TubeNet

I have noticed a trend that ebay is becoming the primary means of advertising/marketing of instruments with no 'pedigree' or lineage. I hate to think that unsuspecting individuals may take a chance and buy some cobbled-together POS.

I made a list this morning. I had the tuba listings displayed by 'highest first' and the first ten were recognizable brands of instruments. After that, the manufacturers included such companies as Conservatory, Advanced, M&M, Barcone, Wurzbach, Schiller, Vento, Vournelli and Maestro. In that company M&M is a grand old brand. Oh, for the good old days of Dalyan.

Recently, one of my students came to a lesson with an instrument manufactured in China. A well-known American designer 'personally' oversees production to verify the quality. The first instrument had the mouthpiece receiver only tacked to the leadpipe, spit was splattering all over the bell. He took it back to the dealer who replaced it with an instrument which was shipped with a second valve piston in the third valve casing (the second valve was correct). The third instrument did not fit the case. So it goes on.

The parents cannot understand that, no matter how many times the dealer replaces the instrument, there will almost always be something wrong with these horns... the price is too attractive for them to turn down. The only saving grace is that they bought it from a local dealer who will do everything he can to make the buyer happy.

If they had bought it on ebay who knows where they would be now.

Things change, we all recognize that but some changes are not good. This trend on ebay is one of those.

We have an expression here in Switzerland that translates into, "Buying cheap is often too expensive." This means that if someone buys an item too cheaply, they pay for it in other ways later.

These Chinese POS instruments are perfect examples of this.

Yes... there are a lot of brands out there.

Have you seen the 'Yamaha' clarinets being sold for $100? .... or the 'Buff 12' clarinets? These horns even bear the company logo. But... obviously are not the 'real deal'.

The tuba I bought on ebay says "ROLEX"...

Alex C wrote:..... I made a list this morning. I had the tuba listings displayed by 'highest first' and the first ten were recognizable brands of instruments. ....

I would be interested in seeing your 'list'. Some of the name-brands are not what they seem/were these days. Email me privately if you don't want to post it.

windshieldbug wrote:The tuba I bought on ebay says "ROLEX"...

And this is a very timely response.

TubaTinker wrote: I would be interested in seeing your 'list'. Some of the name-brands are not what they seem/were these days. Email me privately if you don't want to post it.

Are you speaking of instrument such as this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/F-E-OLDS-NO1004G-PR ... 563a7065ba" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

This is not all that bad, due to the fact that the horn is a Cerveny. It still bothers me. Same with that "Conn" rotary valve thing that keeps popping up.

Speaking of Chinese crap, why is Laabs (?) and others importing nickel plated horns. Nothing says yuck like that. Silver color?

The one thing that really bothers me is the month-long listings of items that have a less than 1% chance of selling at the starting price. That old Alexander in Canada is an example. Come on seller, if you really want to sell that thing put a realistic starting price on it. I guess there is no hurry in the seller.

My favorite is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rudolf-Meinl-Profes ... 335b0e017a" target="_blank

This poor shlub has had this thing for sale for a long time. Dented up bow and a split, patched bell rim. This guy needs to cut his losses IMO.

I seem to remember that Bloke had one of these things for sale for around the starting price of the one on Ebay. Bloke's horn was in fantastic shape and sold fairly quickly (I was a little slow on the draw). That is an example of someone who knows at what price something will sell and does not care to spend months trying to get $1000 more.

Hi-
And speaking of Rolex (replicas with the actual 'ROLEX' name on them):

http://www.salewatchshop.com/product_li ... selectby=4" target="_blank

Regards-
mark
jonestuba@juno.com" target="_blank

jonesmj wrote:Hi-
And speaking of Rolex (replicas with the actual 'ROLEX' name on them):

http://www.salewatchshop.com/product_li ... selectby=4" target="_blank

When I went to Spain (about a decade ago!) my female classmates seemed most interested in learning and being immersed in the culture, and my male classmates seemed most interested in buying passable rip-off watches.

Cameron Gates wrote:
The one thing that really bothers me is the month-long listings of items that have a less than 1% chance of selling at the starting price. That old Alexander in Canada is an example. Come on seller, if you really want to sell that thing put a realistic starting price on it. I guess there is no hurry in the seller.

