Posted by Rick Denney on November 21, 2002 at 16:32:31:
In Reply to: Re: Seeking advice on protecting the shine posted by Frank on November 21, 2002 at 16:04:45:
They are made in China, and they have been flooding ebay for quite a while now. The prices are silly-cheap, which should be a warning.
Frankly, this is the first report I've heard of a Jinbao that is even playable, so I think Erica is pretty lucky.
A fellow on TubaEuph reported a year or so ago that he saw many amateurs playing these instruments in Chinese bands during a trip his band took there. He tried a couple, and wa amazed that the players could do any good with them. The main complaint was incredibly bad mechanical construction, but Erica's horn seems to be a bit better than what he reported.
We have also heard reports of tuning slides that don't slide, braces that don't brace, linkages that fall apart, valves that leak, and so on. We also hear of open-bugle harmonics that, um, don't correspond to western musical tuning.
Based on these reports, one should proceed with considerable caution.
Rick "who has enough wall-hangers already" Denney