There was an article in Scientific American a long time ago, about this. My understanding is that they analyzed some ancient and fantastic instruments to see what the characteristics were, and then applied those to new instruments to "see what would happen." What has happened is that there are now ...

I admit I am also tempted, and wouldn't it be ironic if my buying his 186 gave him the too-late cash to buy the Alex baritontuba that I grabbed for myself?

Based on the "dent" phenomenon and being an engineer, if an instrument does not have nodes where it needs to have nodes, there will be some notes that don't "want" to easily play. Obviously many overcome that, but my amateur observation is that somehow the shape of the wrap (?) somehow makes the ...

Well, there is Wade's 186.

For me, it is hand size, ergonomics, and lack of any extended time on a piston anything. I don't "hate" pistons, have no idea how they play differently (and I'm sure they do, because I can tell the valve timing difference for slurs between two (French) horns) -- but if your hands are so small and ...

Actually really for a friend -- is there an upright 3 valve Eb out there, an older model, that is quite good with intonation? As opposed to some of them where the octave down to the pedal is a 9th, or whose intonation is "stretched" with the top sharp and the bottom flat.

One band I was in, there was a small lady who played the tuba parts on a bass sax. She was quite good --- nice tone and in tune, and she read bass clef too. Had a Buescher; they moved to California though. That same band for a while had a contra-alto clarinet, but it wasn't a paperclip. I got a ...

someone who could have afforded one when they were available for $5k but cannot afford one now that they are $30k.

Same thing with the paperclip contra clarinets -- I had two almosts with this seller and both went south on his end.

The Alex baritontuba I bought recently is like this starting at F at the bottom of the staff. Its' like I have to "make up the notes because the instrument isn't." I'm getting somewhere, but yeah it is like a rotary F tuba on steroids. I doubt if the wick 5 is at fault -- doesn't matter what ...

I didn't see what location you would be driving from, and for potential buyers that would be helpful.

I think I read this guy was previously a high level pro bassoonist and decided to have more fun. I can see how that is more fun!

I taped together four "furniture scoot pads" to put under the center of my stand, which requires several gorillas to tighten the wing nut tight enough so that it does not sink. I also bought the smallest possible locking pliers to tighten (and loosen) that nut with. I wonder if bloke's piano bench ...

Jealous of the buyer, phooey. Do these rotary F cimbos have the same low range stuffiness that rotary F tubas have?

(I used to have a Moto Guzzi V twin, which also has pretty loud valves when properly adjusted. Moto Guzzi riders' motto was, "loud valves save lives!") Ok, you started the off topic. I'd have been more than happy to race you on my bought-new 1971 Kawasaki three cylinder 500. Heh. I got 15k miles on ...

I would go for a rotary bass tbone cimbasso, but not a piston because I stopped trying to do pistons. I can't even work a cornet with pistons, just feels awkward to this violinist / hornist. I would have at one point headed into bass tbone, and I even bought one, but it was clearly out of my reach ...

Funny, even though I need nothing at this point in time, I would still be attracted to a cimbasso in tenor Bb, just because. Whoever is stuck selling my stuff after I leave the planet is going to have quite a task. I keep telling people you can never have too many tubas. They walk into my living ...

Although it does appear to be in really good shape, wasn't the winning bid on the high side?

I think this is a regional problem, because I send checks locally quite often without a problem. Actually, never a problem the whole time I've lived here. I have noted that there are places reported here where the US mail carriers are not in the same category as those here, who have done a splendid ...

I continue to note that those were / are natural players will continue to disparage the things people have to do to learn, who are not natural players. What it reminds me of -- going quite far back, a time in first grade where I was assigned the task of teaching a fellow student his colors -- and my ...

Are hard copies of recordings even sold in brick-and-mortar stores, today? "Budget" classical recordings of decades ago...labels such as Angel and Seraphim, yes? I doubt it. I do see CDs for 50 cents in thrift stores though. Everything is streamed now, and it is a huge loss. I have probably 200 CDs ...