I'm putting up for sale my Big Mouth Brass J-865 CC tuba. 5 valves, 4 piston + 1 dependent rotor, silver plated, with a leadpipe that is detachable and adjustable. Shortly after buying this horn, I had the four pistons vented, the 1st and 4th slides lapped, and the 2nd slide ferrule shortend. The work was done wonderfully by James Manganaro in Menlo Park, CA. I had Dana Hofer here in Chicagoland give this horn a thorough cleaning and polishing (and of course great work was done, as always).
I have owned this horn for the past few years, and it has served me very well. I have had a fair amount of success on this horn, during the last half of my undergraduate studies and here in my graduate program. Using this horn, I have been a finalist and semifinalist at the recent professional orchestral auditions I've been at, and got accepted into a number of fine graduate programs. I am selling because I've downsized to a smaller CC that I love (and also spent way more money on than I am selling this for).
This tuba has a really great sound throughout the registers, and easy fronts. One can achieve impressive clarity on this horn for a tuba this size. There are some tuning quirks, as to be expected with a 6/4, but the valve sides are easily accessible while playing, and with vented pistons and lapped 1st and 4th slides, intonation issues are easily fixed.
The horn is in good shape, and has only cosmetic issues that have not affected the playability. Make no mistake, however- this is a well used horn. This horn has been played for hours a day just about every day during the years that I've owned it, and as such has significant silver plating wear in the expected places, such as where I'd put my left hand, on the 1st valve slide, and on the finger buttons. As I said, it served me well.
I'm asking $6,500 for the horn with a gig bag (which is also quite well used and has some wear and tear). I am also willing to include the hard case that came with the horn, though that case is currently in California and might take a little longer to get to you. You can come to Chicago to try the horn, or I'd also be willing to drive a reasonable distance to meet someone. Feel free to contact me through a PM or at my email, r.r.i.lindsey at gmail dot com. Hope to hear from you!
-Riley Lindsey
