Bug in the ear of the Chinese cloners...

[Levaix]

If they make a Holton 345 copy I'd be all over that. (BBb, please. )

[Dylan King]

How about a piston F clone of the Petrushka or the Yamaha 621?

[Dylan King]

Wait, forget the 621. How about the Yamaha Roger Bobo F solo?

A "$4,000" ChinaYork 6/4 would be nice too...

[sloan]

After hearing such great things about the Besson 3 top 1 side compensating EEb clone-- I think there are several of us in the US who just don't work and play well with that 3 + 1 valve layout, but love the EEb sound. How about a 4 front action EEb (or top action for that matter... just relocate the 4th valve on the Besson clone)? Just something to think about...

Oh and since I'm dreaming of good cheap horns... how about a 6/4 CC?

That would involve *design* work. Not cloning.

[sloan]

If they make a Holton 345 copy I'd be all over that. (BBb, please. )

They should have no trouble matching the original fit-and-finish quality levels

[TexTuba]

That would involve *design* work. Not cloning.

They couldn't copy the 983?

[Bob Kolada]

I would friggin -flip- for a 1281 clone, and because I'm trying to get my group to get a Miraphone 1281 I wouldn't feel bad about buying a copy of a horn like.

[GC]

Hmmm . . . a front-valve compensating Eb with a 19" bell for $1500 . . . oh, well.

[bisontuba]

Hi-
For any maker, to put a horn in production, there needs to be a market. I just don't think a front action Eb tuba is at the top of any maker's list. The 3+1 version/981 JBEB-700 clone fits the needs of the brass band player ('tradition')--and it is a great instrument.
As far as a piston 6/4 CC goes, I would love to see one now (but only one of high quality!), but JinBao needs to first make a CC piston tuba that works properly as a 4/4 or 5/4 horn. Their JBCB-410/aka 186 clone 5 rotary valve tuba is on the money and is not only a great horn, but a steal at today's prices. On the other hand, their JBCB-450 4 piston, 1 rotor CC tuba still is not what is should be--it needs to be improved--for 2011, this 4/4 or 5/4 CC tuba --at any price--is not a good representative of a quality 4/4 or 5/4 piston CC. Once they get this size piston CC horn addressed (it can be done by them--their BBb 1291 clone JBBB-800 4 piston, 1 rotor tuba is excellent) to be of the same quality as the 186 clone, or even the 6 rotary valve JBFB-600 F tuba, then I would think other size CC piston size horns--like a 6/4--could be developed, IMHO. I hope this makes some sense. My 2 cents...
Regards-
mark

[bort]

I can't help but think that a 6/4 clone is a bad idea.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I am patiently waiting for the cimbasso....

[TUBAD83]

A "$4,000" ChinaYork 6/4 would be nice too...

Its coming! Do not be surprised to see a 6/4 clone on the market before the end of this year.

JJ

[bort]

A "$4,000" ChinaYork 6/4 would be nice too...

Its coming! Do not be surprised to see a 6/4 clone on the market before the end of this year.

JJ

Great.

I only hope that common sense prevails if/when BATs become affordable. Most people do not need (and probably can't physically or musically handle) a BAT. Of course, I know that some people can, and there are certainly worthy players who would welcome a less-expensive option.

Although I grumble about cloned tubas in general, I can at least respect that up until this point they've been producing appropriately sized tubas. I just have this nightmare of too many players buying BATs because they look cool, and then ending up totally overwhelmed by them. I kind of like that price is a deterrent (or at least a checkpoint) for those serious enough to need a BAT.

If all of a sudden, you could buy a Ferrari clone for $15,000, I'm sure people would be excited about that too. But that doesn't make it any more practical.

Maybe that's just me though.

[TexTuba]

Maybe that's just me though.

Yeah...it's just you....

[Bill Troiano]

To continue to grow as a musician and to keep up with the times and current trend (?) in solo literature, I would personally rather see a large piston F tuba clone than 6/4 tuba.

[tclements]

Man, I'd love to see a CC 5 banger version of the 345. Silver, please. I'll take 2!

[bort]

Man, I'd love to see a CC 5 banger version of the 345. Silver, please. I'll take 2!

You want 2? Ok, you can have the one I don't buy.

[sloan]

Do you want a clone of a GOOD 345, a MEDIOCRE 345, or a CRAP 345?

[Frank Ortega]

How about a 6/4 clone with an in tune 3rd partial?

Like a Martin Mammoth?

Or York Model 91?

[MartyNeilan]

Several decades ago, it was said to me that the reason the Germans make only rotary horns is because they can't make good pistons. The manufacturing processes are totally different. Obviously that has changed with the ubiquitous B&S/MW "large piston" valveset. I wonder if that is one of the reasons the Chinese rotor horns have been relatively successful, whereas the piston horns (possibly excepting one specific BBb model) have not caught on?