My feelings exactly...I find it disappointing that more than 75 % of the listings on ebay turn up junk. ( I don't mind Chinese horns, but is there really a need for 20 listings at a time for a baritone horn, that probably won't even sell)

Unfortunately in Canada our tuba Market is a little bit smaller and sellers tend to jack up the price. The same seller is also selling a three valve bell-forward baritone horn for like 900$.

I have been watching several items in my ebay for over a year now hoping that some time soon the seller will drop the price a little...

TubaTinker wrote:

Alex C wrote:..... I made a list this morning. I had the tuba listings displayed by 'highest first' and the first ten were recognizable brands of instruments. ....

I would be interested in seeing your 'list'. Some of the name-brands are not what they seem/were these days. Email me privately if you don't want to post it.

The list is in the first post, Tinker. Yes, I know even the name brands are not what they were but the Conn/VMI is a Cadillac next to the Advanced tuba.

And thanks to Bloke. Now that I don't worry about Global Warming anymore I needed something to keep the optimism down.

Alex C wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:

Alex C wrote:..... I made a list this morning. I had the tuba listings displayed by 'highest first' and the first ten were recognizable brands of instruments. ....

I would be interested in seeing your 'list'. Some of the name-brands are not what they seem/were these days. Email me privately if you don't want to post it.

The list is in the first post, Tinker. Yes, I know even the name brands are not what they were but the Conn/VMI is a Cadillac next to the Advanced tuba.

And thanks to Bloke. Now that I don't worry about Global Warming anymore I needed something to keep the optimism down.

Did I miss something? I mean the list of the 'first ten recognizable brands of instruments'.... not the Wurzbachs and such.

When I started looking for a tuba to purchase, Ebay was the first place I looked. As a first time buyer, it is easy to be impressed by a flashy, shiny, and cheap tuba. I became rather skeptical when I saw used tubas that were 40 years old and at a higher price and in decent shape. Why are they more expensive than these others tubas - such as Schiller, Wurzbach, M&M, and the many others?

I found this BBS and after much reading and thinking I decided that I would not succumb to the siren song of flashy, shiny and cheap. I found a King 2341 - with detachable bell and cases for about $2300 on Ebay, offered by Wichita Music. I know a violinist in Kansas City who is from Wichita and asked him about the company. He has done business with them and offered a name of a person for me to contact. I contacted the company, spoke with them about the King and decided to take the plunge. I purchased the tuba directly through Wichita Music and they even through in a new Conn mouthpiece.

I am happy with the purchase. It arrived safe and sound. Wichita Music used enough bubble wrap in packing the instrument that I and friends will have bubble wrap to last for a long time. When I folded it up, it filled up the entire larger box of the two boxes sent.

Tubenet BBS is invaluable in informing tuba players, especially new ones, about instruments available, both new and old. I hope more people discover this BBS and make use of it.

To all who contribute - Good work - Job well done!

ToobaNoob wrote: Wife: "You have way too many tubas, you need to get rid of some."
Husband: "Yes, Dear."

6 months later -

Wife: "I thought I asked you to get rid of some of your tubas."
Husband: "Honey, I have them listed on eBay. I'm trying as hard as I can."

Bwahahahahaha. You probably nailed it. Funny.

KornilGuitaRS doesn't play tuba though.

Nonetheless, that probably accounts for many of those types of items.

I sold some good horns on several occasions over the last decade.
Yamaha 621F, modded Miraphone 1290, MW2155R, Cerveny Harmonia F, Getzen 1062, Kalison K2001, Miraphone 181

I only sold what my wife made me sell.

That problem has resolved itself.

MartyNeilan wrote:I sold some good horns on several occasions over the last decade.
Yamaha 621F, modded Miraphone 1290, MW2155R, Cerveny Harmonia F, Getzen 1062, Kalison K2001, Miraphone 181

I only sold what my wife made me sell.

That problem has resolved itself.

Should have kept the horns and put her on EBAY instead!

tofu wrote:

MartyNeilan wrote:I sold some good horns on several occasions over the last decade.
Yamaha 621F, modded Miraphone 1290, MW2155R, Cerveny Harmonia F, Getzen 1062, Kalison K2001, Miraphone 181

I only sold what my wife made me sell.

That problem has resolved itself.

Should have kept the horns and put her on EBAY instead!

I did... problem was lack of bidders!

(that wasn't me hon... (whack!) OUCH!)