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Hey folks: I thought this was interesting, maybe just a change of scenery? Markus is certainly a classy guy and this is an interesting move- anyone heard anything?

http://www.conn-selmer.com/index.php/en ... -theinert/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

WOW!!
He is still listed on Miraphone's website....

This makes me wonder if Conn wants to try again to get into the tuba market.

Say WHAT!

Oh please, can this mean an American-made rotary CC tuba?

I'm hoping he'll find the mandrels for the Holton 345 and start building some great American 6/4 tubas. I heard about this a couple weeks ago from my wife who's a brass repair tech at a Conn/Selmer store.

A nice guy and a good manager might be able to *find* the craftsmen who can stand at the bench and make 6/4 tubas. Maybe there are a few journeymen and advanced apprentices who would like to come to America and be in on a new thing.

And, if Sam has any idea where those mandrels are, MiraConn might have a head start on that big blunderbuss...

Sam Gnagey wrote:I'm hoping he'll find the mandrels for the Holton 345 and start building some great American 6/4 tubas. I heard about this a couple weeks ago from my wife who's a brass repair tech at a Conn/Selmer store.

Not sure I agree with this. It would be neat, but in my opinion, having more 6/4 York style tubas isn't exactly the greatest need right now. The world isn't exactly overrun with the economical BMB 6/4's, and I can't imagine a Conn 6/4 would be much less than half of a BMB cost.

Actually, to step back... what "professional" level tubas does Conn still manufacture? Do they still make the 52J (or any CC tubas at all)? Any pro level BBb's? And probably "not at all" any kind of Eb or F, right?

Hopefully Markus can revive American tuba building... and make some professional-level tubas.

I would be happy if they simply made a "real" American tuba - moderate bell flair, a little wider rim, @ .750 bore, 4-valve BBb and 5-valve CC piston models with direct leadpipes, all the plumbing accessible, so you can "ride throttle" on #1 and a horizontal main tuning slide to fix issues on the fly.

I also find it curious that a CEO leaves a company to become a VP somewhere else. Must have really been a lot of money, or a promise to have free reign.

In a lot of ways, I'd imagine being CEO of Miraphone, while a job of limiting control and answering to "the board," should also just about be a dream career.

[quote="bloke"]

...and (OK, this will stir some ****, won't it?) there's currently one US-made tuba that I know of that I actually *like*...and it's made by Conn-Selmer...
...so where are all of the unemployed US-based good-tuba-building dudes...?? (psst: dead)

Must be a King 2341 BBb--it IS a nice tuba....
Mark

I'm going to have to agree with Curmudgeon. I'm all for a change of jobs and scenery, but I'm pretty sure he is not hired to build tubas, certainly not in a vp capacity.