Picking a YamaClone- Jupiter vs. Weril

[Jeffrey Hicks]

Here is a picture of the Weril. It is the least I can do since I have no experience with any of the horns you have mentioned....

[Kevin Hendrick]

DEG Music, at this time, is not importing any Weril Eb tubas into the U.S.

http://www.belleairmusic.com/weril_tubas.htm

Is this just some kind of a typo then?

Belle Air Music is in Canada, and thus (apparently) not subject to the above-mentioned DEG policy.

[Kevin Hendrick]

... Years ago, I had one of the (rare) 4V front-action Weril Eb tubas in my store...

...bloke "and sent it back."

"If we'd known then what we know now", eh?

[Kevin Hendrick]

Noticed that one -- looks interesting:

Jupiter JCB-376L 3/4 Size Eb Tuba

New from Jupiter

Smaller body for the budding young student. 4 valves (3 up, 1 down) non-compensating, removable centre section for easy maintenance.

Available from Autumn this year.


http://www.woodwindandbrass.co.uk/acatalog/tubas.html

[Tubaguyry]

Werils are solid, though not anywhere near as good as the Yamahas that they copied.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with the second part of that statement. I've owned my Weril CC for a bit more than 4 years, and it only has a couple of small, shallow dings to show for the many times it's been hauled around without a case. And as far as sound, IMHO there just isn't a difference between my Weril and the Yamaha. I've played both, and danged if I can tell a real difference. I mean sure, the Weril sounds like a sub-$2500 3/4 size CC tuba. But then again, so does the Yamaha.

[MaryAnn]

Here's a picture of the beast. I ran the numbers through a currency converter and it looks like the "buy it now" price is around $1822.50. If these play anywhere near as well as the Yamaha 621 F this would be an incredible bargain. Does anybody in the US import these?

I think you might have to add VAT if you wanted to get it over here from there, and that would increase the price. How about a nice trip to Brazil, with an empty flight case?

MA

[Kevin Hendrick]

Here's a picture of the beast. I ran the numbers through a currency converter and it looks like the "buy it now" price is around $1822.50. If these play anywhere near as well as the Yamaha 621 F this would be an incredible bargain. Does anybody in the US import these?

I think you might have to add VAT if you wanted to get it over here from there, and that would increase the price. How about a nice trip to Brazil, with an empty flight case?

MA

16% VAT tax is presently included in the listed price.

If you have questions about this VAT tax, please contact the seller. The actual VAT requirements and rates may vary depending on the final sale.

I'm assuming "listed price" = "Buy It Now" price.

The empty flight case might raise some eyebrows going through Customs ... I suppose you could tell them it's an "air tuba" ...

[Lee Stofer]

I have had a bit of experience with Weril and DEG Corporation, in fact delivering a new Weril J370 BBb to a school yesterday afternoon. It is a clone of the YBB-105 (3-top-piston 3/4 size BBb), and although it is not listed in their catalog, I have sold more of them than any other model Weril tuba.

The J680 BBb and J681 CC look nearly identical in the catalog, only very subtle length differences. The J682 4-front-piston Eb tuba is available, and would cost the same as the J680 or J681. The only difference would be the wait to have one imported. I'm confident that it can be done.

I know of a professional player in Texas who has the J681 CC and is quite happy with it. I refurbished a J680 BBb for an Atlanta musician who liked it so well that he sold his Mirafone. They may not be for everyone but they do have their fans, and for everyone else there all the other brands available. Particularly in a school situation, the valves on a Weril tuba are less susceptible to damage due to certain construction characteristics, and therefore would very likely be more dependable and need less repair attention, saving the school system or private owner money.

The Weril J37X series and J980 BBb look so much like the Yamaha 10X series and YBB321 that I can't help but wonder if Weril may have actually been an outsource for bells and large branches for the Japanese company. Weril's valves are unique, more like older Conn valves. Mary Ann, forget the empty case, just have a nice flight down to Sao Paulo - the Weril already comes with a very nice hard case w/ wheels, and paying a little tax won't hurt..........................;^)

[TBow]

I bought my J680 last January to play with a quintet (my Miraphone 191 was WAY to overpowering). It's great with the quint and orchestra, the sound is a lot thinner than the 191 but it blends better. I also play with a 60 piece band and one of the other Tubas is a Yamaha, I think my Weril has a little better tone (but it could be just me or my mouth piece) and I think the bore is a little smaller than the Yamaha.
Now for the down side, I didn't like the location of the spit valve on the tuning slide. It rubbed on my inner forearm and would give me a raw spot after a couple hours so I had it removed and the hole sealed. I drain the slide the same way French Horn players drain their horn, pull the slide and dump. The valves are unusual, the barrel doesn't have the typical groove running down the inside for a tab on the valve to align to. Instead there is a tabbed nylon “spacerâ€