SOLD

[olaness1]

NOW SOLD




I'm offering up for sale a genuine piece of history: a tuba in F by German manufacturer VEB. Asking price is £650 (~$840), located near Wigan, UK.

First off: VEB who?? Well, after the second world war, east Germany, and with it, Markneukirchen and the whole Klingenthal area, of brass manufacturing fame and legend, disappeared into the DDR, on the far side of the iron curtain. The government there took ownership of all businesses, including all the small- and medium sized brass making businesses in Klingenthal, clumped them into one big company that they called VEB. Volkseigene Betrieb, translated into "People-owned enterprise". This was thus the name of all companies in post-war DDR. This system gradually disappeared, though in many industries it lasted well into the 1970's, the Klingenthal brass industry was re-formed into one big company that they named B&S, which then swallowed up most, if not all of the old workshops in the area. I personally own a B&S from 1954 (not for sale!!!) so at the very least by then this change had happened, though I have seen references to this company as early as 1950.

So it will have to be dated between 1945 and 1949 somewhere - I have not got any closer than that. You have to wonder though, with the country in the state it was in, that they prioritised making tubas...

About the instrument itself: It's in F, obviously, and it has got four rotary valves, non-compensating. Compression on the valves is super tight, and they work well, if a trifle slow. When I say slow, you can still play the flight of the bumble bee on it if the fancy strikes you, but they feel a little on the slow side compared to most modern instruments. For band or orchestral playing there will be no problems on that side. The sound is very bright and clear, the instrument feels lithe in your hands - it is a small F tuba and both sounds and feels it! High range on this tuba is easy and sounds great. The 'Bydlo' G# is in tune and dead centred. Intonation is overall pretty good - nothing out of the ordinary and nothing unworkable.

Now for the negatives: Thumb ring is missing, but this should be no big deal to source and replace. There are some dents and dings, but surprisingly few and small! The bell has taken damage and been repaired in the past. And it's only got four valves, so yes, low Gb is indeed missing. If you want to play that one, it pops out very easily with 2/3, though it might take a little practise to do this if you are not used to it. Alternatively, if you fancy something a little more elaborate, there's plenty of space just before the first valve to add in a fifth valve there, and send the linkage for it over to you left hand or over to the right thumb, as you please.

I'm selling because I have the affliction of having too many tubas... Two other F's, plus two Eb's etc etc etc.

It comes with a Winter case that is admittedly a little too large and has also seen better days, but it holds the instrument safe.

Pictures here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i82qaq3gc6l5 ... v0Aqa?dl=0" target="_blank" target="_blank

Ola

[Tommckamey]

"you can still play the flight of the bumble bee on it "

Great! I've always wanted to be able to play flight of the bumble bee : ) Sorry Ola, just couldn't resist the chance to re-purpose a great old joke I heard years ago that starts out: So Doc, will I be able to play the piano after this operation?...

Anyway, it's a beautiful looking horn, and I really did appreciate your little history lesson as well. I'd snap it up myself, but alas I'm also tuba poor : ( at least my wife thinks so.

[olaness1]

Oh well.

If you are struggling with the bumble bee, just play it in the high register and use 1-2-1-2 etc (occasionally even use 3...).