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I've created a list of US tuba specialist shops. I don't know if some of these should be on the list, but these are (ideally) somewhere one could fly in, try some horns, and fly home.

I'll add to the list if anyone has any more leads.

Eastern US:

NC: Tuba Exchange
NJ: Dillon Music
MD: Baltimore Brass

Central US:

TN: Joe Sellmansberger
IN: Dan Schultz
IA: Lee Stofer
OH: Buddy Roger's Music
WI: Jim Laabs
OH: Buckeye Brass (small)
MI: Custom Music

Western US:

WA: Dan Overloh
CA: The Horn Guys
CA: The Brass Ark

Dillon Music and Baltimore Brass. See contact info in the sponsors/shops list.

Horn Guys in LA area. Google is your friend.

The Big Ben wrote:Google is your friend.

Not really.

Here's the first ten hits for "tuba stores US":

The Tuba Exchange
Guitar Center
Wessex Tubas
Yamaha
Just For Brass
Dillon Music
The Horn Guys
Jim Laabs
Hickey's Brass Music
Tuba - Wikiversity

Not all of these are tuba specialists, not all of these are places you can visit, and not all of these are in the US. And one of these isn't even a shop.

Google was, of course, the first thing I tried.

Baltimore Brass is a hot spot usually having 20-30 horns in stock. Especially good for used horns. They have Mr. Fedderly and another tuba specialist on staff to help you out too. Solid repair shop if you need it as well.

Brass Ark

BopEuph wrote:

The Big Ben wrote:Google is your friend.

Not really.

Here's the first ten hits for "tuba stores US":
.

I wrote "The Horn Guys in LA" Google is your friend. I gave the locations of the other two. I left you with the suggestion to use Google to find out about the Horn Guys. They have quite a good website= and frequently have many tubas in stock.

https://www.hornguys.com/pages/tubas" target="_blank

Wichita Band Instrument

Custom Music in Ferndale, MI
http://customtubas.com/

Lee Stofer, Dan Oberloh, Bloke, and Dan Schultz all run repair shops and have horns for sale regularly.

schneidah wrote:Custom Music in Ferndale, MI
http://customtubas.com/

Do they still exist, besides a few Ebay listings?

Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

So whatever is going on there now... I wouldn't recommend it. Better options exist!

GC wrote:Lee Stofer, Dan Oberloh, Bloke, and Dan Schultz all run repair shops and have horns for sale regularly.

Good point. I'll add them to the list.

bort wrote:Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

This is not much different from what I heard back in college almost 20 years ago. My teacher had a Hirschbrunner euph. Loved the horn, but there were some serious warranty-covered issues with the horn and trying to have Custom Music solve said issues was like pulling teeth. He even gave them a heads up that he would be visiting in a few weeks to purchase a valve section to fix one of the issues, to which he was told no appointment required. When he walked in, they acted like they didn't remember the conversation and told him they couldn't help him.

Not saying they are a pleasant source for tubas, but for some, it might be a regional thing to want to swing by to try horns.

bort wrote:Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

So whatever is going on there now... I wouldn't recommend it. Better options exist!

Hmm, sorry to hear that! I picked out my PT-6 there 15 years ago and recall the experience being fine. At the time, it was the only place in the US I knew of that had B&S/Perantucci instruments. That's no longer the case, so if I were in that market again I'd certainly consider other options!

Bob Tucker in Ocoee (Orlando) Does good work. Has some interesting stuff laying around. 321-331-1511

I think Custom Music moved from Ferndale Mi. to Farmington Hills Mi.

By Phone
Local: (248) 546-4135
Toll Free: (800) 521-6380

By Fax
(248) 546-8296

By E-mail
info@customtubas.com" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

By Postal Mail
Custom Music International
24700 Crestview Court
Farmington Hills, MI 48335

ktsmr6 wrote:Baltimore Brass is a hot spot usually having 20-30 horns in stock. Especially good for used horns. They have Mr. Fedderly and another tuba specialist on staff to help you out too. Solid repair shop if you need it as well.

This.

schneidah wrote:

bort wrote:Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

So whatever is going on there now... I wouldn't recommend it. Better options exist!

Hmm, sorry to hear that! I picked out my PT-6 there 15 years ago and recall the experience being fine. At the time, it was the only place in the US I knew of that had B&S/Perantucci instruments. That's no longer the case, so if I were in that market again I'd certainly consider other options!

Hmm, when shopping for a 3/4-sized BB-flat tuba back in October, I was considering the Sanders Etude from Custom Music. My e-mail inquiry received a prompt but terse reply: "Hello, All of the Etudes are sold, CMI".

That's in stark contrast to 2011 or so when I visited there on appointment to try out mouthpieces for my Holton Monster E-flat. They were very gracious and helpful at that time, and I got to try out everything in the store that was of interest--mouthpieces, mutes, tubas, and bags. What a treat! I was really looking forward to another trip down there, but alas, they seem to be lacking in wares to sell.

I ordered a PT-31 mouthpiece from them via their website a few weeks ago and received that in four days. No issues there.

I know it is semantics, but Joe's spot outside of Memphis is further west than Chicago. It might be more accurately classified as "Central" than "Eastern."

edsel585960 wrote:Bob Tucker in Ocoee (Orlando) Does good work. Has some interesting stuff laying around. 321-331-1511

As much as I've heard this and would love to send him business, I live in Orlando and have not been able to get Bob on the phone in almost a decade. Either he's busy or is just bad at answering/returning calls; but it would make it difficult to want to recommend him.

hrender wrote:If by “specialist” you mean “has an assortment of tubas for sale”, Taylor Music in SD has a fair number of used horns in stock. I’m not sure how many new horns they have on hand, though. I had a very good experience communicating with them while ordering a case for the Martin. There are a few others, like Horn Stash in Palatine, IL, worth checking out, too. If you’re looking for services, I’d add Martin Wilk and Norm Epley.

The idea being that it's worth a long drive/flight for someone shopping around for a horn. If you think they're worth that kind of effort, then yes.

THE TUBA wrote:I know it is semantics, but Joe's spot outside of Memphis is further west than Chicago. It might be more accurately classified as "Central" than "Eastern."

Noted, and I'll go ahead and change that. Thanks.

For folks that may not realize, The Horn Guys and the Brass Ark are within a few blocks of each other on the same main road (historic route 66) in the Los Angeles region. Noah's hours are by appointment, but there has rarely been a time when I didn't also swing by the Horn Guys to see what they have.

Recently a student of mine ordered a PT-65 from Custom. The mouthpiece sent was totally different that the good one I use and was returned.