Alexander 163 BBb

For posting interesting and remarkable deals found on the internet.
Post Reply
hrender
Posts: 1910
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:18 am
Has thanked: 612 times
Been thanked: 299 times

Alexander 163 BBb

Post by hrender »

Lot of Alexanders showing up for sale lately.

https://www.baltimorebrasscompany.com/p ... -tuba.aspx

Image


User avatar
bort2.0
Posts: 5257
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 1000 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by bort2.0 »

Nice!
User avatar
WakinAZ
Posts: 150
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2020 7:53 pm
Location: Back row
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 23 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by WakinAZ »

Anyone played this?

I'm tempted, but a bit wary of the clock springs. How do they compare with regular wire springs?
Last edited by WakinAZ on Wed Aug 30, 2023 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Heavy_Metal
Posts: 342
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 5:23 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD, USA
Has thanked: 53 times
Been thanked: 95 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by Heavy_Metal »

My Alex has clocksprings- nothing wrong with them, but I'm told if they break, fixing them is more involved. If I didn't have mine, I'd be heading down there to check it out- that is a VERY good price for an Alex.
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
1970s Marzan Slant-rotor BBb
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
KingTuba1241X
Posts: 1045
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:41 am
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 80 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by KingTuba1241X »

WakinAZ wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:00 pm Anyone played this?

I'm tempted, but a bit wary of the clock springs. How do they compare with regular wire springs?

Eric "who has lusted after an Alexander 163 for years" L.
When in good condition, they are just as good or better. No difference..but like Heavy Metal said... :smilie6:
06' Miraphone 187-4U
tofu
Posts: 743
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2020 12:00 am
Location: Intergalactic Space
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by tofu »

.
Last edited by tofu on Mon Dec 13, 2021 1:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4613
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 818 times
Been thanked: 505 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by Three Valves »

tofu wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:31 pm if that thing plays as good as it looks I'd buy it at that price. To bad Baltimore Brass is in Baltimore. I sure wouldn't want to ship it and I sure don't want to go to Baltimore.
For clarity, Baltimore Brass is in Catonsville, Baltimore County, not the City. It's nice there. :thumbsup:
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
User avatar
cktuba
Posts: 231
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:57 am
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 35 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by cktuba »

Anybody here get a chance to play it? How is the intonation? My understanding is the Alex BBb tubas (in general) had pretty good intonation.
tofu
Posts: 743
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2020 12:00 am
Location: Intergalactic Space
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 142 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by tofu »

.
Last edited by tofu on Mon Dec 13, 2021 1:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
bort2.0
Posts: 5257
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 1000 times

Re: Alexander 163 BBb

Post by bort2.0 »

Baltimore Brass is a few miles outside of the bad parts of Baltimore. It's NOT a bad area at all.

Baltimore Brass is in Baltimore County, not Baltimore City. Sounds like semantcs, but it's a world of difference between watching an episode of The Wire and being in Anytown USA.

How do I know? I grew up 3 miles from there, and my parents still live there.
Post Reply