument that works the best for them.

The Horn Guys have earned themselves a loyal customer.

[bort]

Congrats! Glad to hear the service matched the cost!

If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to switch?

Also, I love the irony that "buying local" includes buying a tuba made on the other side of the planet. Before I read I wondered if you got a Kanstul instead!

[Mark Horne]

@bort:

When I took the time to listen to the audio I recorded of myself playing the various tubas, I was struck by the purity of tone of the alex. In addition, it seemed as if the Alex had the potential to project more than the other horns - something hard to distinguish in a smaller room. The Alex gives a sense of "impact" - for electric bass players I would equate the effect to using 4X10 inch cabinets as opposed to 15's. I also loved the power of the Alex in the range below the staff from F down to about A - this range was a weakness for me on my Cerveny. The Bruckner, on the other hand, was stronger in the range below that, down to a low E or so. This was a double-edged sword for the Bruckner, because playing staccato notes from low A on down was not easy for me at a piano dynamic.
Intonation-wise, the Alex was equal to the Bruckner for me, and in fact the 5th partial is less flat, requiring alternate fingerings only for longer sustained notes.

I also find the Alex to have a beautiful singing high range, although I don't often play up there, it would certainly be worth the practice time to better develop my abilities up there.

The Bruckner is a horn that seemingly does everything well; the Alex to me is equally capable and it has a characteristic sound that I prefer.

[Alex C]

That Alexander sound is distinctive. Hope you enjoy your new tuba.

[Joe Stanko]

Steve is GREAT to deal with, and for those of us who are primarily trombone players, he has also prodded Kantsul into producing some fantastic horns. The 1662 is the terrific modern version of the highly regarded Elkhart 62H - which Conn completely missed the boat with. And take a look at the thoughtfully designed removable second valve for their single valve bass trombone models - pure genius.

How great is it that Steve has turned his attention to having Kanstul design tubas. If Steve and Kanstul replaced NASA, we would have been not just to the moon again, but to Mars and back...a few times.

[cjk]

... He even brought the horn to a trade exhibit that was much closer to me in order for us to make the exchange, saving me about 400 miles of travel costs.
....

Your idea of local and my idea of local must be pretty different.

(no offense intended to you or Steve)

[Mark Horne]

Yes, when you're talking about tubas, "local" takes on a new meaning. Bloke wan't really kidding when he said:

Seriously (taking nothing away from what you have stated),

One reason for you to buy local is because there are literally thousands of miles between your dealer and the next closest one.

I've had good success shopping on-line (including ebay) for instruments up to about $4000 or so, but for the price of new tubas, and the cost/risk of shipping something so large, it makes a lot of sense to put up some travel money in order to make the right choice. Had this been an on-line deal, I doubt I would have made the switch; in fact I probably wouldn't even have realized that the Alex was a better option for me in the first place.