Posted by Doug on August 10, 2000 at 21:39:38:
In Reply to: Re: Inexpensive tuba for High School Band posted by Matt Walters on August 09, 2000 at 17:09:02:
Leave it to me to argue with Matt, who always seems to know what he's talking about, but I feel that, while playing good is one aspect, looks are important, too (especially for a High school student). Over in Georgia, when we see Fiberglass souaphones, we call them "toiletubas" becasue they look as such. And unless the current tubas are fiberglass, it looks bad with two different types on the field (speaking from experience).
It goes back to the player who "needed" a shiny, new horn for the Honor band thing. Shiny and new isn't always better, but it looks good.
The trick (and the hardest part) is to amximize both. There are good sousaphones and tubas out there that are brass and look good, but also play good, that fall into the correct price range.
One last thing, I hope you didn't mean use the sousaphones during concert season. I've heard that done before. Yuck.
Just the opinion of a High School student,
Doug