Posted by Hank on February 01, 2002 at 09:54:13:
In Reply to: 52-J posted by Eric D. on January 31, 2002 at 21:38:41:
I have seen enough of these horns to develop an opinion on the finish. I'm a fan of the satin finish, but I don't think UMI got it right on these horns. They must really blast the brass, leaving it too rough. The result, in my opinion, are horns looking like they were spray-painted. If you compare a 52-J to an older satin horn, you'll see the difference. I repeat, this is only MY opinion! Take a look for yourself.
As for playability, I think there is little or no difference between the finishes. However, there are some quality control issues (discussed on this board) at UMI. The result is that these tubas seem to have subtle differences (their own personality, you might say) so I strongly urge you to try several if plan to buy one. Currently, three stores in the US seem to carry a large number of these at any given time: Baltimore Brass, Dillon's, and Brook-Mays' Tubastore.