Hello Everyone, I am new to tuba and to this forum.
After playing baritone in high school and then in various community bands, then taking a long break from music, I am back and am really getting into the tuba. I have been renting one for a while but now it is time to buy one. Is there anything I should look out for? The instrument I want to look at is a Miraphone 184 for sale. The ad says it has a few dents but that everything works right and the price is in my range.
After scanning the recent posts on this forum and seeing it all over the news, I can't help noticing how many tubas are begin stolen. Is there any way to check something out before buying it? When I have dealt with other expensive private sales in the past, like gold, the buyer usually takes a driver's license number. Is this cool when dealing with instruments?
Very excited to get my own tuba!
Looking to buy my first tuba
-
Tom
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1579
- Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:01 am
Re: Looking to buy my first tuba
As always, if it seems to good to be true...
Realistically, here's what to do:
1. Ask the seller for detailed photos of the instrument (better yet, see it and try it in person).
2. Look for indications that it came out of a school situation (stickers, engravings, stenciling, etc. on horn and case).
3. Check around on Tubenet to see if there have been any postings regarding stolen instruments that match the description.
4. Get and keep contact information on the seller including name, address, phone, email, etc.
5. Although this isn't always the case, an honest tuba seller usually knows something about the instrument or can share some sort of back story. Ask the seller about it and see what they have to say. If the story raises an eyebrow, carefully consider if you want to take the risk.
6. Choose your payment method carefully. Keep in mind what can be traced and what can't or if your bank or credit card company offers any recourse for transactions gone bad.
Really though...go with your gut. If it passes the "smell test," you're probably good to go and have little to worry about.
Realistically, here's what to do:
1. Ask the seller for detailed photos of the instrument (better yet, see it and try it in person).
2. Look for indications that it came out of a school situation (stickers, engravings, stenciling, etc. on horn and case).
3. Check around on Tubenet to see if there have been any postings regarding stolen instruments that match the description.
4. Get and keep contact information on the seller including name, address, phone, email, etc.
5. Although this isn't always the case, an honest tuba seller usually knows something about the instrument or can share some sort of back story. Ask the seller about it and see what they have to say. If the story raises an eyebrow, carefully consider if you want to take the risk.
6. Choose your payment method carefully. Keep in mind what can be traced and what can't or if your bank or credit card company offers any recourse for transactions gone bad.
Really though...go with your gut. If it passes the "smell test," you're probably good to go and have little to worry about.
The Darling Of The Thirty-Cents-Sharp Low D♭'s.
-
sailn2ba
- 3 valves
- Posts: 365
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:53 pm
- Location: North Carolina
Re: Looking to buy my first tuba
Holy Cats! It blows my mind that this would be a major concern for someone looking for a tuba.
Talk to them. Are they tuba/brass players (and are their responses consistent with that?)? There should be a believable provenance for the horn. . . and an unforthcoming seller bodes ill.
If you're worried, can you talk to someone who's played with them? . . a band, ensemble, etc. ? Tuba players aren't normally loners.
What happens if you don't like the horn in a few days/weeks? Most tuba players and reputable dealers are looking for good homes and/or satisfied customers.
As said before ; get thorough info on seller and instrument (stencil, manufacturer, SN, photo) and Google it.
Talk to them. Are they tuba/brass players (and are their responses consistent with that?)? There should be a believable provenance for the horn. . . and an unforthcoming seller bodes ill.
If you're worried, can you talk to someone who's played with them? . . a band, ensemble, etc. ? Tuba players aren't normally loners.
What happens if you don't like the horn in a few days/weeks? Most tuba players and reputable dealers are looking for good homes and/or satisfied customers.
As said before ; get thorough info on seller and instrument (stencil, manufacturer, SN, photo) and Google it.
-
Subtone
- lurker
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:51 pm
Re: Looking to buy my first tuba
Thank you for your advice. It looks like I made the source of the tuba look more important than the part about what I have to look out for in terms of problems with the instrument itself. Sorry! For example: a friend told me how to check to see if the valves leak but that was for a baritone with piston valves. Is there a similar check I should do on rotary valves? I read online that if a dent is less than 1/3 of the diameter of the tube, it is not a problem. That seems like a pretty big dent to me!
I will certainly ask the seller a lot of questions. There have been so many things in the news lately about stolen tubas: radio, newspaper, on this forum.
I will certainly ask the seller a lot of questions. There have been so many things in the news lately about stolen tubas: radio, newspaper, on this forum.