JinBao 410 issue

[tubaforce]

Hi!
I had my first issue of consequence with a JinBao Tuba yesterday. One of my 410's came with a frozen 4th. valve rotor. I had a delivery in the area, so I stopped at Dan Oberloh's shop to have the issue addressed. Turns out the bearing plate was several 1000ths out of round, and not centered properly to itself. Dan will have to machine a new bearing plate for me Monday, as he wasn't able to save the original.
Consistency is one of the caveats of a "Chinese" horn. Some other sellers may have taken offense to my criticism of our product(s), but I submit that it is our OBLIGATION to be as critical as we (sellers) can be, as I am in this business to provide decent, PLAYABLE Tubas and other instruments in the hands of deserving players. That is why some of us won't drop ship instruments! Especially Tubas, with their high cost of shipping, and the hit and miss quality of repair facilities. No one wants to be responsible for shipping a Tuba 1000 miles or more to make it "right" if there's no competent shop in driving distance!!!
I am not attacking any other sellers personally when I say we need to push for better and better quality control! I just think the larger volume dealers should be proactive, rather than denying there are any issues...
Having a fellow dealer, like Neptune, able to visit Chinese factories can't help but improve our instruments, while clearing up some of the deceptive claims made by a few other dealers...

Al

[Wyvern]

Al, Make sure you demand FULL compensation from JinBao for the costs of the repair - sending out tubas in that condition is not acceptable and the BEST way to make Jinbao take quality checking seriously is to hit their profits through compensation payments. I would urge all dealer to take that approach.

However this should not be something to concern the end buyer - for if the dealer is doing their job properly, such problems will be identified and corrected before sale!

For stocking spare parts. I really question if the importers of any make of tuba keep such a full stock of parts. I will stock spare parts as I find something required, but have found that the JinBao factory can supply in about 1 month otherwise.

[Wyvern]

Bloke, Don't get me wrong - I am not saying not to stock parts, but surely it is reasonable to only stock what parts have been found necessary to replace on the particular model concerned? Otherwise dealer would be left with $$$$ of parts with little or no turn-over.

I would be very surprised if any dealer in Europe keeps such parts as water key saddles, bells, bottom bow caps, top bow caps, inside/outside slide tubing and ferrules for my B&S tubas if they sustained damage. I would be pleasantly surprised if repairer managed to obtain part in only one month. My experience ordering parts from Germany is it takes a lot longer, anything up to 6 months.

And let's be real, I doubt if any JinBao tuba will be used by a professional as their one and only tuba to make a living. At those prices they are likely to have other tubas to use if one out of action.

[tubaforce]

Joe,
I could use a rooster, but a weasel/mink. or a coyote would have it FAST! Mr.Simonetti's schematic(s) are an excellent example of how to do it! He has been able to improve his St.Petes quite a bit over the years! I have a pre-TE St.Pete ( with clocksprings ), and the fit and finish is rough, to say the least... I hope to have a schematic and price list soon for my instruments, and I should think MM, TE, and even Laabs would have one too, considering the volume of sales they make!
Al

[tubamlb]

M&M Instruments

Stock parts for all Jinbao Instruments and other brands, US, Europe, Fingerboard assy. for most Tubas and other fast moving parts

[tubaforce]

Hi!
I am working on a proper drawing (see Mr. Simonetti's wonderful examples @ http://www.tubaexchange.com/parts.asp" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank) for each of the instruments I sell. Like Mr.Simonetti's, mine will also be printable! Thanks to TE for being the 1st. to present such a valuable service!!! I hope that the JinBao, and other Chinese factories can make the same strides that Mr. Simonetti pushed the St.Pete's factory to do!

Al

[MackBrass]

I have a shipment of 50 ball joints arriving for tubas and 50 for euphoniums, trombones and french horns. As time goes on i will be sticking other parts for the "just in case" situation.

[Wyvern]

I have quite a number of spares on order - will have a good selection in the UK by end of year.

[Dan Schultz]

I think I mentioned in another thread....

The real mark of acceptance by the US market might be for Allied to begin stocking parts for some of the new names on the scene.