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Hi All,

I was wondering who are considered to be the best full restoration/play restoration tuba repair artisans?

I am in the market for a Miraphone 184/185 and a lot of them are in pretty rough shape......I am especially interested in ability to re lacquer.

Thanks so much for your help and suggestions!

Best
C

Hi,

Tuba overhauls can cost thousands of dollars but through Dillons Music, a lacquer restoration/replating costs $1500 for a 4 valve tuba. Im sure that they can tell you if they do a 5 valve tuba.

http://www.dillonmusic.com/t-RepairPricing.aspx" target="_blank

Hope this helps,

- Figg

The 184 and 185 are both available new from Miraphone, if buying new is an option for you. That would certainly allow you to avoid the condition issues you are concerned with pertaining to the older horns.

Also, be aware that a there are major differences between "full restoration," "play restoration" and "re-lacquer" and there are major price differences between them as well:

A "full restoration" can take months or years and will make the instrument as perfect as possible mechanically and cosmetically. This is expensive and something that is usually only done to 'high-value' instruments or instruments of significant historical value in one way or another. Sometimes people just want it done (understandable) because the instrument is significant to them, but for most 'normal' production instruments (especially something still in production), the cost of doing this can exceed the value of the instrument on the open market.

A "play restoration" makes the instrument playable and reconditions or replaces worn mechanical components (parts) and can include some dent work, but usually the cosmetics are not addressed and the finish is left as-is. Not inexpensive, but again, the focus here is not on the cosmetic items.

A "re-lacquer" job involves surface prep (polishing & degreasing, at minimum) the entire instrument and then spraying on the lacquer. It's like painting...the real "work" is all in the prep. If you leave scratches, dings, and other marks on the instrument, they'll still be there when you lacquer over them. Lacquering a tuba isn't easy, either, which is why it's fairly pricey and few people want to do it.

Thanks Figg and Tom I appreciate your replies!

Figg wrote:Hi,

Tuba overhauls can cost thousands of dollars but through Dillons Music, a lacquer restoration/replating costs $1500 for a 4 valve tuba. Im sure that they can tell you if they do a 5 valve tuba.

http://www.dillonmusic.com/t-RepairPricing.aspx" target="_blank" target="_blank

Hope this helps,

- Figg

Uh.... take another look at that price page. You're not likely to get an overhaul with relacquering for less than $3,000.

Curmudgeon wrote:

Figg wrote:Tuba overhauls can cost thousands of dollars but through Dillons Music, a lacquer restoration/replating costs $1500 for a 4 valve tuba.

That's $1500 to buff and lacquer only AFTER all the other work is done.

Also looking at that chart, a overhaul of a 4/4-4v (186, 2341) goes for 3000-4500 without a refinishing. So, 4500 to 6000 with lacquer finishing. No listing for substituting replating. The increasing quality of the Chine-o-clones is going to be a factor in making the choice to have a tuba overhauled and refinished.