Letting someone borrow a horn

tubatom91 · Post by **tubatom91** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:02 pm

Anybody let a person borrow a tuba? What are your horor stories? I recently did and when I got it back I found a broken valve stem!

sorry. I'm just bored and curious.

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:09 pm

A guy I knew lent a tuba to a friend of a friend. When he didn't get the tuba back in a couple of months, he tracked the guy down and knocked on his front door.

He said, "I'd like my tuba back."

"I'm sorry, I can't give it to you."

"Why not!"

"Well... I had to sell it to pay the rent."

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Tue May 15, 2007 8:55 pm

I have a wavy gravy dents sort of work out with magnets and balls and a kitchen rolling pin and hack sawed off tuning slides to generally be in the ball park of correct pitch Conn 14j I might loan to somebody if they leave their women as collateral.
-- Jake Blues

Navytubaman · Post by **Navytubaman** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:06 pm

Many years ago I had a standing gig, played, got paid on time, life was good. A "friend" of the booking agent came to a town nearby and I "lost" my gig suddenly. Funny how that works.

It's OK, that's life. Sometimes it's who you know, that sort of thing.

A funny thing happened a few weeks later when my phone rang one afternoon. Seems someone had driven 40 miles to do my old gig and it was supposed to start in about 30 minutes. Said he needed a favor.

A favor? I'm thinking he's sick, needs me to sub again, or he's sorry he took my gig and wants to give it back or something.

Imagine my surprise when the next thing out of his mouth was, "I forgot my horn, can I borrow yours???"

I was in shock, stunned actually. This guy took my gig and he had the stones to call me and ask to use my horn.

I was too stunned to have something clever to say, but I know I told him "NO!"

It's a very odd tale, but true...

JKD

lgb&dtuba · Post by **lgb&dtuba** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:46 pm

Not any of my musical instruments. Not any of my tools. Not any of my books. Nothing.

The sad truth is that no one will respect that stuff like the owner does. They will come back (if they come back) dented, scraped, torn, broken and misused. Most of the time without even an apology, let alone an offer to repair or replace.

It's one of those life lessons that we all learn, sadly.

Let 'em buy or rent what they need. You did, after all.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:54 pm

My euphonium is currently on loan to a guy who soon after stopped showing up at rehearsal. I'm about to go to his house with the kneecap squad, and tell him that I'm either taking the euphonium or his kneecaps--his choice.

I knew better, and I"m kicking myself for it.

I routinely loan out horns to visiting friends for the reading sessions at the Army conference. But these are trusted friends--people who have earned that trust with years of faithful responsibility. When I apply that standard, I've never been burned.

Rick "who can count the people he trusts to that level on the fingers of one hand" Denney

djwesp · Post by **djwesp** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:56 am

tubashaman wrote: Since its a Christian school, I forgave him, and he was real humbled that I didnt make him pay, however, im still considering

??

djwesp · Post by **djwesp** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:05 am

My first horn was an "old school" St Petersburg (the kind with the horrible linkage).

Anyway, my young brother at the time--- in a temper tantrum threw the horn off of a bed into the floor. The bell was completely crushed in on itself. Repair after repair, yielded little success in fixing the horn-- but I played it all the way thru high school.

When my brother was old enough to be in band, he started playing the tuba. The tuba he ended up playing was mine... and the horn he borrowed from me, was the one he had destroyed in a fit of rage.

Just desserts, seeing him play that horn.

I think, now anway, that that horn helped bring us together and forge our friendship. He's a good friend of mine now, and before that tuba we were very different in age and attitude and didn't relate well to each other. That tuba and MUSIC in general brought us together.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:22 am

At my house, visiting kids (and sometimes adults) ask to try my tuba. I say, "sure, you can try a tuba," and hand them something. That something is locally known as "Allen's Eb dent-o-phone." It's this incredibly battered ex tuba (ex, as it's more dents than tuba). It still plays (sort of), and the kids have a great and noisy time trying it. My main horn stays in my hands only.

Every home should have a dent-o-phone. A very appropriate gig bag is available from Hefty.

Cheers,
Allen

tbn.al · Post by **tbn.al** » Wed May 16, 2007 7:01 am

A member of my quintet's daughter, upon entering the 5th grade, decided much to her mother's chagrin to play tuba. To keep her from having to buy a tuba, and later sell it at a loss, I loaned the girl my backup horn. She plays the school horn in class but needed something at home to practice on. I made her mother buy a used tuba tamer off ebay for $150 and installed the horn in the girls bedroom on the tamer with instructions to both that it was not to be removed. I got the old fragile Bielefelder back last week without any new dents. Although she was doing quite well on tuba, as I expected she decided to switch to French horn next year. I now have a tuba tamer for sale and have not lost a friend.

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:03 am

schlepporello wrote:Nobody borrows my horns.
Maybe my attitude regarding this might not exactly be correct, but I've worked too hard to make the money to buy what I have. I'll not put my horns at risk by lending them out.

I completely agree. I believe your attitude is completely correct.

