Why do Meinl-Weston valves suck?


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Posted by Dan Bradley on February 26, 2001 at 16:17:39:

I love the sound of Meinl-Weston horns. I own a 2155, and I know several great tubists who do as well. My teacher just bought a Meinl-Weston 2000. It's an awesome, awesome horn. I know dudes with 2165s. The horn sounds nice. Why do the valves on every one of them that I've ever played work so TERRIBLY? You'd think that for $11,000 that you could have a tuba with decent valves, but that is plainly not the case with these horns. Conn valves work well. Kalison valves are great. Hirsbrunner valves are expensive...but they work. The valves on my 2155 have about a centimeter of play, which is ridiculous. The valve guides, which are supposedly the "superior" plastic ones, all break or bend all the time. And the springs are bad. Why don't these tubas, which otherwise play extremely well, have good valves? It can't be that hard to make them nicely if all the other companies are doing so at lower prices. Any ideas?

Dan B.


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