Good Horn For Sale


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Posted by Ellis Wean on October 09, 2001 at 17:55:42:

Hi All,

I’m selling what’s been my orchestra tuba since 1996. I bought it from Floyd Cooley. It was a prototype for the Nirschl line. For my taste and those who’ve listened in a music hall, it plays and sounds better than any Nirschl I’ve tried so far.

I don’t quite know what to call it. The bell and first bow are York and the rest is Hirsbrunner (so it’s not really a conventional ‘Yorkbrunner’ and doesn’t play like one). I’m selling it because I find prolonged practicing is causing serious problems with my finger joints. I’m pretty sure this would happen to me with most piston-valve tubas. You (who know me) know I’m not super sized. The valves are as close as possible for a big horn, but bore size dictates valve-action length. I prefer not to subsidize anti-inflammatories. It has the usual 4 piston, 1 rotary configuration. I bought a new leadpipe (Nirschl) 1 year ago. Its position has been adjusted for both the way I play and for the horn to point forward. The valves work quite reliably.

This horn’s appearance/construction is very much Yorkbrunner/Nirschl, maybe a little heavier and wider than a Nirschl. Dents will be none this week. It’s in the shop now. Sound is more centered than any ‘Yorkbrunner’ and bigger than any Nirschl I’ve tried. It plays extremely well in tune (a major reason I bought it in the first place.) Also, there are no ‘bad’ (funky, unclear, centerless, etc.) notes on this horn. I’m simply not playing this horn anymore and I’m not a ‘collector’, thus the sale. I paid $12,500US and this is the firm price.

I don’t have any recent pictures, but they’ll be available, the moment I get the horn back. I have everything necessary to post new pics the same day. I can also provide sound bytes in many forms - broadcasts, recordings, alone in hall, etc. Floyd says he thinks he used this on SF’s Zarathustra. (That was the best he could do considering the list of horns he goes through.)

If you are (or anyone you know might be) SERIOUSLY interested or wish more info, please contact me asap. Arrangements can be made for trying it. Sorry about the price. I do know it’s a lot. It is, indeed, what I paid and really is a superior instrument. You won’t have to be on a ‘years’ waiting list.

Sincerely,
Ellis Wean
Tuba, Vancouver Symphony Orch.
(formerly Buffalo Philharmonic Orch.,
Montreal Symphony Orch.)
ellis(AT)telus.net

(Apologies if you're burdened with this more than once.)


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