Re: Re: York BBb wanted/ Where to get cut


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Posted by Matt Walters on November 03, 1999 at 20:49:47:

In Reply to: Re: York BBb wanted/ Where to get cut posted by Chuck Jackson on November 03, 1999 at 13:05:05:


Hi Chuck,
Why convert BBb tubas is a great question. The answer is......MONEY! As a rule, tubists playing CC are willing to spend more money for a tuba than the typical BBb tubist. That's a shame because until the past couple of years, research and development was only going into CC's.
How much woould the average Joe pay for a 3 valve top action BBb tuba? THE best BBb I have EVER played is a 3 top action King! How much will the average Joe pay for a 5 valve front action CC of the exact same size and sound? A lot more! Merchants aren't being greedy. They are just responding to laws of supply and demand.
Yes, some conversions end up as very mediocre horns. I can attest to a 6/4 Holton in particular, I am not proud of. I used the parts for experimenting that made several other fine Holtons. Afterwards however, I cobbled together the leftover parts and sold it cheap. This was done on my own time, and sold as a consignment through the store. Last time I saw the horn, some other merchant was selling it for a lot more than I originally sold it for. I started out with a box of scrap brass and ended up with a playable tuba. Now if someone sees only that particular horn and thinks it is typical of my conversions; oh well. We all have to learn. Now I know why many businesses would prefer to just scrap than to sell blimished or experimental goods that would be a bargain for someone. I made something out of nothing you could say. Or, I made a mediocre horn you can say. Which leads to my point.

NOT ALL PROJECTS START OUT PROMISING! If it has a bad sound or intonation as a BBb, it likely won't make the greatest CC. A sweet sounding 3 valve top action York will be a sweet sounding horn when it gets new mechanicals. By the way, the converting the branch section to CC is not that much more work for the extra resale value. It is the valve section, assembly, and attention to details that take time. It takes no longer to build up a CC valve section than it does to build up a BBb section. But if the average BBb player doesn't want to pay as much as the CC player, oh well. Also, conversions are also only viable for something you can't get new. It's nuts to convert a Miraphone 186 BBb into a CC when you can buy a great one new.
There you are. A true confession and biased opinion of a professional (get paid to) tuba tinkerer.
Great question! Thanks Chuck.
Matt


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