Posted by js on January 22, 2002 at 00:29:25:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: King 2341 posted by Skeptic from CA on January 21, 2002 at 23:51:06:
If you've seen and closely examined any recently-made King metal sousaphones in west coast high school or university band rooms, you already have a good understanding of the quality of construction of the "new" King/Conn tubas.
I really don't think the new (shortened bell) King BBb is much better than the old detach-bell model, but it IS more convenient, and (I think) many tuba players like it better because it is easier to hear (due to bell-flair-to-player's-head proximity) what's going on "up there". Since it costs no more than a Miraphone S186, has more of an umbrella (read "American"....grrrrr [pet peave]) sound than a 186 (better at masking "high school" tone quality), and has piston valves (no linkage stuff to bend and break when the horn gets knocked to the floor), I think this U.S. model will cut into the 186 market niche.
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As to the CC "Conn" version, It's a good tuba. I wouldn't buy one nor play one by choice, but it's good.
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As to comparing either of these to St. Pete's...That's a funny issue with me. You notice that I haven't posted much of anything (ever) about St. Petes. The only two or three that I've seen here in the Memphis area actually look pretty decent: OK valves, OK linkage, OK nickel plating, OK sound, OK scale, OK solder joints...(???). If this (as it seems it is from all of the slams - ???) is atypical, I shouldn't compare stuff to St. Pete's in general, I guess.
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Again, I don't sell the King/Conn tubas, nor am I doing cartwheels around them, but they are good (enough).
-Joe