Old Miraphone ???

[Rick Denney]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 08699&rd=1
I was looking at this horn it looks a little rough but may clean up nice and price is not that bad any opinions on it? is it worth 1300+
or would i be better off getting a newer horn.

Of course it's too late now, unless they cycle it through again.

I'm always a little leery of that particular seller, because they never seem to answer questions about what they sell. Their prices are usually on the high side, so when the price seems low I wonder.

The question would be: How much has this horn been repaired in the past? At some point, the brass is too thin and brittle to withstand another repair.

Rick "who has bought tubas on ebay before, and who thinks they always look better in the pictures" Denney

[Dan Schultz]

I'm always a little leery of that particular seller, because they never seem to answer questions about what they sell.

Hey Rick... I wonder; did Mirafone use wound springs in the 30's or would they have been clockwork springs?

[Dan Schultz]

Was Mirafone even around in the '30's?

Good question! HEEEYYY RICK DENNY!

[Matt G]

From Mirafone's own website/history, we can deduce that Mirafone was founded after WWII. From what we can tell in the USA, they weren't really importing these things until the early '60's.

Mirafone did put clocksprings on some horns, but normally as an option from what I can remember. All the 'Fones I've seen new and old have the more common exposed springs.

[davet]

May not be too late... If you live close enough and want to go there I've found that the seller will let you come and play an instrument before bidding. He would probably work with you after the listing ended, since the horn will still be there. That said, after playing the horn I was interested in I didn't bid so I've never actually bought anything from this guy. What a relief to know before bidding that it wasn't what I wanted.

Now the suspense builds while I wait for the sousa I just bought from Dan to arrive!

[Rick Denney]

Was Mirafone even around in the '30's?

Good question! HEEEYYY RICK DENNY!

Mr. Gilchrest already answered it. Miraphone is a cooperative venture put together by a group of craftsmen immigrating (read: fleeing communism) from the Graslitz area after WWII.

The oldest Miraphone serial numbers listed on Lars Kirmser's site is dated 1960, and that was number 14xx.

I'm concerned that the instrument in the ad (which I have gone back and read more carefully) doesn't have a serial number. Many of the German makers didn't number their instruments, but Miraphone didn't seem to be one of them.

Everything about the instrument to me looks like a standard 186 with the older bell diameter. I seem to recall seeing pictures of early-60's or late-50's Miraphones that were more substantially different than the traditional 186. This instrument might have had its bell replaced, in which case it would not have a serial number. The serial number on my Miraphone is hand-inscribed on the bell right under the Miraphone logo. If the bell is a replacement, it was done some time ago, because it looks as though this bell has been rolled out at least once, even assuming that the green corrosion is just surface corrosion and not a crack or tear that was poorly repaired.

The statement that the instrument dates from around the 1930's is completely wrong. I hadn't seen it when I glanced at the ad before. My guess is that it is much newer: late 60's or more probably 70's. Miraphone's peak production was 1971, from looking at the serial number list. I've seen such incorrect statements in ads by this seller in the past, and have never been able to get an answer when I questioned them on it.

Rick "whose mid-70's Miraphone is similar but without any dents" Denney

[Chuck(G)]

Looks like a 60's 186 to me.

Two or three things might bother me a bit.

On a horn this old, it's more than a fair possibility that if this is the original leadpipe, it's got some leaks.

Also, the S-arm bushings will probably need replacing (if you want to keep the S-arm linkage) to quiet things down a bit.

And I'd worry a bit about valve wear.

[IkeH]

I've had one of these before, #24xx, from 1963 bought from the original owner. Matt Good has it now. This is a CC not a BBb judging from the body length against the bell. Looks in good shape, though the repairs are a little rough. These sound closer to an Alex than your typical Mirafone. I've never seen one with it's original case. Should be a pretty good deal for the money. Resell it if not happy.