Posted by a tuba dad on March 04, 2002 at 17:21:39:
In Reply to: looking for used CC tuba in Michigan posted by MikesDad on March 04, 2002 at 17:02:18:
You are in a good part of the country for tuba dealers. First there is Custom Music in the north suburbs of Detroit, and then there is Brasswind in South Bend, Indiana.
Of course these outfits deal primarily in new instruments, but Brasswind does have some used instruments.
What is your budget? The more you can spend, the better (obviously), but there are some significant jumps in quality that occur if you can climb the price ladder from the $4k ballpark to the $6-8k ballpark. And if you can cross that magic $10k mark, you can buy a fantastic instrument.
I looked at this as an investment for my son when I bought him his horn - a Hirsbrunner - and I have never once regretted it. I bought it for him in the 9th grade, he blossomed, and he is currently a freshman in one of the top tuba programs in the country. And I definitely believe that the tuba we bought played a big part in his success.