Posted by Carl on July 22, 1999 at 18:27:59:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thein Tubas posted by Lars on July 22, 1999 at 15:03:56:
I mention the number of years in business because musical instrument construction isn't merely applied textbook accoustics; it really crosses over into the realm of art (or maybe even "black magic"!) The Germans have a system of apprenticeships, where applicants spend years doing the different tasks in a factory, learning the entire trade, before they apply for the Meister status. This involves a rigorous exam as well. As I understand it, the Thein boys don't even have their Meister status.
Not to mention, the German brass tradition is predominantly family oriented: handed down from generation to generation. That's how alot of the mysterious design wisdom gets handed down. While the Thein family has been in music-instrument construction for 400 years, that was based entirely in pianos, harpsichords, and other keyboard instruments.
While Stever says Thein makes the best contrabass trombones (although I'd dispute that-- just spent the last month sitting next to one in Rheingold...), tuba design and construction is a WHOLE 'nother thing. For starters, cylindrical & conical brass instrument design is vastly different. Not to mention leadpipe design, which long-established factories devote vast resources to in order to find the right leadpipe for a specific instrument. Think the Thein boys can whip it out of thin air, with no prior experience?
Lars wrote:
>The price is not more than a Hirsbrunner York.
Oh, you musta gotten the Bob Tucci price quote for the Yorkbrunner. ;^)