Re: Re: Tubas on auction site?


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Posted by Dave on April 11, 2002 at 11:43:58:

In Reply to: Re: Tubas on auction site? posted by Dan Randolph on April 10, 2002 at 23:14:18:

Out of the five tubas I have purchased on the unamed auction site, one was a piece of junk, a 1925 Conn upright, which I have had completely overhauled (still trying to get it to play right), one was an Eb Amati helicon which I expected to a BBb (very nice horn though), one was a Japanese made Holton upright that is a bit too small to get a good sound out of and TWO which are absolute dreams! 60% isn't too bad a success rate (including the Eb). The winners all happen to have helicon configerations. The Eb is an new Amati Kralice, very pretty and plays very nice, I just have to learn my Eb figurings. The second is a 1927 Conn BBb 4 valve helicon which plays like a dream and that I use in a Dixieland group, very appropriately. The third one is a Wunderlich, a helicon of somewhat strange configeration. I took it to my instrument repair guy to tweak. He got excited when he saw it and was pointing out all of its unique features to me. Much of the tubing appears to have been hammered on mantrels and to have a taper to it. He thinks it was a military horn made and used prior to WWI. I will probably use this horn as a substitute horn when I get tired of lugging around the Conn helicon. I haven't spent much money on these horns and I've been having fun. What a neat hobby! What more can you ask for?


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