Re: Re: Re: Re: M. Weston 2145


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Posted by Joe S. on May 10, 1999 at 01:21:22:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: M. Weston 2145 posted by Jay Bertolet on May 09, 1999 at 22:04:16:

I don't see much major disagreement. (?)

My guess is that if the York Model Hirsbrunner actually HAD played as well as you hoped that it would, you would have found the money. Your disappointment at the time (in my estimation) was not in the $16,000 price, it was - rather - in its playing characteristics. I, too, have blown those and find them to be disappointing. Further, I think that the 2165 salemen that you encountered were attempting to appeal to just the type of mentality that I was referring to: Better Price, but NOT NECESSARILY Better Tuba.
My 4 + 1 Holton York model that I cut down from BBb felt and sounded MUCH better, but I sold it recently because I grew weary of its third partial problems.(That is another reason why I find the Meinl Weston 2155 so annoying: Not nearly as pretty, nor as much, sound as my old Holton, but just as many pitch problems.) Incidentally, I did NOT undertake my Holton project as a "money saving" venture -- I invested hundreds of hours of my time building that instrument...this, rather than doing others' repairs for money, and at a time when I was not very far ahead in time nor in money.

I am not saying that the most expensive tuba is the one that should be first considered or assumed to be the best. My personal F tuba example was quite the opposite. I am just saying that cost should not be the overshadowing factor. Look fellahs, in the bassoon world, for example, their version of our "PT" or "Meinl-Weston" priced instrument is the Fox bassoon. They cost $15,000 (competitively discounted price). The most determined bassoonists (until Fox finally someday [?] absolutely surpasses or equals them in quality) purchase Heckel bassoons (particularly "vintage" ones). These cost $30,000. Bassoonists, as a group of people, have no more money than we tuba players have. They just face these costs and deal with them. Trumpet players gripe about paying $1,200 for a Bach trumpet and $3,000 for a Blackburn. (ha) Again, trumpeters have no more nor no less money than tuba players, as a group of people (and we KNOW that THEY drive flashy cars and buy expensive clothes [lol]--refers to another post). The cost of instrument thing is a matter of PERSPECTIVE. Whatever the price range is for a particular type of instrument, some will view it as prohibitive, and others with equivalent or less resources will pay the price and get the equipment, if they decide that they want it and must have it. Occasionally, an exceptional instrument will appear on the market that is not priced as high as others that may even be inferior. Usually when this happens, and the manufacturer discovers that he is making a hot item, he will soon raise his price. I don't know how to explain this any clearer, and I am beginning to bore myself.

I AM sorry that you are annoyed. I enjoy your posts, and think that you a very thoughtful person.

Joe


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