Re: Re: Re: Re: Tuba Major Horn Reccomendations


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Posted by Joe S. on January 05, 2000 at 01:36:01:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Tuba Major Horn Reccomendations posted by Sean Chisham on January 03, 2000 at 09:05:41:

I like to see people who have decided to be committed to a goal "putting their money where their mouth is", as it where.

Once again, as I have pointed out before, we as tuba players (just like "they as trumpet/trombone/french horn players" who sometimes whine about their $1500 - $4000 instrument purchases) need to stop and look in the mirror [when we make a decision to be "totally committed" to performance achievement] regarding the level of commitment of our pocketbooks.

I have used the bassoon - bass woodwind / tuba - bass brass analogy before, but here it is again: Professional Heckel brand bassoons cost $25,000 to $35,000. Fine collegiate/professional quality bassoons made by Fox cost $16,000. A bassoon is just a few hunks of maple with holes drilled in it and keys hanging off of it (So what, right?), and NONE of these bassoon prices drop down into the price range of tubas. College bassoon students, on average, have no more money, NOR DO THEIR PARENTS, than average college student tuba players, but since their mimimum price range for a serious instrument is $16,000, somehow they find the money to pay it. By the same token, couldn't college tuba performance majors or their parents "find" $8000 - $14,000, instead of $3,500 - $4,500, the second price range representing a far more typical tuba purchase for a college tuba major.

All of that being said, I piled on to the Miraphone recommendation mainly because it is the cheapest playable 4/4 CC instrument (due to the "$6000" comment), and because (like I said) they are easy to sell later (maybe a year later), when realization that a better instrument is needed might occur.

Now the inflammatory comment: Any professional full-time tuba players or college tuba performance majors who wish they had a better tuba and drive a car that is worth more than their tuba is are...silly. (Hey, please pay attention to the exact statement before "flaming". The key phrases here are "PROFESSIONAL FULL-TIME tuba players or college tuba PERFORMANCE MAJORS", and "who wish they had a better tuba". Many are perfectly satified with what they have, and THAT is perfectly acceptable, and NOT "silly".)

Before accusing me of having an entrepreneural agenda or of being a hypocrite:
1/I sell very few tubas even up in the $8000 price range, except for Kurath/Willson.
2/ I am NOT a Miraphone dealer.
3/ I HAVE put my money where MY mouth is by investing hundred$ of hour$ of time building my own tubas AND my most expensive "factory"-made tuba cost two and a half times what my nicest car cost (and I don't even make the majority of my money playing or teaching the tuba).

To summarize: YEAH, SEAN...RIGHT ON!!!


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