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Something I've been curious about recently, though I'm not quite sure how to ask it. Bear with me, just looking for an interesting discussion.

How much does it matter to you what name is on the bell of your horn? Do you feel like when you play a tuba that you demonstrating a liking of the entire brand, or just one model of tuba (or even, just one specific example of a model of one tuba)? That is, if you play a tuba and it's the only XYZ brand tuba you've ever liked... are you comfortable with that?

Many people base tuba purchases on things like price, picking the best playing tuba, or other non-brand-related considerations. I'm not suggesting brand snobbery here, nor am I suggesting that a certain brand of tuba is always (or even sometimes) better than another -- tubas are way too subjective for that. It's just that once you get beyond the basic needs of "need tuba" and can dial-in your choice based on much more specific or objective criteria, how important is "brand"on people's lists.

With such a conspicuously huge instrument, sometimes it feels like I'm sitting there with a huge advertisement for a tuba company. Anyone else ever feel that way? Or am I just crazy?

For example, I not always the biggest fan of B&S tubas. I like some, I dislike others. I don't like the mass conglomerate of the Buffet Group, and the extreme difficulty people have had buying spare parts. I like the workmanship, and even for the products I don't like, it's not because they're bad instruments, it's just because I prefer something else. With that said, the Neptune that I own is a true piece of tuba art, plays like a dream, and is all around an extremely fine tuba. So... this particular tuba is amazing, I can say that. But would I buy a new B&S tuba? I'm not sure I want to send my money to that company instead of another one. It's a bit conflicting to like a particular instrument more than a brand as a whole. Just curious if anyone else has ever thought about that very much.(And NO, I'm not trading off my Neptune because of what brand it is, that's ridiculous, even for me!)

And on the flip side, I don't expect people to like an entire company when they own a tuba... I'm just curious how much people consider the company, or if they just consider the individual tuba.

I think brand is important in helping with the decision to purchase a horn. A company, or brand if you will, helps you with style, general sound characteristics and reputation for quality. Miraphone, Alex, Wilson, and York all give images of these characteristics. In each brand you will find good versions and bad versions. The name on the horn has a large influence on the selection of the horn. If you have a good experience with the brand you are part of the club (a fan). It is natural to cheer on your team. If all your friends play a York, well you likely will look for and play a York. If a great player you admire plays a brand of horn then you will likely look for that horn brand too. This is marketing 101.

Only a few times in a 50 year career have I purchased brand new horns from reputable makers that were toughted by others. But in all but one of those cases, I eventually off-loaded the instrument for a used one, that when it came to my own opinion, I thought played much more to my satisfaction.

Even at that, I still keep refining what I would like to use, or establishing a few specialized instruments to cover my needs. So even at this point in my life at 68 years, I'm still looking for better tools. I spend a lot of time tweaking my horns to help them be more friendly. It is important to emphasize that to me a tuba is a tool, or a means to convey a musical message. I feel strongly enough about the quality of my playing that what I have to say is the compelling element in my performance, not the horn.

I look for a horn that plays pretty well in tune, clear sound from top to bottom, great response and controllability, slick valves and an ease to adjust pitch on the fly. I do not feel a certain tuba is gonna make me sound like some worshipped great player of tuba celebrity world. It simply needs to let me sound my message with ultimate ease. To that end I have several instruments that help get me there. Some are Chinese imports, while others are American relics "tweaked to perfection." Some are orchestra cannons while others are more delicate solo/chamber instruments. I'm not a snob regarding the manufacturer, but very much am one when it comes to personalizing the instrument to respond to my "quirks and foibles." I have even dabbled in creating "Frankentubas" which were both rewarding to create and also great to play. So no, name does not carry much water with me. But whatever it is, it needs to be a "player."

Well, not just for new horns... just owning horns in general. Brian is probably right, I think it's just a matter of marketing. For some reason, I've just never really felt as "good" about B&S as I have about other manufacturers. I don't dislike them (or I wouldn't own one of their horns), but I think I definitely have some sort of brand feel-good hierarchy in my brain, and other brands are higher than B&S.

That said, I'm just a tuba nobody, but just think it's interesting that whether it makes sense or not, the brand of the instrument seems relevant to me somehow. Just curious if anyone else thinks like this.

bort wrote:Well, not just for new horns... just owning horns in general. Brian is probably right, I think it's just a matter of marketing. For some reason, I've just never really felt as "good" about B&S as I have about other manufacturers. I don't dislike them (or I wouldn't own one of their horns), but I think I definitely have some sort of brand feel-good hierarchy in my brain, and other brands are higher than B&S.

That said, I'm just a tuba nobody, but just think it's interesting that whether it makes sense or not, the brand of the instrument seems relevant to me somehow. Just curious if anyone else thinks like this.

I like B&S tubas, but I can't stand VMI

bort wrote: For some reason, I've just never really felt as "good" about B&S as I have about other manufacturers. I don't dislike them (or I wouldn't own one of their horns), but I think I definitely have some sort of brand feel-good hierarchy in my brain, and other brands are higher than B&S.

Just admit you are a Miraphone guy

Untersatz wrote:
I like B&S tubas, but I can't stand VMI

B&S = VMI, same company. But I guess you know that and are just talking about the actual brand/label preference I'm kinda the opposite on the B&S/VMI labeling....I actually prefer the VMI label with that cool eagle engraving on the bell Whenever I hear "B&S" it kinda sounds like "BS"....as in "Bull (&) Sh!t".

As for me, I don't really have too much brand loyalty as I like tubas of multiples brands. But I do tend to like some brands better than others. On the whole, I have a preference for vintage Holton, H.N. White (King), rotary Meinl-Weston, and rotary B&S/VMI tubas. For me having the preference for certain tubas has to do with years of cumulative personal experience playing those tubas, as well as listening to others play those tubas. And for the same reasons, there are other brands/tubas that - on the whole - don't get me too excited, but I can still recognize them as excellent tubas, and actually like a few models they make Yamaha and Miraphone come to mind...

Oh yeah, H. N. White on the bell appeals to me very strongly - it isn't exactly a compelling virtue, as if every one is automatically desirable, but it's confidence inspiring.

On the other hand, I'm quite attracted to Italian instruments, and I can't really say it's because an Italian name on the bell inspires confidence. Maybe it is just the opposite, that thrill of doubt.

I tend to return to those names that have worked for me in the past full knowing that all products from the same sources may not serve me well.

If you find yourself in the position of quickly needing to buy a mid-to-high quality trumpet, sight unseen, Yamaha is the safest bet because of their consistent QC. My guess is it would be the same for euphoniums and tubas.

That is a sort of brand loyalty, although perhaps not the type you are asking about.

Hup

toobagrowl wrote:Just admit you are a Miraphone guy

I am, and I'll happily admit it. I have a lot of respect for that company, and I often like their products. I'm certainly not exclusive with them though, so while I may use them as a starting point, I may not always end up with one of their horns. It sounds like some other people have similar approaches, which is interesting to me. The talk around here on TubeNet usually seems like "best horn available, regardless," so I'm interested to see how "brand" plays into our individual decisions. Even if it's a low priority on the list, it's still something we are all aware of.