List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

The bulk of the musical talk
BopEuph
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 656
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:51 am
Location: Orlando, FL

List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by BopEuph »

I've created a list of US tuba specialist shops. I don't know if some of these should be on the list, but these are (ideally) somewhere one could fly in, try some horns, and fly home.

I'll add to the list if anyone has any more leads.

Eastern US:

NC: Tuba Exchange
NJ: Dillon Music
MD: Baltimore Brass

Central US:

TN: Joe Sellmansberger
IN: Dan Schultz
IA: Lee Stofer
OH: Buddy Roger's Music
WI: Jim Laabs
OH: Buckeye Brass (small)
MI: Custom Music

Western US:

WA: Dan Overloh
CA: The Horn Guys
CA: The Brass Ark
Last edited by BopEuph on Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:14 am, edited 4 times in total.
Nick
User avatar
The Big Ben
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:54 am
Location: Port Townsend, WA

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by The Big Ben »

Dillon Music and Baltimore Brass. See contact info in the sponsors/shops list.

Horn Guys in LA area. Google is your friend.
BopEuph
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 656
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:51 am
Location: Orlando, FL

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by BopEuph »

The Big Ben wrote:Google is your friend.
Not really.

Here's the first ten hits for "tuba stores US":

The Tuba Exchange
Guitar Center
Wessex Tubas
Yamaha
Just For Brass
Dillon Music
The Horn Guys
Jim Laabs
Hickey's Brass Music
Tuba - Wikiversity

Not all of these are tuba specialists, not all of these are places you can visit, and not all of these are in the US. And one of these isn't even a shop.

Google was, of course, the first thing I tried.
Nick
ktsmr6
lurker
lurker
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:07 am

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by ktsmr6 »

Baltimore Brass is a hot spot usually having 20-30 horns in stock. Especially good for used horns. They have Mr. Fedderly and another tuba specialist on staff to help you out too. Solid repair shop if you need it as well.
User avatar
bort
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 11222
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by bort »

Brass Ark
User avatar
The Big Ben
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 3169
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:54 am
Location: Port Townsend, WA

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by The Big Ben »

BopEuph wrote:
The Big Ben wrote:Google is your friend.
Not really.

Here's the first ten hits for "tuba stores US":
.
I wrote "The Horn Guys in LA" Google is your friend. I gave the locations of the other two. I left you with the suggestion to use Google to find out about the Horn Guys. They have quite a good website= and frequently have many tubas in stock.

https://www.hornguys.com/pages/tubas" target="_blank
1895King
bugler
bugler
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:12 pm

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by 1895King »

Wichita Band Instrument
User avatar
schneidah
bugler
bugler
Posts: 115
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:56 pm
Location: Denver
Contact:

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by schneidah »

Custom Music in Ferndale, MI
http://customtubas.com/
User avatar
GC
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1800
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:52 am
Location: Rome, GA (between Rosedale and Armuchee)

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by GC »

Lee Stofer, Dan Oberloh, Bloke, and Dan Schultz all run repair shops and have horns for sale regularly.
JP/Sterling 377 compensating Eb; Warburton "The Grail" T.G.4, RM-9 7.8, Yamaha 66D4; for sale > 1914 Conn Monster Eb (my avatar), ca. 1905 Fillmore Bros 1/4-size Eb, Bach 42B trombone
User avatar
bort
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 11222
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by bort »

schneidah wrote:Custom Music in Ferndale, MI
http://customtubas.com/
Do they still exist, besides a few Ebay listings?

Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

So whatever is going on there now... I wouldn't recommend it. Better options exist!
BopEuph
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 656
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:51 am
Location: Orlando, FL

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by BopEuph »

GC wrote:Lee Stofer, Dan Oberloh, Bloke, and Dan Schultz all run repair shops and have horns for sale regularly.
Good point. I'll add them to the list.
bort wrote:Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)
This is not much different from what I heard back in college almost 20 years ago. My teacher had a Hirschbrunner euph. Loved the horn, but there were some serious warranty-covered issues with the horn and trying to have Custom Music solve said issues was like pulling teeth. He even gave them a heads up that he would be visiting in a few weeks to purchase a valve section to fix one of the issues, to which he was told no appointment required. When he walked in, they acted like they didn't remember the conversation and told him they couldn't help him.

