Martin BAT

[The Big Ben]

Martin BAT on stand. Looks pretty straight. $1K to start.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Early-Brass-Large-M ... dZViewItem

Get rid of the "Alter of Television" in your front room and install this big mutha on a stand. Invite the neighbors in for "Tuba Revivals". Transcribe Bach organ concertos to the tuba and put the fear of God in them...

Jeff

[Steve Marcus]

The seller, "lodestarexpress," has not responded to an inquiry sent via eBay 2 days ago. Who is "lodestarexpress?"

[The Big Ben]

The seller, "lodestarexpress," has not responded to an inquiry sent via eBay 2 days ago. Who is "lodestarexpress?"

I'm guessing a 'seller's agent" You drop off your stuff, they list it, sell it, charge you a fee and send you a check. If they don't answer e-mail quickly, they aren't doing their job.

[Dan Schultz]

Here you go:

http://www.lodestarexpress.com/

Check out the 'past auctions' page. It looks like they have sold some pretty classy stuff!

[MartyNeilan]

Martin BAT on stand. Looks pretty straight.

I was unaware one could tell the sexual preference of tubas.

IF I ever got another Martin, I would try to get my old one (formerly AJ's) back.
As much as I loved the sound of it, the reason I sold the horn was there frankly wasn't too much of a real-world, pay-the-bills use for a bellfront top-action piston BBb tuba. The 2155R CC I acquired has 85-90% of the sound of the big Martin and is much more acceptable in far more environments.
(Of course, 2 days and 5 hours from now, I may change my mind. I will just need to find a new wife, new kids, new cat, and new apartment after they all leave me for buying another tuba.)
Marty's Ex-Martin:

[TubaRay]

Martin BAT on stand. Looks pretty straight.

I was unaware one could tell the sexual preference of tubas.

I'm not certain, but I believe it is possible by noting the tilt of the leadpipe. At least, that is what I have been told.

[LoyalTubist]

Correctomundo. It's not like the new Miraphone 289 with ergonomic valves.

[MartyNeilan]

A word on these horns concerning pitch. Unlike their slightly smaller Conn cousins, The Martins have very stable intonation tendencies. HOWEVER, these beasts are not Mash Buttons and Blow horns. The Martins can be played very much in tune, but there is a certain degree of work in learning the horn. The slots are -wide- and the notes are very bendable. The horns also work better with medium cup mouthpieces like a Helleberg 7B or similar bowl cup. I would probably use the Baer F mouthpiece if I still had mine.
The good news is that with only three valves you can still get just about every note in tune, and then use false tones in the basement, starting with a squirrelly open low Eb and then gettig progressively more stable. I personally pulled either the 1st or 2nd slide for 123 combos, but could have also lipped it down if I had really wanted. I seem to remember having to lip up the 23 valve combons, since the 3rd valve is cut long to facilitate 13 being right in tune.

[MartyNeilan]

Although the vintages are similar (I will have to try and look up my old horn's serial number) the engraving on the bell is different - and neither is the "later" Martin style.
Mine:

Ebay:

[The Big Ben]

Well, it went for $1150. Whopee! Someone gonna have big fun!