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Mirafone 188 5V

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:48 am
by sugawi

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:54 am
by Douglas
Looks like a 188.

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 2:06 pm
by bort
I'm pretty sure this 188 was listed here back in the fall... unless there was a different silver 188, with presto valves, and dents.

Quite a progression of photos, though:
Photo 1: Ok, looks pretty nice!
Photo 2: Cool engraving
Photo 3: Oh -- bell damage.
Photo 4: Um... wait, what's going on with the 4th valve exit?
Photo 5: AAGH!

Definitely needs some work and will cost some decent $ to fix... but seems like it would be worth it. Might as well remove/replace those Presto linkages while you're at it.

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:17 pm
by kingrob76
including ditching the Presto system for traditional linkages... I would have to think it's at least $3k of work incl. fabrication and repair, probably much more. The bottom bow, the bell and kranz... Maybe I'll offer him $1k and spend the next 10 years having it restore piece by piece.

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:09 pm
by bort
Question -- could you send it back to Miraphone, and have them restore it?

Not that its a good or economical idea... just curious

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:21 pm
by kingrob76
Checked with Miraphone, they confirmed it’s a 188 from 1990.

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 4:38 pm
by Tom
I wish it were in better condition - if it were, it might be sitting at my house right now. I have been very tempted by this tuba, but I don't really want to spend that kind of money on a project (I already have one of those!).

I actually like the Presto linkage but I seem to be just about the only one in tubadom that does. I had a BBb 186 at one time with Presto linkage on it and then, completely coincidentally, my primary teacher had a lacquered 188 with Presto linkage and a long 5th valve. I'd want the tuba fixed, for sure, but I wouldn't ditch the linkage if it were mine.

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 4:38 pm
by sugawi
kingrob76 wrote:including ditching the Presto system for traditional linkages... I would have to think it's at least $3k of work incl. fabrication and repair, probably much more. The bottom bow, the bell and kranz... Maybe I'll offer him $1k and spend the next 10 years having it restore piece by piece.
So far seller doesn’t want anything less than $3,800. With all extra work is it better to consider something like this instead?
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/d/ ... 13292.html

Re: Mirafone 188 5V

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:10 pm
by kingrob76
This checks all the boxes for my "last" horn, but I think it's too far gone for me to mess with. I can't imagine a horn need that much body work is going to play like it did before it became this way.

Re: Mirafone 188 5V

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:14 pm
by bort
This reminds me of my first car... which was a very nice car and within the first few months i had it, got severely damaged in an accident.

(Making up numbers here)... insurance company said it was worth $10k, and the repair estimate was $9.5k. So, it was not totalled... and instead, sat in the shop for about 3 months to be rebuilt.

It worked fine afterwards, but it was too close to totalled for me... i would have been happier if it had been deemed totalled, paid out, and move on to the next car.

Im sure this tuba physically CAN be fixed, but it has to be determined as being worthwhile. A 90s(?) Miraphone 188 (even in silver) doesn't show enough uniqueness to me to fix it. Especially if $3800 + full rebuild adds up to close to the cost of a new one.

Just me... and i love the 188!

On the flip side, who knows how much people have spent to have their junked Holton 345s fully rebuilt by Dan Oberloh. But, you cant buy a new 345 anymore... so if thats the tuba you have to have, this is about your only way to do it. Not so true with a 188.

Re: Mirafone 188 5V

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:47 pm
by kingrob76
Yeah, if it was $500 I would be tempted. I have no idea if it even could be brought back to very good condition, but it would not be cheap.

Re: Mirafone 5 rotary valve

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 9:02 am
by sugawi
sugawi wrote: So far seller doesn’t want anything less than $3,800.
It’s interesting to revisit these “older posts.” As excitement slows down the price drops, now it’s at $3,250.