Fraudulent sales of Chinese tubas

[iiipopes]

It all boils down to the three fundamental truths:
1) Try before you buy;
2) If you can't, buy from someone with a good reputation;
3) If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

[tubashaman2]

.

[cjk]

Ask them something only a real seller/musician would know, like how is the 5th partial and what notes do you have to use alternate fingerings on.
....

Few real sellers or musicians would honestly answer those questions. Typically when asked questions about tuba intonation, sellers of tubas give BS answers.