Posted by Spudboy on February 16, 2002 at 12:31:42:
In Reply to: Re: Kanstul tuba - yes or no? posted by Mike on February 16, 2002 at 11:00:40:
Kanstul Trumpets are well respected and I know several professionals who use them. Their tubas are well made and, I believe, sound very good. I was also interested in the Kanstul that was on that auction site, but am not willing to buy a horn without playing it first. I have never played a Kanstul tuba, but I have played their marching tubas and Contrabass Bugles. If their marching instruments are an indicator, their tubas will be excellent instruments.
2 things of note on Kanstul tubas: 1. Unless they have changed, they have small bores (.689) and big tubing, much like older American tubas. 2. They do not have 5th valves.
I have only had positive experiences with Kanstul instruments, but I would still see buying one as a gamble because they are such a newcomer to the non-marching side of the music industry, at least in terms of professional tubas.