Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on December 15, 2000 at 10:20:36:
In Reply to: Re: Holton 346R (new) vs. Yamaha 321 posted by anon. on December 15, 2000 at 01:32:20:
The anonymous poster gave you some good advice: The King 2341 (or slightly older 1241 which is basically the same but with some minor differences in branch tubing shape) with an upright bell is a great choice for a school horn. They are built like tanks and have a very nice sound. This is one of the few tuba designs that has been made continually since the late 1930s and still sells well. While the bore is small (.687 -- but hey, that's what Bill Bell preferred), that's not so bad for a high school player who's serious about learning to play and control his or her air. The intonation is pretty good on the King and notes slot easily -- perhaps not what a top pro would want, but very helpful for the younger player or the community band tubist.
These horns cost about $4k new and used they can be had for around $2-2.5K. You might look into getting one with a recording bell (which usually are cheaper) and getting a new upright bell for around $6-800.