Tuba of even to the seller unknown make

Sell and Buy equipment via Ebay and Craigslist
Forum rules
This is for posting links to off site deals that you are not personally selling,but wanting to pass along good deals
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Post by Wyvern »

What a sexy looking tuba case - I like it! :wink:

If the tuba was made in 1994, that would surely make it too early to be Chinese? The unusual angle the leadpipe entering the 1st valve could give a good clue to the manufacturer.

Could it be by a small German firm which do not usually export?
User avatar
cjk
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1915
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:16 pm

Post by cjk »

It looks like one of those VMI/B&S stencils but the pictures aren't good enough to tell.

The case for my B&S F tuba has a similar odd shape.
User avatar
WilliamVance
bugler
bugler
Posts: 213
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 1:18 am
Location: Reno, Nevada

Post by WilliamVance »

Seems theres more of a fucus on taking pictures including the case/bag than the horn... I vote for Cerveny. Looks like it could be a great horn, but you never know until you actually try it.
Bill Vance
Martin-King 6/4 custom 4V BBb Tuba
Martin "Mammoth" 3V Sousa '27
Martin "Mammoth" 4V Sousa '29
Mirafone 186 BBb (being Oberlohed in Seattle)
User avatar
Dan Schultz
TubaTinker
TubaTinker
Posts: 10424
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 10:46 pm
Location: Newburgh, Indiana
Contact:

Post by Dan Schultz »

Neptune wrote:..... If the tuba was made in 1994, that would surely make it too early to be Chinese? ..... Could it be by a small German firm which do not usually export?
Huh?? .... The Chinese have been making tubas for much earlier than 1994. The Sanders tubas that the folks in Detroit distributed were made in China. I think the horn in question is most certainly of Asian origin. There's a faint chance that it's Czech, but I seriously doubt it.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Post by Wyvern »

Kurt, If you would like to email the pictures to me, I will put up.

Jonathan
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Post by Wyvern »

User avatar
Dan Schultz
TubaTinker
TubaTinker
Posts: 10424
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 10:46 pm
Location: Newburgh, Indiana
Contact:

Post by Dan Schultz »

bloke wrote:.... edit: At this point, does Kurt understand or not understand that I believe that the tuba he is looking at is Chinese?
DITTO DITTO DITTO. Sorry, Scoob.... I don't mean to be augumentive, but the Sanders 'Imperial' (Chinese) tubas have been around for longer than you think. In fact, they are a definite fore-runner of the Chinese tubas we are seeing today. Unfortunately, they weren't much better.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
User avatar
WakinAZ
Community Band Button-Masher
Posts: 1084
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:03 pm
Location: Back Row

Re: Tuba of even to the seller unknown make

Post by WakinAZ »

Belltrouble wrote:...cheap idea to lower that leadpipe,the mouthpiece sits nearly above my forehead,not only in front of it.......
Kurt,

Try a stand or rest (K&M, BBC, etc.): cheaper than a leadpipe adjustment and won't screw up the horn. I would only trust the best repair tech you know to do the leadpipe adjustment.

Eric
User avatar
Dan Schultz
TubaTinker
TubaTinker
Posts: 10424
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 10:46 pm
Location: Newburgh, Indiana
Contact:

Post by Dan Schultz »

Scooby Tuba wrote: No, they haven't been around as long as you have sometimes suggested (I don't consider mid-80s much earlier... If I did, I'd have to admit I'm....OLD!!!), but they were some of the first. Sanders Imperials were made by Cerveny first...
Sorry Scoob.... I REALLY wasn't trying to be argumentive... but I misunderstood you when you said that the Sanders Imperials were more recent... by 'more recent', I assumed it to mean within the last ten years or so when we began seeing so darned many of the imports under many different names. Mid-80's is probably a good date.

However, now that the picture of the horn has been posted by Neptune..... judging from the configuration of the thumb-ring back-plate and the style of braces... the horn appears to be of B & S/VMI origin or a copy thereof. Of course, someone could have always changed the thumb-ring. The fact that the valve tubing ferrules are plain is interesting, too! I think I'm going to have to recant my vote and say that I think the horn was probably made in what was then called the GDR.... not China as I previously voted.

Someone mentioned the name 'Sonora'. The tubas that I've seen with that name were made by B & S/VMI and were produced in the 70's.... along with other names like Carl Wunderlich and Gerhart Schneider.... several years before the Asian copies began to appear. Those tubas are nice little secrets. Ed Stregge has had one at auction for months with no takers.

There are certainly a lot of horns floating around out there that promote a lot of questions.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
User avatar
Dan Schultz
TubaTinker
TubaTinker
Posts: 10424
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 10:46 pm
Location: Newburgh, Indiana
Contact:

Post by Dan Schultz »

bloke wrote: IT'S CHINESE.
No need to shout!

You're probably right

I DID say probably :wink:

Maybe I'll go work on an oboe or something... for punishment!
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker"
http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
User avatar
cjk
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1915
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:16 pm

Post by cjk »

Scooby Tuba wrote:I think still think bloke is right (13...).

That aside...

The Chinese have actually picked something pretty smart to copy in these. The B&S/Sonora/etc. was a copy of an Alexander design that by happy coincidence(?) was MUCH more in-tune than most of the originals were....
I agree that they picked an outstanding instrument to copy.

However, what actual proof do you have that the B&S/Sonora/whatever is a copy of an Alexander design other than pictures that look similar?
Post Reply