M&M Tubas

lakota.stahl · Post by **lakota.stahl** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:42 am

Hey does anybody know if those M&M Tubas are any good? I'm looking to get a tuba for around 2500 to 3000. Anyone have any good recommendations? BBb preferably.

USStuba04 · Post by **USStuba04** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:57 am

I would strongly suggest that you check out Mack Brass.

First of all, the horns are the same with the exception of a few models and Macks prices are more fair.

In my experience Mack takes better care in looking the horns over before they are shipped to customers.

I recommend the BBb model 210

Here is a link: http://www.mackbrass.com" target="_blank

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:56 pm

Hi-
Both MACK & TubaMM are sponsors on this site.
The most common clones sold by Dillon,JZ, MACK, Schiller,TE,TubaMM,Wessex, etc.--are the same whether the BBb 200 or 210 or the CC 410--basically the same animal...some can have options like a gold brass bell, or the importer goes over the horn to inspect/check the horns, etc.
Happy shopping.
Mark

RogerBrassMan · Post by **RogerBrassMan** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:14 am

Hi there everyone,

M&M Tubas are checked thoroughly before being shipped. They make sure that all of their instruments are pristine. M&M Tubas also come with a warranty and M&M is extremely easy to communicate with. M&M also has a larger selection of tubas than most.

Untersatz · Post by **Untersatz** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:11 pm

RogerBrassMan wrote:Hi there everyone,

M&M Tubas are checked thoroughly before being shipped. They make sure that all of their instruments are pristine. M&M Tubas also come with a warranty and M&M is extremely easy to communicate with. M&M also has a larger selection of tubas than most.

Wow!!! That was the best shill I've heard in a long time!!!
Care to inform us how you know these amazing details

michael_glenn · Post by **michael_glenn** » Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:04 pm

You're better off buying from Mack Brass, or Wessex. They come from the same factory in China, but the prices from them are much better, and have better customer service. My honest $0.02.

USStuba04 · Post by **USStuba04** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:33 am

TubaMusikMann wrote:
RogerBrassMan wrote:Hi there everyone,

M&M Tubas are checked thoroughly before being shipped. They make sure that all of their instruments are pristine. M&M Tubas also come with a warranty and M&M is extremely easy to communicate with. M&M also has a larger selection of tubas than most.
Wow!!! That was the best shill I've heard in a long time!!!
Care to inform us how you know these amazing details

I can't help but notice they joined this forum 30 minutes prior to posting this....

RogerBrassMan · Post by **RogerBrassMan** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:17 pm

Not trying to be a shill. lol. I work with M&M Tubas. I was just stating what I see with my own eyes. My fault for not mentioning that I work with them in the initial post. Thanks for pointing that out.

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:43 pm

What do you know about the MM-TU5000 Bb 25" tuba

Is that a Bb version of the "Bubbie" or F Tubas that have been around??

Untersatz · Post by **Untersatz** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:52 pm

Three Valves wrote:What do you know about the MM-TU5000 Bb 25" tuba

Is that a Bb version of the "Bubbie" or F Tubas that have been around??

.591" bore with a 12" bell sounds like a euphonium to me

Untersatz · Post by **Untersatz** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 1:15 pm

58mark wrote:viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44180

Well, that clears things up Mark..........about as clear as mud!

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 1:36 pm

Well I wouldn't be pleased if it showed up and turned out to be a glorified Baritone!!

chancek31 · Post by **chancek31** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 3:33 pm

RogerBrassMan wrote:Hi there everyone,

M&M Tubas are checked thoroughly before being shipped. They make sure that all of their instruments are pristine. M&M Tubas also come with a warranty and M&M is extremely easy to communicate with. M&M also has a larger selection of tubas than most.

Is the tu-1000 a 5/4 or a 4/4?

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 7:45 am

I've played some that were competent and some that were not, and that is true of all the importers of low-price-point Chinese instruments. Some do better quality control than others.

The more expensive Chinese-made instruments are so because of greater quality control, and more input and refinement of the design of the instrument as the years go by. Some of them are bordering on excellent, with competent mechanicals. Those attributes will be obvious on play-testing, which I would recommend for any of these.

I can only think of two brands that present a really low likelihood (or risk if you prefer) of getting a real outlier (good or bad) when buying sight unseen: Miraphone and Yamaha.

