Posted by Rick Denney on March 10, 2003 at 23:42:03:
In Reply to: Buying first tuba posted by Jim P. on March 10, 2003 at 19:23:20:
If you are prepared to spend money, then I would call Dave Fedderly at Baltimore Brass, Matt Walters at Dillon Music, and Tony Clements at Low Brasswerks (get the numbers from their web sites link on the shops page), and tell them just what you told us. Tell them how much you have to spend. They will tell you what they have that is best for the money. Buy one of them.
This goes against the conventional wisdom of going to a superstore and trying out every horn ever made. I think the conventional wisdom is great for players on top of their game (whatever their game happens to be), and who will know what they like about the tuba they choose. With all due respect to you, you are not in the position of knowing a good tuba even when you play one, and you would not be able to make a sensible selection. Either of these three guys will pick a good horn for you, and you can take their selection at face value. You could hardly do better hiring a pro to play-test instruments for you.
In a couple of years, you will have progressed to the point where you have a better idea of what you want, and you may look for something different than what you have. Then you can make the big trip to a conference or a store and try out a bunch of tubas. Then, you'll know a good one when you play it. When you buy your dream horn, you can sell this restarter tuba for probably close to what you paid for it.
Stick with brands known for quality and you'll never lose your investment. I have sold four tubas in my life for a total of about $6000 and lost perhaps $200 on them. My Miraphone is worth what I paid for the instruments I traded for it, including what I spent having it overhauled. St. Pete is not one of those brands, and it's hard to recoup your investment unless you get it really cheap. The good ones play pretty well, and the bad ones fall apart repeatedly. You can buy almost any Miraphone 186 sight unseen and get a great horn that is easy to play and will forever more be worth what you paid for it, if you take good care of it. You can't say that about St. Petes or other budget brands. And a great used Miraphone costs the same as a new St. Pete. You'll be able to buy parts for the Miraphone for years to come, while the parts on the St. Pete aren't consistent one valve to the next let alone one horn to the next.
A used quality instrument is a better deal than a new budget instrument for the same price, and you'll get better results relative to your skill as it improves.
Avoid top-action tubas unless you are blind in your left eye. These do not hold their value well because most folks don't like the ergonomics. Stick with front-action piston or rotary tubas (it doesn't matter which).
(By the way, Dillon has two Miraphone 186's on their site for around three grand, hint, hint.)
Rick "who can see no reason for delay unless money is a problem" Denney