I would also go along with Rick's statement that I would loan one to a very trusted friend. This level of trust is quite difficult to achieve with me. The list of names on that listed, including Rick, is very short.

hnoyes · Post by **hnoyes** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:57 am

There are two sides to this - I have a student who was playing the school's St. Pete, and was quickly moving to a point where that horn was more of a hinderance than a help. Since he was 15, and the youngest in a family of 4 (with 2 in college) there was little hope of his parents being able to purchase a good solid CC tuba that this student clearly needed. The university in his town didn't have any CC tubas available, so it seemed we were stuck. Enter in a very trusting soul who owned a 2155, and was planning on taking an extended break from playing. My lucky student has been playing this horn for about a year and a half - not a scratch on it, has acutally fixed some things that were wrong with it, and is now having the gig bag fixed. When he needed to fly to a competition, we packed the horn and his parents assured me that they were aware that many things could go wrong, and that if they did, they would pay for any damages and get the repairs done to the owner's satisfaction.

Difference in working with very conscientious parents and a trustworthy student who knows the gift he is being given - can really make a difference in someone's musical career - if you take a chance.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:01 am

It is my policy to keep my horns in such POOR shape that if I loan one, they'll have to be repaired just to make them work, thus ensuring that I get it back in BETTER shape than it was when I lent it out...

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:06 am

Some people have the idea I am privileged and I owe the unfortunate lazy bums who can't get this stuff for themselves. I don't worry about that here in Vietnam because that attitude doesn't prevail: There is a STRONG WORK ETHIC.

No one gets anything I have... I don't even like them playing my horns when I am in the room with them... That makes me cringe!

Hey, if you're that desparate for a tuba, there are lots of $300 clunkers on eBay. Go there and you can do whatever you want with your tuba. And don't come crying to me when you abuse it and it doesn't work anymore!

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:30 am

I usually don't think twice about loaning a horn to someone. Usually, around Christmas time, I'll have three or four tubas out on loan to churches for holiday programs.

Not that it applies to loaning horns, but thinking back to my teen years... I always carried a pack of cigarettes called 'Home Runs' to give to the moochers... instead of my regular ones. They were so strong that they would knock your socks off! They usually didn't ask again! Anyone one old enough to remember 'Home Runs'?

Toobist · Post by **Toobist** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:32 am

I remember borrowing an EEb from my private instructor ages ago and he wrote a simple little contract. On a page of simple lined paper he wrote an agreement that I was 100% responsible for loss or damage of the instrument. I signed it and had it back to him in two weeks. I don't think that was unreasonable and it put us both more at ease with the transaction. If somebody refuses to sign such a document, I wouldn't suggest lending it to them.

ZNC Dandy · Post by **ZNC Dandy** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:19 pm

TubaTinker wrote:I usually don't think twice about loaning a horn to someone. Usually, around Christmas time, I'll have three or four tubas out on loan to churches for holiday programs.

Not that it applies to loaning horns, but thinking back to my teen years... I always carried a pack of cigarettes called 'Home Runs' to give to the moochers... instead of my regular ones. They were so strong that they would knock your socks off! They usually didn't ask again! Anyone one old enough to remember 'Home Runs'?

I'm not familiar with that brand, but I smoke every now and again, and its usually filterless Gauloises. NO ONE wants to bum one of these things.

Albertibass · Post by **Albertibass** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:38 pm

hnoyes wrote:There are two sides to this - I have a student who was playing the school's St. Pete, and was quickly moving to a point where that horn was more of a hinderance than a help. Since he was 15, and the youngest in a family of 4 (with 2 in college) there was little hope of his parents being able to purchase a good solid CC tuba that this student clearly needed. The university in his town didn't have any CC tubas available, so it seemed we were stuck. Enter in a very trusting soul who owned a 2155, and was planning on taking an extended break from playing. My lucky student has been playing this horn for about a year and a half - not a scratch on it, has acutally fixed some things that were wrong with it, and is now having the gig bag fixed. When he needed to fly to a competition, we packed the horn and his parents assured me that they were aware that many things could go wrong, and that if they did, they would pay for any damages and get the repairs done to the owner's satisfaction.

Difference in working with very conscientious parents and a trustworthy student who knows the gift he is being given - can really make a difference in someone's musical career - if you take a chance.

Yeah, im the same. Well my first horn was an old st. pete. Raw brass, andkinda faulty rotars. it was good for the price i paid, and took care of me for the few years i used it. I got my Meinl last august, and I really liked it. My tuba friend at school was playing on a crappy school horn, so me being the nice guy that i am, i let him borrow the horn. I just finally took it back this week. it was getting tarnished, so i took it home to clean it. when i got it at home, and went to play it, i found in the bell a red plastic bag. the slides were very stiff, and the linkage was in bad shape. I kinda was mad. I was planning on selling it to him, but he never paid me, all he did was probablly take away from the value. So now i have the horn back, and im helping my dad learn how to play again. So i guess im letting someone borrow it again. Only this time, im sure he will take care of it.

in conclusion, i find that it is a very bad idea to let a friend borrow your horn.

LOTP · Post by **LOTP** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:49 pm

Aside from myself and my late father (who did the initial restoration over 30 yrs ago) NO ONE has played my old Courtois Eb except Matt Walters and Chris Hall. 'Nuff said!

Paul

TexTuba · Post by **TexTuba** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:23 pm

I have let my roommate borrow my horn for a concert. In return, though, he let me borrow his Edwards bass bone for my jury. I thought that was a fair trade! In general, I do not let anyone borrow my horn. I would only consider it for a couple of people, but they already have horns.

Ralph

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