Financial Help to purchase a tuba

[Bass Flatulance]

Real simple. Save up what you can, then buy the best you can afford spending the least amount of money on a tuba that will loose the least money or maybe appreciate. A year or two later trade that first horn plus the extra money you have continued to save towards the next step up in a horn. If you are smart and frugal, you will do as well or better than buying a new horn on credit even at student loan interest rates. Repeat until you have finally upgraded to the caliber horn(s) you want.

[ztuba]

yeah HAHAHAHAHAHA ... file your income tax return on time and Obama will buy us all 6/4 Nirschls. Thus Sprach Savior Obama.

[petter@brasseriet.no]

I have played a Lidl C-Tuba. The one-tone smaller brother of the Bb-Tuba that sells quite good.
Value for money and decant intonation. Very good handwork on the instrument!
It costs around USD 3.000,- I guess.

[PDCIITuba]

I'll bet that even now you could spend less and save more. You probably bring home about $125 a week, working part time.

i wish i was bringing home that much they have like cut back my hours it seems so now ill be lucky if i bring home 80. I know what your going to say now is get another job and i would but i have no time i have rehearsals a week a private lesson work and school all week. so it's tough to do that.

[Matt G]

I know of people with coveted jobs who did not own their own tuba until they had a couple of years of college under their belt.

I would honestly never dream of asking a tuba player to buy a CC while still in high school. There are far too many variables in regards to having that player keep playing well into college.

I did have some students buy their own tubas. Their parents did pay. In two out of the three cases, they bought used tubas. In the third, they bought a solid value new tuba (2 piece 2341 King) that was picked up at a good price, however, these folks were a bit more financially comfortable than most. They could have bought a $10K tuba ten years ago without any financial burden, I would think.

I never would push a CC, because it is not a needed tool for a player at this level in 99% of the cases, IMO. I had players place in all-state and all-county groups in addition to placing in the regional youth orchestras. All of the literature was BBb "okay". If the stuff got a little bit high and seemed like bass tuba lit, then they had to suck it up. For groups this level, it really isn't going to make a tremendous difference.

However, if you must buy a CC, buy something that is a benchmark. The Mirafone 186 that Rick links to is a good deal. Chris Olka also recently had one listed for $3500, and it should be a decent player, because he really doesn't pick up stinkers. I had made deals with my parents in regards to college. If I got a tuba, I had to maintain superior grades. Those grades and my playing earned me free college tuition. That was worth significantly more than the tuba's value. My horn was a 186 BBb. It worked fine in most cases.

[tubashaman2]

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[PDCIITuba]

im a dietary aide at the nursing home down the street from me

[Rick Denney]

I'll bet that even now you could spend less and save more. You probably bring home about $125 a week, working part time.

i wish i was bringing home that much they have like cut back my hours it seems so now ill be lucky if i bring home 80. I know what your going to say now is get another job and i would but i have no time i have rehearsals a week a private lesson work and school all week. so it's tough to do that.

No, I'm not going to say that. Your job right now is high school. What I did say was that a big lesson in life is learning how to focus on priorities. If you bring home $80, learn to save $40 of it. Saving isn't about putting big chunks away occasionally, it's about putting little chunks away--every time. It's also about making sure the little steps you take are consistent with your big goals.

When school is done, though, I see no reason why you can't work 60 hours a week at two jobs, if you can find the work. And if you are willing to work hard and you can persuade someone of that, you'll stand above most kids your age.

Rick "more interested in principles than details" Denney

[Rick Denney]

You have no idea what your playing needs will be after college and indeed if you will truly pursue a tuba major degree, which will be helpful working at the Post Office, UPS, corner gas station etc. when you graduate, spend all the money and then have to find a job.

It is a noble thing, to get that BA, but if it does not lead to a good paying job, it is money spent on the experience.

I see high-end pros changing equipment from time to time, even decades into their high-end career. That tells me that the search for an instrument-for-life is futile. There's nothing wrong with getting a solid starter instrument at a reasonable price, and then trading it for something more suitable as one's objectives and resources become more clear.

Whether to borrow money to do so is a separate question addressed by a different set of principles.

And I have never known anyone with a good, general education who did not make their way through life satisfactorily, if they were willing to work. Stated another way: I don't know any well-educated person who has had to work at menial labor unless that was their choice. You are telling the OP that he can't know what tuba he will actually need, but you are expecting him to know what career he should pursue. I would think it more likely that the reverse would be true.

Rick "who planned it all out and still changed course" Denney

[tubashaman2]

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[tubashaman2]

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[bill]

I was not allowed to buy a tuba in High School, although I always worked and could afford it. My Father did buy a string bass for me because he thought my future in music lay there (we disagreed; I had fewer votes than he). When I was finally of age and after marriage and a child, I was able to afford my first tuba, in 1968, and I got an Amati for $300 (with a case, no less). I was thrilled and, a couple of years later, traded the string bass for a Cerveny "F". Since then I have gotten and traded several more tubas and have a lovely set, right now, which serve me well for my two symphony gigs and my quintet. My wife has not only never vetoed a tuba, she has suggested a couple I might look in to since they would make playing easier. We are not wealthy but can find the money for something we think I really need (see Rick Denney on buying a tuba even if you have to stretch to do it).

