Miraphone: Made in Germany from Markus Theinert

[Richard Murrow]

It seems that the topic of whether Miraphone is made completely in Germany continues to surface. I have made a posts regarding this in the past which apparently have been forgotten or ignored. Hopefully, the following email from Markus Theinert, President and CEO of Miraphone will once and for all clear up this issue. I spoke with Markus on Friday morning June 22 regarding concerns voiced to me from a regular TubeNet member. Below is a letter that Markus asked me to post. I hope this will once and for all clear up the questions regarding this topic. Please read carefully the email from Mr. Theinert.

Richard Murrow
Artist/Clinician
Miraphone e.G.
Waldkraiburg, Germany

Professor of Tuba-Euphonium
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas 76103

FW: Made in Germany?
Markus Theinert [markus.theinert@miraphone.de]
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 3:09 AM
To:
Murrow, Richard

"Dear Lawrence,

Thank you very much for your email inquiry. It’s nice to hear back from you. If I remember right you bought two Miraphone CC tubas from Roger Lewis years ago (I believe one was a piston 1291 and the other a smaller rotary horn). Hope you still like them as you did when you first bought them.

Since the link you provided in your message was quoting me I chose to answer directly, which is always easier and faster.

Miraphone instruments, as you are well aware of, are 100% manufactured in our plant in Waldkraiburg, Bavaria, Germany. Even the raw material (brass sheets and tubing) is bought exclusively from German suppliers. So there barely is any other possibility to fulfill the label “Made in Germany” any more than our product does!

Nevertheless German authorities and global trade laws allow this label “Made in Germany” to be used by companies for goods which have undergone their last production step in Germany, even if all the parts were produced abroad or if the readily assembled piece only receives its finish in a German factory.

This is why we have repeatedly discussed the meaning of “Made in Germany” on recent trade shows. The label itself has become meaningless (because of so much abuse), the fact itself (quality product manufactured in Germany) didn’t become meaningless at all, though.

Miraphone is proud to continuously be able to provide supreme handmade quality brass instruments to the world of brass players and not mix any part of the product line and production process with supplies or services from other sources or countries. This ensures the best possible quality control and flexibility when it comes to new designs and product improvements.

We will continue to engrave all of our instruments “Made in Germany”, though, as there is no other known or more accurate description available at this point (like “100% made in Germany” for example J). With confidence that Miraphone customers worldwide will know that the label “Made in Germany” on Miraphone horns actually means what it says we have no intention to change this, unless authorities decide to change the rules which allow suppliers to use this or any other label.

I hope that my explanation helps to clarify things for you. I wish you all the best for both your musical and your engineering activities.

Best regards,

Sincerely,

Markus Theinert"

Markus Theinert
President CEO
Email: markus.theinert@miraphone.de" target="_blank" target="_blank
Tel.: +49-700-800-700-88

Miraphone eG
Brass Instruments
Traunreuter Strasse 8
84478 Waldkraiburg
Germany
Fax: +49 (0) 8638 8 28 63
http://www.miraphone.de" target="_blank" target="_blank

[tubajoe]

I visited the factory last October and was given a lengthy detailed tour of the entire factory and saw *every* stage of the process, from the raw brass to final polish. It was absolutely brilliant, and ALL done right there in Waldkraiburg by skilled artisans under one roof. Another thing that was great... the company is actually owned by it's employees.

And, you can get a beer, in the showroom. Go Miraphone!

Here's a repost photos from my visit!

http://www.tubajoe.com/tubajoe/2011/11/ ... phone.html

[Alex C]

Miraphone has been importing tubas into the US since the 1950's. No company has figured more prominently in the growth of our instrument. I've seen those old "Mirafone" flyers advertising the artists who play Mirafone: Roger Bobo per-imminently among them, the tuba players at the University of Michigan with Dr. Revelli marveling at the sound of Mirafone, those massive studio pictures of North Texas tubas with Don Little at the head. No one else could match what they were doing for our instrument at that time.

It is important to note that the current head of Miraphone is an outstanding musician, both as player and conductor. Weathering the current economic storm, they continue to make instruments with uncompromising integrity.

Beer in the showroom! I've so got to go there.

[Tom Coffey]

There is something about these horns that allows them to consistently
produce very high quality, seemingly with no duds. Even so, the euphonium I own is exceptional, by even their very high standards. A great company!

[bort]

Wunderbar!

[jmerring]

Along the same lines as Tom posted; the inherent quality of both construction and the consistent great intonation of Miraphones was the deciding factor that allowed me to play well beyond the norm. I was able to play a 186 BBb for 10 years AFTER I went totally deaf, with only the occasional out-of-tune note. The horn was a little 'barky', but that was not a concern to my fellow musicians or the conductors. Thank you Miraphone, for putting the best horn for the dollar (IMHO)