Hello,
Many years ago I had a very similar tuba as my official military tuba.
It was built by Willson in Switzerland and also called Marzan.
Actually it had exactly the same look as the pictured one and was very comfortable for marching.
It played very well in tune, except for the high E, which was way too sharp.
Now, when I have left the military playing, I miss it.
Best luck,
Lars
I played one of these for several years and they're very good. I agree with Klaus this one is a Boehm Meinl. The good thing about the Marzan tubas is the main tuning slide up by your left hand so you can fix any note without fishing about from slide to slide. Mine was also very well in tune with itself. Ed
dang! Larn sumpin' most every day in this business. I've had several piston Marzans... and even had to make some valve caps for them. I never knew that a 15J valve cap would work! I checked it out and it does indeed work just fine. I don't know if the piston height is correct but at least it seems to be the same thread. I was concerned at first that someone might have adultered the casing threads and force the use of the odd valve cap but that does not appear to be the case.
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.
I emailed Dan Oberloh and referenced this Ebay auction of the Marzan and asked him how much it would cost in his estimation, to refurbish the Marzan tuba. He replied that to put it in top notch working order would be around $4,000, which included silver plating the tuba. You're right Bort, this went for a lot more than I was willing to pay.
Beginning again to be a tuba player.
1291 King Double B flat with detachable bell.
"The hills are alive, with the sound of (tuba) music."
Well, that's also just about the top-end of things. He'd probably do a whole lot of work to it and would be a perfectionist to get it all just right. And that's certainly cool... but most Marzans seem to go around $3,000 to $4,000 on the used market, so if that's a more comfortable total, keep your eyes out. There are more out there, and for whatever reason, they come in waves.
Rev Rob wrote:I emailed Dan Oberloh and referenced this Ebay auction of the Marzan and asked him how much it would cost in his estimation, to refurbish the Marzan tuba. He replied that to put it in top notch working order would be around $4,000, which included silver plating the tuba....
Dan Oberloh is the best and I have the upmost respect for the work he does.
However.... I'm not an advocate of what is sometimes thought to be restoration. That horn will not play any better with new silver plate. In order to get that horn ready for silver plate.... some serious work would have to take place to remove the scratches. Either buff the hell out of it or layer up copper (between sandings) until all the scratches are filled. Either way... that horn would not be anything like it was when it left the factory. A valve job, dent removal, and fixing of loose parts is all it would take to put that horn back into great playing condition.
Pretty is nice. But, I 've heard some very nice notes come out of some mediocre-looking horns!
$2,025 plus $600 in valve work and a few hundred bucks in dent work will make that horn a real player at a bargain price.... that is... if it ever was a great horn. I don't care how good the 'good ones' are.... there are always a few 'stinkers' that come out of the same production facility.
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.