Now, directly relating to your situation, if I had bought the tuba in my Junior (1956-57) year, I would have bought a Besson 4 valve compensating horn and it would have been the absolutely wrong horn for me! When I was able to buy a horn, I tried several Bessons and have tried them since and can not imagine what I was thinking.

Get some more experience; get a good teacher; get a playing job where you depend on your horn. At that point, it is time to try several horns and to see what works for you and, if you can, get a used horn, in good shape and live with that until your playing job can pay for another one.

You appear to be an eager and willing worker. Learn to focus that, get your ducks in a row and knock them over, one at a time. If you should happen to find a short cut, let us all know, in this forum, what it is. I hope I am around to hear it but, even if I am not, I'll be glad to know you will pass on what you have learned to some other worthy, eager, energetic young one.

[tofu]

[tubashaman2]

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[PDCIITuba]

How much can your parents comfortably put down now to save?

my mom said that it all depends on what we can find for a tuba but she said probably around the range of $1,500 to $2,000 thats kind of what i was asking where would i be able to find a CC tuba( my private instructor recommended it) at a reasonable price and if you guys knew of any place that i could apply or audition for a scholarship or grant for an instrument

[charlieJ]

Well i am looking at tubas with my private instructor and i do have a job and im getting about 7.75 an hour but i have to give my mom 20 for insurance every week and gas for my car to get to school and to rehearsals and such so its tough putting money aside i mean im going to have to but ill just have to start out small like 5 or 10 dollars her and there

i wish i was bringing home that much they have like cut back my hours it seems so now ill be lucky if i bring home 80. I know what your going to say now is get another job and i would but i have no time i have rehearsals a week a private lesson work and school all week. so it's tough to do that.

Sorry PDCIITuba, but If you were my son, or my nephew, or a friend - I would say you seem to have lots of excuses for not saving or making money. Not just for a tuba purchase but as a general statement. If you really want something, give up driving - walk or ride a bike to school, or bum a ride. You won't have gas or insurance bills, period. If you must drive, cut a deal with your Mom that you'll do 4 hours of work per week that she normally does if she forgoes the $20 insurance tab (do something she hates: scrub toilets, mop the floors...). She sounds reasonable. Private lessons? Putting them on hold for 4 months won't affect things in the grand scheme of life and will save you money. You say "they cut back my hours"...so fill them up with something else that makes money.

Here's the "Listen to your elders" part of the story....

I've been working 35 years full time and am a Senior Director in a company. In 1979 I came to the US on my own as the child of an ex-pat family at age 21. I landed in NYC via Freddie Laker with $150 in my pocket. Worked, got my degree which I paid for, blah blah blah. I've had companies fold under me overnight, and have moved across the width and breadth of this country just so I could make a decent living.

As recently as 2002 and 2003 (in my mid-40s) I was on the road trying to build things up. I spent almost 3 months working and living out of a tent in Alaska while my family was 3500 miles away, and 6 months working and living out of a tent in New Mexico while commuting 400 miles each way from Colorado Mon and Fr. During this time I slept with indigents, bears, and weather that ranged from freezing to broiling. I got out of my 2-person tent in the mornings, took a shower, put on a suit and went to executive meetings. My priorities were to generate income and minimize expenses. Even right now I am 1500 miles from home 2 weeks out of 3 because the cost trade off is worth it. I have maintained a good income and these little efforts helped in that regard.

So...flash forward a few years. Lets say you have gone to college and earned a major in Music and a minor in something else such as business management, computer science, whatever. You are trying to make a go of a tuba career but it's just too hard to make ends meet. Lets face it, good paying tuba jobs are not exactly falling off trees. So you fall back on your minor and end up at a job interview with a grumpy old fart like me...

During the interview you tell me your story - you don't have much experience in your minor area because your real career passion and focus was to be a professional tuba player. So you worked your arse off while going to school while maintaining good grades, worked 2 jobs during the summer while still doing key concerts, and eventually paid for a Tuba out of your own pocket. In the meantime your friends bought zippy Eclipse's and put big wings on the back. You were somewhat humiliated because you had to ask them for rides everywhere because you gave up your car for a tuba. You describe how you helped your Mom around the house as part of a business transaction to save you money...Your entire focus at college and job search has been towards tuba playing. But, it hasn't worked as planned and you are now looking at a more mainstream career field.

Me as the interviewer has many job candidates: 1) the kid with a PHD from a respected school who delivered pizza on the weekends while completing his dissertation (true story), 2) an experienced person who has had a stable career with no job changes until now, and 3) you...

Here's how I size it up: Option 1) Has a PHD but no common sense, 2) solid perhaps, but snooooz, and 3) you - good organizational skills, the ability to prioritize, willingness to factor acceptance of decision consequences, passionate about a goal even when it cannot be completely fulfilled, demonstrated financial decision making skills, acceptance that even well intentioned plans don't always work out ----- easy decision, you're my guy.

That's the end of my speech....

[tubashaman2]

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[PDCIITuba]

they meet tuesday and i have an all state rehearsal tonight(wednesday)