Is this insane?

billeuph · Post by **billeuph** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:26 am

Anyone in the market for a German-made 4-valve BB flat for under $3K?

http://www.wwbw.com/VMI-3301KL-4-4-4-Va ... 8792.music

Roger Lewis says that these are new, in the box, and they are overstocked. I'm used to seeing prices go up and up and up, so this is a bit of a shock.

Bill Anderson

josh_kaprun · Post by **josh_kaprun** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:52 pm

I notice the list price on these is $14,900.00, which is $200 more than a Thor. Does anybody else think that's more than a little unusual?

NDSPTuba · Post by **NDSPTuba** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:23 pm

When I first saw that I thought it was a mistake. Now I'm seriously considering calling Roger and having him pick me out a good one.

billeuph · Post by **billeuph** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:51 pm

As of Tuesday, Roger said that there were 14 left. One is headed my way. I don't expect that they will last very long at that price!

List prices are meaningless, with or without a typo.

Bill

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:09 pm

josh_kaprun wrote:I notice the list price on these is $14,900.00, which is $200 more than a Thor. Does anybody else think that's more than a little unusual?

Not really. The list price for a Miraphone 186 is over $10,859, and that's actually less than it was 15 years ago. The manufacturers set a high "suggested retail price" which is similar for Bb and C tubas, but the price at which they actually sell is controlled more by the market than by those suggestions.

The VMI 3301 is an excellent tuba that is not normally considered a budget model. They have always been priced similarly to instruments like the Miraphone 186 and more than instruments like the VMI 2103. The King 2341 really put a damper on the popularity of this model, and it didn't help that the King was offered at a lower price point.

In B&S trim, the 3301 is a PT-2P. Sizewise, it's a 4/4 instrument with a .748 bore. I don't know if it's built on C outer branches, but it might be--it has a long leadpipe that includes the main tuning slide. If the King is on the small side of 4/4, this one is right in the middle.

Rick "who has seen several of these sell used for more money" Denney

The Jackson · Post by **The Jackson** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:35 pm

I get a 404 when I click on its page. What's up?

The first chair tuba player at the local honor band here had one of these horns and I'm really kicking myself that I didn't ask him if I could play it for a little while. He sounded really sweet on it, and this is just the kind of horn I'm looking for.

J.c. Sherman · Post by **J.c. Sherman** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:57 pm

Yeah - I can't seem to get the link to work - Are there any left?

J.c.

The Big Ben · Post by **The Big Ben** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:16 pm

J.c. Sherman wrote:Yeah - I can't seem to get the link to work - Are there any left?

J.c.

Just go to http://www.wwbw.com , click on the Clearance banner and then look in the Brass section under Tuba.

I know I will hit myself in the head next year for not buying one of these but, you know, another deal seems to always come up. And I have a good tuba right now....

brianggilbert · Post by **brianggilbert** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:24 pm

billeuph wrote:As of Tuesday, Roger said that there were 14 left. One is headed my way. I don't expect that they will last very long at that price!

List prices are meaningless, with or without a typo.

Bill

Bill, let me know how you make out with this new horn!

By the way, I'm writing you in for my vote for the Presidential Election based on how your 982 is playing! You're my hero!

billeuph · Post by **billeuph** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:31 pm

It appears that the link is already broken. Perhaps they are out of them. Anyone interested should give Roger a call. If you could see the link, you would see a VMI 3301 in lacquer for $2899. Insane.

n B&S trim, the 3301 is a PT-2P. Sizewise, it's a 4/4 instrument with a .748 bore. I don't know if it's built on C outer branches, but it might be--it has a long leadpipe that includes the main tuning slide. If the King is on the small side of 4/4, this one is right in the middle.

I think that the VMI 3301 has a short lead pipe without a tuning slide, Rick. The main tuning slide is after the 4th valve. Even on the picture on your own web page comparing different sized horns, I don't see any tuning slide in the lead pipe. Perhaps you're thinking of a different VMI?

Bill Anderson

billeuph · Post by **billeuph** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:35 pm

By the way, I'm writing you in for my vote for the Presidential Election based on how your 982 is playing! You're my hero!

If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve. And what are you thinking anyway! I'm even less qualified than those other jerks running. Actually, I do kind of like one of them, but I even voted for George McGovern, so what do I know.

Bill

king2ba · Post by **king2ba** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:20 pm

There were three left when I called after lunch....my school bought two of them....my guess is that was it for the special price.

Jackson, you're more then welcome to come up to my school during spring break and play these as long as you like. I'm just south of 595 in Broward Co.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:37 pm

billeuph wrote:I think that the VMI 3301 has a short lead pipe without a tuning slide, Rick. The main tuning slide is after the 4th valve. Even on the picture on your own web page comparing different sized horns, I don't see any tuning slide in the lead pipe. Perhaps you're thinking of a different VMI?

There may be a slide after the fourth, but there is definitely one in the leadpipe. You don't see it because it's on the back side of the instrument. The leadpipe doesn't go directly into the first valve, but rather goes over the top of it and then points back to the backside of the valve body. The loop is there, behind the valves. It's no detriment--the instrument has about the same bore at about the same point in the bugle as the King, probably. These instruments play very well.

Rick "full up but still drawn to this deal" Denney

tbn.al · Post by **tbn.al** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:39 pm

I think I bought the last one for my church this afternoon. At least they told me it was the last one. I hope it's not too big for my group. We'll see. Couldn't pass it up. Been looking a while and this is a lot of horn for the money. If it doesn't work out for us, I'll pass the deal on to someone else.

Roger Lewis · Post by **Roger Lewis** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:08 am

I've got two left that are hidden from the web page. Let me know if you are interested. I'll be away from the phones with customers after 10AM and will be in the retail showroom all day tomorrow, so getting me by phone may be a challenge.

Peace.
Roger

The Jackson · Post by **The Jackson** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:46 pm

king2ba wrote:There were three left when I called after lunch....my school bought two of them....my guess is that was it for the special price.

Jackson, you're more then welcome to come up to my school during spring break and play these as long as you like. I'm just south of 595 in Broward Co.

Ah, thank you! That's a very generous offer. I'll PM you if I can get it sorted out.

Mike Finn · Post by **Mike Finn** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:58 am

Bob1062 wrote:
the elephant wrote: AND YOU GOT A HELL OF A DEAL, MAN!!!!!!!

I think the real deal will show up a year or 2 from now when some of these new owners sell theirs for 4500 (hey it's only a year old, and surely they will cost more then than they did pre-sale!).

Two years? I'll probably flip mine after the summer concert season!

well, maybe not....
So who else here snatched one of these beauties? I'm picking mine up from the depot tomorrow morning, can't wait to put it through it's paces.
MF

TubeNet

Is this insane?

Is this insane?

supply

Re: supply

broken link

election

Re: broken link

well.....

Re: A review from a former lurker