Not saying they are a pleasant source for tubas, but for some, it might be a regional thing to want to swing by to try horns.
Nick
User avatar
schneidah
bugler
bugler
Posts: 115
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:56 pm
Location: Denver
Contact:

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by schneidah »

bort wrote:Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

So whatever is going on there now... I wouldn't recommend it. Better options exist!
Hmm, sorry to hear that! I picked out my PT-6 there 15 years ago and recall the experience being fine. At the time, it was the only place in the US I knew of that had B&S/Perantucci instruments. That's no longer the case, so if I were in that market again I'd certainly consider other options!
User avatar
edsel585960
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1507
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:28 pm
Location: SW Florida

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by edsel585960 »

Bob Tucker in Ocoee (Orlando) Does good work. Has some interesting stuff laying around. 321-331-1511
Conn 20-21 J
Conn 10J, Conn 26 K, Martin Mammoth, Mirafone 186, Soviet Helicon, Holton Raincatcher Sousaphone, Yamaha 103, King 1240.
Bowerybum
bugler
bugler
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:15 pm

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by Bowerybum »

I think Custom Music moved from Ferndale Mi. to Farmington Hills Mi.

By Phone
Local: (248) 546-4135
Toll Free: (800) 521-6380

By Fax
(248) 546-8296

By E-mail
info@customtubas.com" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

By Postal Mail
Custom Music International
24700 Crestview Court
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
"When the legend becomes fact, print
the legend."
Heavy_Metal
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1713
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 10:42 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD, USA

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by Heavy_Metal »

ktsmr6 wrote:Baltimore Brass is a hot spot usually having 20-30 horns in stock. Especially good for used horns. They have Mr. Fedderly and another tuba specialist on staff to help you out too. Solid repair shop if you need it as well.
This.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
WC8KCY
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 342
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 12:24 am

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by WC8KCY »

schneidah wrote:
bort wrote:Last summer, I was in Ferndale, and tried multiple times to contact them, with no answer. The one time I did reach them by phone a few weeks prior, they made it quite clear that they were not interested in selling me a tuba. One word answers, sounded irritated, and hung up on me (I called back "I think we got disconnected..." and got a few more words that time... but still, nowhere near a pleasant conversation.)

So whatever is going on there now... I wouldn't recommend it. Better options exist!
Hmm, sorry to hear that! I picked out my PT-6 there 15 years ago and recall the experience being fine. At the time, it was the only place in the US I knew of that had B&S/Perantucci instruments. That's no longer the case, so if I were in that market again I'd certainly consider other options!
Hmm, when shopping for a 3/4-sized BB-flat tuba back in October, I was considering the Sanders Etude from Custom Music. My e-mail inquiry received a prompt but terse reply: "Hello, All of the Etudes are sold, CMI".

That's in stark contrast to 2011 or so when I visited there on appointment to try out mouthpieces for my Holton Monster E-flat. They were very gracious and helpful at that time, and I got to try out everything in the store that was of interest--mouthpieces, mutes, tubas, and bags. What a treat! I was really looking forward to another trip down there, but alas, they seem to be lacking in wares to sell.

I ordered a PT-31 mouthpiece from them via their website a few weeks ago and received that in four days. No issues there.
THE TUBA
Deletedaccounts
Deletedaccounts
Posts: 706
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:54 pm

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by THE TUBA »

I know it is semantics, but Joe's spot outside of Memphis is further west than Chicago. It might be more accurately classified as "Central" than "Eastern."
[/post]
BopEuph
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 656
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:51 am
Location: Orlando, FL

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by BopEuph »

edsel585960 wrote:Bob Tucker in Ocoee (Orlando) Does good work. Has some interesting stuff laying around. 321-331-1511
As much as I've heard this and would love to send him business, I live in Orlando and have not been able to get Bob on the phone in almost a decade. Either he's busy or is just bad at answering/returning calls; but it would make it difficult to want to recommend him.
hrender wrote:If by “specialist” you mean “has an assortment of tubas for sale”, Taylor Music in SD has a fair number of used horns in stock. I’m not sure how many new horns they have on hand, though. I had a very good experience communicating with them while ordering a case for the Martin. There are a few others, like Horn Stash in Palatine, IL, worth checking out, too. If you’re looking for services, I’d add Martin Wilk and Norm Epley.
The idea being that it's worth a long drive/flight for someone shopping around for a horn. If you think they're worth that kind of effort, then yes.
THE TUBA wrote:I know it is semantics, but Joe's spot outside of Memphis is further west than Chicago. It might be more accurately classified as "Central" than "Eastern."
Noted, and I'll go ahead and change that. Thanks.
Nick
Mark Horne
bugler
bugler
Posts: 203
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:59 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: List of tuba specialist shops in the US?

Post by Mark Horne »

For folks that may not realize, The Horn Guys and the Brass Ark are within a few blocks of each other on the same main road (historic route 66) in the Los Angeles region. Noah's hours are by appointment, but there has rarely been a time when I didn't also swing by the Horn Guys to see what they have.
Alexander 163 CC 5V, MW Thor, Mel Culbertson Neptune, B&S Symphonie F 6V
E. Green
bugler
bugler
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2013 4:17 am

Custom Flop

Post by E. Green »

Recently a student of mine ordered a PT-65 from Custom. The mouthpiece sent was totally different that the good one I use and was returned.
Post Reply