Posted by Anthony Labelle on April 09, 2001 at 17:35:13:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: St. Petersburg 201N Tuba posted by Guy in Oregon on April 09, 2001 at 16:58:56:
After having not played one in a couple of years, I had a chance to play one this last week. Apparently a wonderful salesman in NC talked one of my students into getting one(despite my advice that he stay away from "that place" in NC, and the St. Pete altogether).
I must say, the horn overall isn't as bad as I remembered. Yes, the valves still suck, and it took me three hours to get all the slides moveable.. but as far as the sound it can produce, and the intonation, it ain't a bad little horn. I could play up to Eb above the staff fairly in tune, with a bit of slide pulling, and the pedal register is better in tune than the MW-25's that his school owns. The "feel" of the horn was pretty nice too, much nicer than I had remembered... but still, with the craftsmanship issues, and the tin-foil qualities of the metal, it's not worth the price they sell for brand new.. fortunately my student has the option to send it back, with little financial loss.
f.w.i.w.
Anthony