Tuba manufacturers off the beaten track?

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:02 am

We all know the usual suspects - Hirsbrunner, B&S, Meinl, Willson, Mirafone, Besson, Yamaha, Nirschl, et al - but I'm wondering who's out there making top-notch, low production number horns that you just don't hear too much about.

Gronitz and Thein come to mind. Can anyone think of any others?

...Dave

Brendan Bohnhorst · Post by **Brendan Bohnhorst** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:09 am

Alexander would be another.

Cameron Gates · Post by **Cameron Gates** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 1:32 pm

poomshanka wrote: Gronitz and Thein come to mind. Can anyone think of any others?

...Dave

Has anyone here actually played a Thein? Those horns pictured on their website are fantastic looking. Are there any in the US?

Cameron Gates

chhite · Post by **chhite** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 1:58 pm

[/quote]Has anyone here actually played a Thein? Those horns pictured on their website are fantastic looking. Are there any in the US? Cameron Gates[/quote]

I played their 4/4 f in January and thought that it had its place in a European orchestra. Its sound was compact, but capable of getting big when it needed to. Its intonation, from what I could tell without a tuner, felt great and pitches were easily workable while producing a "slotted" feel. I don't, however, think it was worth the $17K+ that would have been its asking price. I also don't think any Thein tubas have made it to the States but many trumpets and trombones have. If you needed custom work while you're in Germany, the Thein brothers are certainly a place to visit.

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:51 pm

Are any of you guys from the states?

Sam Gnagey

Yeah, he's more of an integrator/recycler/re-fabricator, and he doesn't charge "boutique" prices, but his intruments give me the sweats, just looking at them!
________________________
Joe Baker, who expects to be calling Sam to place an order on the way home from his son's college graduation -- 6 yrs, 2 months and probably a couple of days from now.

jacobg · Post by **jacobg** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:06 pm

http://www.kanstul.net/pages/instruments/ccbb.html
Kanstul?

TubaTodd · Post by **TubaTodd** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:32 pm

Matt Walters

I'm surprised his name has not come up. His custom built horns (parts from a variety of horns) are truly amazing. It's been a long time since I have seen one of his tubas. I wonder if he has stopped building tubas.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:07 am

Wasn't the title of this thread "tuba manufacturers"? Much as the work of folks like Matt, Sam and Lee is very good, they're not manufacturers in the true sense, unless they've acquired the tooling to spin bells, etc.

How about these:

Hermann Schmidt
http://www.hsm-brass.de

Haagston
http://www.haagston.at/

Lars Trawen · Post by **Lars Trawen** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:24 am

For further manufacturers, check out this list on another tuba site, this time Danish:
http://www.tubaportalen.dk/links_fabrikanter.asp

TubeNet

Tuba manufacturers off the beaten track?

Tuba manufacturers off the beaten track?

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Re: Tuba manufacturers off the beaten track?