Posted by Matt Walters on January 06, 2004 at 10:50:16:
In Reply to: Older Beginner posted by Howard Ashley on January 05, 2004 at 14:09:50:
Howard,
Glad to hear you want to try the tuba. I guy walked into the store and said, "At 47, I've always wanted to play the tuba." He bought a used 3 valve horn and talked me into giving him lessons. A great friendship came about, and his love of tuba has become a near obsession. As Harry progressed, he traded his 3 valve horn in for a 4 valve. He lost a couple hundred on the first horn, because we are a store and that means buy low and sell higher of course. But he put it in perspective of a couple hundred to use a tuba for 18 months is like renting for less than $20 per month.
So if you want to really go for it, a good used 3 valve tuba will be the thing to start with. An Olds 99 is a good place to start. You have to shell out upwards of $1000, but it isn't like buying a used car that will be worth less as time goes on. Matt