The "Thor" is finally ready!

[Lee Stofer]

Several of you out there knew that I took in an earlier-style Meinl-Weston 5450 Thor CC last April, which had been in a car accident. Due to other repair commitments, and the fact that it takes a lot of time to get a damaged tuba "right" again, it was in various stages of repair here for the rest of the year. In the past month, I managed to finish the refurbishing, and the result, while not cosmetically a new horn any more, is nothing short of an astounding player.

I found joints that were not fully soldered, some curved tubing that I suspect had never before been really round, and I had the large top branch re-plated by Anderson Plating, so I think that this one is truly better assembled now than when it was new.

The sound is quite powerful, the intonation is just exquisite, and the freshly-vented Big Valves are really quite fast and smooth. I am impressed by how this early model, with a smaller bell diameter, will "launch" the sound much like an Alexander. Yes, I struck fear into the heart of a conductor for the past two weeks with this horn, putting it through it's paces with a concert that included the Finale from Shostakovitch 5, Dances from West Side Story, and The Pines of Rome. The upper 1st, 3rd and 4th slides can be manipulated, but are not loose and lightning-quick. The horn plays so well that I cannot imagine needing to get into slide push/pulling. The low range is one of the very strongest, easiest to navigate of any horn I've ever played, comparable to the Boston Symphony's 6/4 Nirschl in that regard.

If you want cosmetic perfection, you need to look elsewhere, but if you want a top pro-quality horn that would be appreciated by any working professional, please feel free to contact me. The instrument is bright silver-plated, and has a black leather Cronkhite bag. The price is $9,250.00, and I'll include a mouthpiece, too.

[Lee Stofer]

The Meinl-Weston "Thor" sold this afternoon. I'm glad that the young student now has one of the better CC tubas on the planet, but now i don't get to show it at the Capitol Tuba Conference exhibit tomorrow and Saturday. This now makes four instruments that I was planning to show that have sold in the past 10 days.

So, the lineup of available instruments that I'll be showing this weekend are;
- Boosey & Hawkes 3+1 comp. Eb tuba, silver, 1932 vintage, in new hard case - $2,750.00
- Rudolf Meinl 3/4 CC, one owner, in hard case - $8,495.00
- Rudolf Meinl 5/4 CC, 4-rotor, like-new 1988 model, in original like-new gig bag - $8,495.00
- Conn-Stofer custom 5/4 CC, in leather Cronkhite gig bag - $7,995.00
- Meister Gerhard Schneider 4/4 CC, resonant and handsome 4-rotor CC, excellent condition, in new hard case - $2,495.00
- rare 1906 Conn raincatcher BBb sousaphone, silver, in custom hard case w/ wheels - $2,750.00
- rare 1936 H. N. White 1291 large-bore 4-rotor BBb recording bass, outstanding player - $5,250.00
- rare 1942 H.N. White 2341(?) 4-piston BBb recording bass w/ non-detachable recording bell, original one-piece hard case & mouthpiece, all in excellent original condition - $3,750.00
- JC Sherman cimbasso, BBb, 3 vented pistons, satin-silver-plated, with 2 leadpipes, reduced to $1,495.00 - mouthpiece, case and stand extra.

I also am offering Hetman professional synthetic lubricants, Humes & Berg mutes, including a tuba cup mute and straight mutes, a large sale offering of new, demo and pre-owned mouthpieces of various makes and sizes, as well as Schlipf tuba practice mutes. My Geib model signature line mouthpieces will be available in new and demo condition.

I look forward to seeing many of you guys and gals this weekend, but if you can't make it, you can still take advantage of the Conference sale by calling my cell at (563) 321-0642.