VMI 103 Amarillo TX

[Three Valves]

Seller wants you to come pick it up. In Amarillo.

Are you freaking kidding me?? Amarillo??

$3250 w/case looks good to me!!

https://reverb.com/item/51065960-vmi-103-bbb-tuba

[DonO.]

There is no way he should be calling it “excellent” condition with that nasty dent in the upper bow! That was quite a blow to be able to do that damage and would be difficult to fix.

[Three Valves]

There is no way he should be calling it “excellent” condition with that nasty dent in the upper bow! That was quite a blow to be able to do that damage and would be difficult to fix.

Is kinda excellent though.

Other than that!!

[bloke]

Amarillo isn't even convenient to the rest of Texas, much less anywhere else...but (considering the FUBAR supply chain and wildly-escalated shipping fees - even to those who ship tremendous amounts of goods) driving there - even with $4 gas - is probably the best option, were someone interested.

If you are eastern - and buy it, stop by blokeplace overnight, on the way home. I'll offer a free place to sleep, breakfast, and (not for free) remove that ugly dent.

[greenbean]

This horn looks to be in excellent condition - aside from that dent, which can be addressed. I bought a tuba from this person a month ago - super nice person. They shipped my tuba and I am sure they would be willing to ship this one, too. They are just hoping to find a local buyer. Anyway, I walked them through the process... UHAUL Grand Wardrobe box, sh$tload of large bubble wrap, etc, etc. Then I bought a UPS shipping label and sent it to him. $200 for UPS Ground and $10 for insurance. They were very amenable to doing all this running around. I couldn't be happier. Of course, if you have him ship it, you won't be able to swing by one those little honky-tonks they have there for a couple three Bud Lites...

[Three Valves]

If you are eastern - and buy it, stop by blokeplace overnight, on the way home. I'll offer a free place to sleep, breakfast, and (not for free) remove that ugly dent.

That would be an epic road trip and I'd do it myself.

It I were retired.

It's on Rt 66!!

[Three Valves]

Of course, if you have him ship it, you won't be able to swing by one those little honky-tonks they have there for a couple three Bud Lites...

$2 specials.

Better be REAL COLD!!

[bloke]

I guess I need to figure out how to get UPS or FedEx to allow me to ship cartons that are over 130 inches length plus girth via “ground/home delivery” service. I don’t see how to get around that restriction - when filling out and printing shipping labels from my accounts.

With this particular tuba, I don’t think I’d want to ship it in a carton that is less than 46 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 24 inches deep. A carton like that defines a length plus girth of around 155 inches - as packing material often causes bulges, and the shippers’ laser measuring techniques detect those bulges. Regardless, 150-anything is well over 130.

[Three Valves]

I guess I need to figure out how to get UPS or FedEx to allow me to ship cartons that are over 130 inches length plus girth via “ground/home delivery” service. I don’t see how to get around that restriction - when filling out and printing shipping labels from my accounts.

Can they make it a business with loading dock delivery to a business address less rural than your home??

I have something else in the works I will unveil if successful.

I ran across this while shopping so thought I'd share it.

If it cost $200 to ship and 4 hrs of wholesale labor into it, it would seem flip worthy.

[bort2.0]

If Tom is talking about the tuba I think he is, it's substantially smaller than this VMI. Guessing that's why the shipping was different, although I don't know the size of that U-Haul box.

Last time I shipped a tuba with my own box was many years ago, and I used the biggest wardrobe box from Home Depot. Worked fine, but I really don't ship tubas anymore.

Back in Baltimore, I played for years next to an older guy who had one of these VMI tubas. It was a great, classic "sounds like a tuba" kind of tuba. Tall, full size, and not there to mess around (talking about the tuba, not the person!)

At the time, I was playing a VMI CC tuba, very similar to the MW-30 that Lee Stofer is selling right now. I always thought the VMI logo looked pretty cool.

3V -- buy it! All the time you spend to and at the beach, just go west for once will ya?! :)

[bloke]

I try to not sell any “wholesale labor”.
Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but when someone tries to negotiate buying “time in my limited-number-of-hours life“ for less money, I tend to begin to feel very slightly offended. Otherwise, if someone really really needs my help - and is without funding, I’ve been known (yeah: mean ol’ bloke) to do quite a few things for people without charging them money, and not just fixing their horns. I’m one who believes that our purpose here is to help each other, but to choose to do so and not to be coerced into doing so. “Please help me pull my car out of the ditch“ is a desperate need - something for which (not being a wrecker service) I would never accept money… but “I don’t have any money, so would you polish my silver tuba for free - so I can sell it for more money?”… I don’t particularly consider that to be a desperate need…THOUGH “We bought this piece of crap Chinese trumpet for $20 bucks - so our kids could be in the band, because that’s all we could afford…but it doesn’t work. Can you help us?” That’s likely something that I would do free of charge…UNLESS they drive up to my place in a car that’s far fancier than mine.

