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Hi everybody!
After playing tuba for ~10 years through middle/high school and college (music minor) I haven't played in about a year and would love to be able to keep playing. The only problem is throughout all of my tuba time I was always able to play on a school horn and buying my own seems like it will be quite expensive. I saw this one on craigslist in a city that's a few hours away and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on it (I've never heard of "Karl Ziess Master Modelle" before) as far as if I were to try to get it fixed up how much work would need to be done on it since the listing says it is in playable condition but could still use some work. Does anyone think this one would be worth the couple hours' drive to check it out/think it would a decent horn for only $500 for someone who is primarily looking to just try to play in community bands?

Thanks for any help!

http://bham.craigslist.org/msg/3654825345.html" target="_blank" target="_blank

If the rotors and slides all function properly, as the ad claims, with no leaks or cracks, then this is a hell of a deal.

Yes, that is a STEAL of a deal for that tuba That is a B&S-made (not Cerveny) 'Zeiss' tuba, which makes it even better. I'd snatch up that tuba if I were in your area. I say go for it!

That's the invincible VMI/B & S model 101. There have been thousands made and branded with many names. Good horns and probably a real steal for $500.

That looks just like my Sonora, but it has the older style valve gear. They don't say what key it's in. No matter- I'll join the others in saying that's a very good buy. Get there as fast as you can to play-test it.

The Karl Zeiss Master Modelle tubas were almost exclusively imported by DeKalb Music, near Atlanta, in the late 1960's and 1970's. The Master Modelle was the only type they sold. I don't believe they imported any CC's though I have seen one Karl Zeiss F tuba. Most were lacquered but I have seen solid nickle silver versions (not plated).

Joe Hebert, with the American Symphony, played one and numerous high school bands and college students bought them. At the time, I understood they were made by Cerveny but I have only Mr. Hebert's statements on that.

They were good instruments and could be very good. At the price listed you should run and buy it now. If not interested, plea$e contact me and we can work something out.

Thanks for all of the help! I've contacted the seller and now I'm just waiting to hear back about driving up to test play it and see what I think!

Alex C wrote:The Karl Zeiss Master Modelle tubas were almost exclusively imported by DeKalb Music, near Atlanta, in the late 1960's and 1970's.
Joe Hebert, with the American Symphony, played one and numerous high school bands and college students bought them. At the time, I understood they were made by Cerveny but I have only Mr. Hebert's statements on that.

'Karl Zeiss' tubas were made by both Cerveny and B&S. The one in this ad is clearly a B&S-made model, just like the Sonora (see Heavy Metal's comments above):


There were other stenciled tubas made by both B&S and Cerveny, such as 'Sanders' and 'Musica'. I have personally played B&S and Cerveny-made 'Musica' tubas -- the older 'Musica' tubas were Cerveny (Cerveny 681, etc.) and the latter 'Musica' tubas from the late 1990's/early 2000's were B&S (B&S PT-2, VMI 103, VMI 2103 and the CC equivalent).

Btw, did anyone notice the difference in the pics? In the first pic, the tuba is mostly raw brass, with the thumb ring angled, with it's flange touching the top of the bell ferrule. In the second pic, there is worn lacquer and the thumb ring is parallel with the rotor paddles and it's flange is maybe 1/2" up from the bell ferrule. Looks like 2 different Zeiss tubas pictured....

jmutuuuba wrote:Thanks for all of the help! I've contacted the seller and now I'm just waiting to hear back about driving up to test play it and see what I think!

Did you make it up there yet? Ad is still up........ and bloke might change his mind

tooba wrote:.... Btw, did anyone notice the difference in the pics? In the first pic, the tuba is mostly raw brass, with the thumb ring angled, with it's flange touching the top of the bell ferrule. In the second pic, there is worn lacquer and the thumb ring is parallel with the rotor paddles and it's flange is maybe 1/2" up from the bell ferrule. Looks like 2 different Zeiss tubas pictured....

Now that you mention it... it sure looks like two different horns. It could just be camera angles playing tricks but even the 1st slide doesn't look the same.

We definitely need a report back on this one!

TubaTinker wrote:

tooba wrote:.... Btw, did anyone notice the difference in the pics? In the first pic, the tuba is mostly raw brass, with the thumb ring angled, with it's flange touching the top of the bell ferrule. In the second pic, there is worn lacquer and the thumb ring is parallel with the rotor paddles and it's flange is maybe 1/2" up from the bell ferrule. Looks like 2 different Zeiss tubas pictured....

Now that you mention it... it sure looks like two different horns. It could just be camera angles playing tricks but even the 1st slide doesn't look the same.

We definitely need a report back on this one!

Yep, that top picture is clearly either a different tuba (most likely) or possibly the same one at a different time. It will be interesting to see if the seller lets you see and play it before paying.

If it happens to be legit, it could be a really sweet tuba. I loved one of these Zeiss stenciled B&S tubas in high school, and it never let me down.

Sorry to let everyone down but before the guy got back to me I ended up finding another tuba (yamaha ybb-103) that was in the same city as me. Went to look at it and it was in perfect working order, came with a case, wasn't 3 and half hours away from me and was cheaper than the above listed horn... how that all happened I do not know!

bloke, your turn...........

This tuba is in my backyard....not literally. I may have to check it out.

TubaTodd wrote:This tuba is in my backyard....not literally. I may have to check it out.

I think you really have to

Still up!

Heavy_Metal wrote:Still up!

I just contacted him to see if it is still available. The only thing that makes me suspicious was the fact that one of the pictures does not seem to be the same horn. I sure hope this horn is for real, I'm not going to drive 7 hours to get screwed.

I wound up getting that very horn a few months back. Wound up being a mile from my house. Had a friend work on it a little bit, just a little. It's turned out to be a very good player.
Good response throughout the range. No weak notes. Decent intonation. Nice dense dark tone. Built like a tank. Enough brass to make two tubas almost....

Congratulations, and welcome to TubeNet!

And today I saw this. Same horn. But the maker is listed as B&S.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GERMAN-BBb-BRAS ... 3a8970985c" target="_blank