Rick "caveat emptor" Denney

The Big Ben · Post by **The Big Ben** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 10:14 am

Put this search term into Google and you will have more TubeNet opinions and/or facts and/or shilling about Chinese horns and M&M horns in particular than you can shake a stick at:

site:http://forums.chisham.com chinese M&M

bud · Post by **bud** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:13 pm

I agree with Rick's post.

Regarding MM in particular, since people are giving the MM poster a hard time for his lack of hipness as a poster, I'll chime in with my personal experience. I've never purchased a tuba from them, but I visited their shop in Boca Raton a couple months ago to test tubas and euphoniums. They had a repair tech there who said he had worked for Bach for many years (I think maybe he said he was a production/manufacturing manager). Their repair shop looked very well equipped. The repair tech proudly showed me some of his recent rehabs of previously beaten high school instruments. They looked very well rehabbed, like back to new.

They were kind to let me honk on all of the demo instruments on display, and they pulled the latest f tuba (pt10 clone) out of the sealed box for me to test. Some of the instruments that I played including the pt10 clone, I would enjoy owning for their price. In fact this pt10 clone seemed better than many pt10s I had played in the past (but I've improved a lot since I was last shopping for B&S f tubas. I tell my students to consider the pt10 clone and pt6 clone when they want that type of instrument. I enjoyed the compact rotary BBb at MM too.

The owner of MM made a special trip to the store to come talk with me. He is a genuine tuba player, studied with Bishop, still plays/performs.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that the current vendors don't really want us digging through their inventories searching for the best of the batch. When I finally can afford to buy some of these instruments, at these prices I'll play by their rules, and upon receiving the instrument, if I judge it to be not enjoyable, a bad example of the model, then I'll send it back for an exchange. In the post music warehouse era, I've chosen to send Meinl Weston tubas that worked fine back in exchange for others of the same model until I was happy.

I've also visited Mack Brass as Tom, also a tuba player, was just getting started. He only had one f tuba for sale in his possession at the time. He had me over to his house to let me play it. He was very cool. I'm glad he's been able to grow.

eupho · Post by **eupho** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:34 pm

The M&M TU 5000 Bb appears to be a Tenor Tuba in Bb as opposed to BBb. Is there anyone who owns one who could comment on the playing characteristics of the instrument?

eupho · Post by **eupho** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:42 pm

I have seen video of the CC(186 clone) and the EEb(Besson 981 clone) These are marketed by Schiller, M&M, Mack and Wessex but as far as I know all manufactured by Jinbao. Although I have never played either of these, they appear to be exceptional instruments. In tune, focused and dark timbre and technically nimble. I am just basing what I have said on what I have seen and heard. I do not work for any of these dealers.

bort · Post by **bort** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:52 pm

I have played several mid-level Chinese tubas, and while I'm no authority on the subject, I would agree with most of the claims that are made -- good value, sounds nice, build quality is good. Yes, you will probably notice a difference side-by-side with a similar German/American/British-made horn, particularly in the details and fit/finish. I'm not even sure how to explain it, but when I've tried things side-by-side, the Chinese ones just feel a bit cheaper. The good news though, is that they ARE cheaper. At least in the short term, it seems like you get what you pay for, and I mean that in a completely neutral way. For all of this, you will have to decide how important it is to you personally.

Michael Bush · Post by **Michael Bush** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 2:55 pm

bud wrote: Regarding MM in particular, since people are giving the MM poster a hard time for his lack of hipness as a poster, I'll chime in with my personal experience.

M&M is a sponsor here, and we're all grateful for that. At the same time, the friction you're noticing isn't just about posting sensibilities. There has been some history of M&M being resistant to giving clear, useful answers to questions. Wessex and Mack Brass, at least, have changes made to various models to suit their customers, and to improve the instruments. They are very clear about what those changes are. M&M has from time to time said they have had changes made that solved major problems, but then stonewall when we ask what the changes are. It would be fair to say that some readers of the board have concluded they were pixie dust.

There was also an issue a few years ago about whether an instrument that was paid for was the one that was delivered, and then about the financial matters that followed from that.

So fair or unfair, right or wrong, there are some trust issues around here with that particular company. It's been a while, though, so maybe experiences like yours will begin to patch things up.

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