Final Reduction - Gronitz PCK Silver and Pristine

[Mark Horne]

Edit to show final price reduction. If it doesn't sell at this price I will drive to California and bring it back to Texas

I have relocated to the Texas Hill country but did not bring my best tuba with me. I hand delivered the horn to Noah's Brass Ark where it is available for sale: http://brassark.com/sale/" target="_blank

I have managed to keep this horn - one of the last built in Hamburg, in pristine condition, and I feared that it would not make the move without damage. Might seem crazy to some, but I view instruments of this quality as functional art, and couldn't bear to see something bad happen to it.

Silver plate is 100% and I have done virtually no polishing to the finish - just a gentle polishing cloth to remove fingerprints and water spots. Factory springs have been replaced with Yamaha euphonium springs which enables a very light and fast action. This pistons have rarely been taken out for oiling - I have always used Ultra Pure oil added to the leadpipe, this serves to keep it clean and the valves lubricated without any sticking.

I have seen comments in the past that the PCK is considered a 5/4 tuba. To me it is every bit a 6/4 as it fills out the cronkhite gig bag that was custom made for my Neptune (the Gronitz being maybe one inch shorter). Intonation is outstanding without moving slides. D, Eb, and E in the staff can be fingered 1, 2, and open respectively. Of course, sound is the name of the game, and the PCK delivers like no other. It possesses tremendous depth that cannot be achieved on a smaller instrument. It also allows the player to dial in a generous amount of high overtones that lends color and clarity to the sound. It responds well to different mouthpieces.

There are many choices when it comes to 6/4 orchestral horns these days, but when it comes to German hand made boutique quality instruments, I believe the Gronitz is your only choice.

Noah's Brass Ark is in the greater Los Angeles area. Noah Gladstone is a professional musician, orchestra and studio contractor, studio owner and brass expert. You can trust him to manage the transaction more than some random guy on TubeNet. Price as of this posting is $12,900. Questions are welcome.

[bort]

Obscenely beautiful.

There are (were?) an awful lot of PCK's for sale over the past couple of years, but this one... Wow.

Best to you in Texas. Change of scenery? Retirement? (Escaping...?)

Which of your remaining tubas sees the most action these days?

[Mark Horne]

Obscenely beautiful.

There are (were?) an awful lot of PCK's for sale over the past couple of years, but this one... Wow.

Best to you in Texas. Change of scenery? Retirement? (Escaping...?)

Yes to all - my wife and I are early retired from our jobs in the oil industry. We're not happy with the direction California has been going, so Texas suits us better especially since my oldest son and his wife have decided to stay in Texas since he was stationed at Ft. Hood.

Which of your remaining tubas sees the most action these days?

I suspect my Alexander 163 will see the most use now; there's a community band a few miles from me that I intend to join once they resume rehearsals. My PT3 and custom Alexander F were also taken to Noah's. Four tubas is the fewest I've had in quite some time...

[Ace]

Mark, best wishes on your relocation to Texas. The "Hill Country"---------is that near Kerrville? I have an old friend there I've known since 1946. He served many years as a U.S. Marine Corps aviator and almost lost his life in Viet Nam. Captain J.D. Bible.

Mark, you will be missed in the Walnut Creek CA concert band and in the Clarinet Fusion wherein you played contrabass clarinet. I think you might miss the San Francisco Bay area weather. Much happiness to you.

Ace

[Mark Horne]

Mark, best wishes on your relocation to Texas. The "Hill Country"---------is that near Kerrville? I have an old friend there I've known since 1946. He served many years as a U.S. Marine Corps aviator and almost lost his life in Viet Nam. Captain J.D. Bible.

Mark, you will be missed in the Walnut Creek CA concert band and in the Clarinet Fusion wherein you played contrabass clarinet. I think you might miss the San Francisco Bay area weather. Much happiness to you.

Ace

Ace - Kerrville is certainly in the Texas Hill country that occupies much of south central Texas. It is about 90 miles due west of my location which is just west of Kyle, Texas (south and west of Austin). I will most certainly miss the fine groups that I have been able to be part of over the last 15 years or so; I can only hope to find something equivalent here in Texas. Mostly I will miss the friendship I have been able to experience with my fellow musicians and very supportive audience members. And yes, I am already missing the much milder Bay Area weather!

Regards, Mark

[Mark Horne]

Bumping to indicate that this tuba is still at Noah's in southern California, now at a reduced price. If it doesn't sell then it will come back to Texas.

[Julian]

Does the horn come with a hard case or gig bag?

[Mark Horne]

It comes with a brand new ProTec gig bag that is a bit oversized. When I took the PCK to gigs I used a Cronkhite gig bag that was custom made for my Neptune which fit it well. It fits comfortably in the ProTec, but it is not as snug as a custom made bag would be.

[Mark Horne]

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