TubeNet

in these days of cell phones, it isn't too unusual for someone near Denver to have a Kansas City phone number, but...wow. I've never seen a 4/4 Rudy, even a picture, until now. And may not have seen one yet.

It's either stolen or the seller is an idiot. Either way... I'll pass...

I sent the seller this email on Craigslist

Beautiful tuba! Aren’t they worth a lot more?
Bob
http://denver.craigslist.org/msg/3557068766.html

He responded -

Well I need to sell it. It's got a lot of wear and some dents, and the bell is creased. The valve linkages are pretty loud too. If you want to buy it for more, let me know...
Thanks,
Ben

If I had $2300, I would be in the car heading west.

TubaBob wrote:I sent the seller this email on Craigslist

Beautiful tuba! Aren’t they worth a lot more?
Bob
http://denver.craigslist.org/msg/3557068766.html

He responded -

Well I need to sell it. It's got a lot of wear and some dents, and the bell is creased. The valve linkages are pretty loud too. If you want to buy it for more, let me know...
Thanks,
Ben...

THAT is the perfect response. Did you offer him $5,000?

Dan, I don't even have the $2300

Does anyone have an opinion on the value of this horn, 1990s 4/4 RM 5-valve CC with a crease in the bell and noisy valves?

it is gone....

I tried to grab it as soon as I saw it posted on here an it wa already spoken for.

Ok, I've been approved and I can post now. I'm the "idiot" who posted the craigslist ad. I bought the tuba used when I was 18, back in 1994. I think I paid $4300 for it, which seemed like a lot of money for a recent high school grad who was washing dishes. I have played it for all those 18 years, in various local symphonies, bands, jam sessions and also in college. I'm selling it because I'm absolutely swamped in acupuncture school, have a toddler, a job and really don't have time to play much in the next few years. I could use the money, and also I'm a little tired of the horn. Don't get me wrong, I love my Meinl, I even named my dog Meinl! I have always loved it's dark beautiful sound and it's very responsive for as big as it is. But it's been the only tuba I've played for almost 2 decades, so I've been feeling a little burnt out on it. I always knew it was a nice horn, but I had NO idea that Rudy Meinl tubas were so highly regarded, until I saw this thread. Seriously! I thought they were just a small company that nobody knew about, and I actually had a lot of tuba envy over the years... I have only met one other tubist who plays a Rudy Meinl, he has the 5/4 CC. I am really shocked to find out that Rudy Meinl is considered one of the best out there. My wife thinks this all hilarious. I didn't think to check on tubenet to get some estimates of the value. I only look around here occasionally.
So anyway, I posted the ad and after a few days passed suddenly my phone was ringing off the hook and I was getting all these emails of people scrambling for the horn and some really strange ones that seemed like scams. At that point I suspected that I had, perhaps, undervalued the horn. Ha ha. The joke was almost on me, but thankfully I had not finalized any deal yet.
So if anyone doubts my story they can check with Jon Gregory, the tuba/euphonium professor at the University of Central Missouri where I was a music technology major for a couple years, before I switched majors. I will post some pics as soon as I figure out where my toddler hid the camera.

I'm confused... Is this still for sale? At a new price?

Manifest, welcome to the board. You should get $5000+ for this horn

Yes I'm still selling it. As I said, I had no idea that Rudolf Meinls were so highly valued. I want to do a little more research before I set a price, if anyone has a serious offer you can pm me.