**

[GC]

I am sorry that I ever started this. Thanks, friends.

I'm glad you did. It's a legit question. I'd like to have more horns, but being a piddly amateur, I can't justify it. Normally I have one tuba, one or two bass guitars, one bass amp (and a backup), and a couple of loaners from the museum band I play in. It suits me reasonably well, but given a choice I'd love to have 6 tubas (a BAT rotary BBb and a BAT piston BBb, a medium/small CC, a big Eb, a piston F, and a rotary F), but I'd have to win the lottery first (I'd have to start buying tickets). I'd also like a half dozen other instruments to play with, but I can't justify any of them. What I've got is practical for me, and the rest is gilding the lily. I admire the folks who have a big stable of instruments. I just won't ever be one.

[bearphonium]

I thought it was a kinda cool topic. I have two tubas and a euphonium. I have two motorcycles. I am a hobbiest musician, enjoy riding, and work as a deputy sheriff (not riding a motorcycle.) I make my choices much as other folks make theirs. Some interesting thoughts here...

[gwwilk]

I am sorry that I ever started this. Thanks, friends.

Your now untitled thread has been a delightful read in the best TubeNet tradition, jmerring. I'm sorry you saw fit to delete your original post because I didn't see it and now will never know what kicked off this enlightening discussion.

[Dylan King]

Over the next several months and years we're going to see the dollar going down, down, down. The price of food and other tangable goods will therefore go up, up, and up. Until the whole world falls apart, and it will in very short order, instruments are as good a thing to collect as any, especially if you love playing them and are fascinated by them like many on this message board, including myself.

People will always love music, and it seems to touch the heart of life more in tough times. I keep my horns (which I no longer use to make money) because I love playing all of them. Because if I ever need to I could sell some or all of them and get along on the money for quite some time. Because my 11 month old daughter is as fascinated by them as I am. Because from time to time I make people who hear me play them very happy.

Right now in the summer of 2011 I believe that it is a better investment to have 50K in quality musical instruments than 50K in U.S. currency. If I had turned my tubas to gold ten years ago, I would have the cash to buy a very nice house, but I didn't. I still have been blessed to have a very nice house, and am aslo blessed to have a room full of instruments in that house. Sure, they're not worth their weight in gold, and not much is these days, but they are priceless in my eyes until the day that it is time to flee. When that time comes, I will have to leave the big guys at home, and pack up a trumpet.

Hopefully I can enjoy the tubas a few more years!

[Bob Kolada]

I buy rarely, on the cheap end, and then (usually, read on...) keep it for years. My bass trombone, my euph, and my first Eb tuba each paid for themselves at least once back in Indiana. I sold that Eb for a few hundred more, got another for free, sold that for several hundred, bought and then sold for a few hundred more a Conn Giant Eb, and bought and am now trying to sell my King Eb (want another small Conn Eb!). Basically, for quite a while all my horns at least paid for themselves. I have also chosen horns that most folk laugh at but really work quite well.

Then I went through a period of f'it-i-want-it horns, some of which I still do want and may replace someday- rotary bass trumpet (Chinese, nice playing, found it to be hard to hold, I'd like a piston one but have an Olds marcher now), F contratrumpet (-will- be replaced!), and 2 F contrabass trombones (1st had issues and went back; the 2nd, a Kanstul, never got used as much as I planned and has just been sold to someone who's going to study contra on a Fulbright ).

I still have several other horns I don't/can't play anymore, mostly trombones with the can't being elbow issues with the bass, that are for sale.
I'd really be set with a nice small Conn Eb for happy/nostalgic/jazz playing (got one lined up), possibly a nice 4/5 valve small piston bass tuba for more "legit" occasions, my Fullerton Olds marching trombone with some work, and should keep the bass trombone. I am of course looking into cimbassi, euphtubas, valved Bb bass trombones (for those occasional bass bone gigs, would be much better on my elbow than the slide horn),...

[Mark]

Normally I have ... one bass amp (and a backup), ...

one bass amp (and a backup) = two bass amps

[SRanney]

bloke "investing in a water source, dried beans, and pre-formed lead"

What - no smokeless powder, cases, and primers?

Steven

[Rick Denney]

I'll see your Technika and raise you a Leica M-series. (I already have the Hasselblad!)

As long as we are spending lottery winnings (though only source of sufficient funds), how about a Leica S-series? With all the lenses, of course.

Rick "still less expensive than a tricked-out bass boat" Denney

[Dylan King]

re: what Dylan said,

I'm not even sure that "precious" metals are good investments. I see their value skyrocketing PREVIOUS to an ultimate economic collapse, but what about AFTER? Other than "decorative", these metals have some industrial uses - but mostly hi-tech, and during dire times there probably isn't much "hi-tech" stuff happenin'. ...and you cannot eat (or make into ammo very well) "precious metals".

bloke "investing in a water source, dried beans, and pre-formed lead"

Right! There will come a time when gold is completely worthless...

Ezekiel 7:19
They will throw their silver into the streets, And their gold will be like refuse; Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the LORD; They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs, Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.

[UTSAtuba]

I currently own two horns: a Holton Monster Eb and GRBIC (York) 4/4 BBb. I got them extremely inexpensive (<$1000) because I am a bargain hunter (YOU CAN TOO!). I am not a professional by any means, and do not make a steady income. I work with what I have because I understand it's the user, not the instrument. I'm happy playing these horns (absolutely LOVE the sound), and am content at the moment. Yet, I really don't see myself letting these instruments go in the near future (STILL planning on reconstructing valve sets...).

[GC]

GC wrote:Normally I have ... one bass amp (and a backup), ...

one bass amp (and a backup) = two bass amps

One does not really count because it's never used except in case of emergency (which hasn't occurred yet).