I can usually ship a 3/4 size tuba in its case, if I just stretch-wrap the case and don’t put a carton around it (as just putting a carton around most 3/4 hard cases ends up being in the 140” range). 3/4 size tubas are more difficult - than larger ones are - for those shippers to smash up, because their material thickness to overall size ratio is smaller.

[hrender]

Assuming there are no hidden problems, it's a good price even with the dent, which likely doesn't affect playing. Shipping via Greyhound Package Express may be an option. They appear to have a station in Amarillo. I received the Cerveny that way, and it's over 46" tall. Price was <$200. Horn was well packed and came through without any issues (well, no issues it didn't start the journey with).

[Three Valves]

I try to not sell any “wholesale labor”.
Maybe I’m overly sensitive...

Wholesale labor is what you charge yourself fixing your own tubas or those which you will later sell RETAIL to others.

Mr. Sensitive.

[bloke]

I try to not sell any “wholesale labor”.
Maybe I’m overly sensitive...

Wholesale labor is what you charge yourself fixing your own tubas or those which you will later sell RETAIL to others.

Mr. Sensitive.

yeah...I've spent a great deal of time thinking about this issue.
UNLESS I price the labor (for slicking out stuff - readying it for sale) at the SAME rate that normally charge for repairing others' things, I'm basically "buying myself a job", no?

Otherwise (another occupation...)
If I play a gig for only $40/hour, I first choose to accept that job at that rate - and to be paid that rate...but no gig-meister is my "full-time" employer, and I can choose to say "no" to any individual gig. Even longstanding gigs (per-service orchestras, "regular" weekly gigs with combos, etc.), I am fully prepared to walk out (even if during a break or intermission) if the gig really goes south (not playing-wise, but human-interaction-wise), and have almost done so (having reached the "OK...That's 2" point) - more than once. By the time someone pulls a "2", they typically calm down and behave...and no: I don't demand "apologies". Adults - who "lose it", and behave as children - are not going to offer a genuine apology, unless it occurs to them to do so. (A couple of years ago, I was about to walk out - and it didn't even involve me: A couple of 75-year-olds - no one whose ever been mentioned here - were arguing on the bandstand. I considered walking out, due to the fact that it was humiliating to be associated with them...but - just as I was about to leave - they settled down and played. As you might expect, those two guys - whose regular weekly gig it was - lost that gig, shortly thereafter.)

bloke "geez...It's just sitting down and playing some tunes"

TOPICAL:
If anyone knows how to legitimately ship an over-130-inch L+G parcel via UPS Ground or FedExGround, please clue me in.

[hrender]

I got curious...

It looks like UPS partners with TForce Freight for oversize shipping: https://www.tforcefreight.com/ltl/apps/ ... ghtPricing

According to the page:

The UPS® Ground network allows:

Packages can be up to 150 lbs.
Packages can be up to 165 inches in length and girth combined.
Packages can be up to 108 inches in length.
Packages with a large size-to-weight ratio require special pricing and dimensional weight calculations.

I got there via this page and a few additional searches

It's news to me that small business use 3PLs, which is something larger companies use for most/all of their shipping.

[DonO.]

Shipping seems to be divided, however unfairly, between “large scale” shippers with sweetheart deals, and the common man, who generally gets “the shaft”. I live in northern PA. I bought my King from Quinn the Eskimo, aka Brass and Winds in Washington state. I paid $150 shipping. He uses FedEx 2nd Day Air. I ordered it on a Thursday and it was on my porch the next Monday. Delivered in its original box, in its case. Not sure of the dimensions, I’d have to measure. But it just goes to show that some people/businesses, if they do enough shipping, get WAY better deals on shipping than the rest of us. I would add one caveat that “Quinn” seems to play a little fast and loose with his advertised shipping costs. I’ve seen the same make and model tuba advertised at $300, $200, $150, and $130. And he adjusts the price of the instrument accordingly. So what is his TRUE shipping cost? There’s no way to know for sure. Nevertheless, I still believe some people pay way less in shipping than the rest of us.

[greenbean]

I have done lots of shipping - especially in the past couple years. If you use a shipping software/service, you will get basic commercial rates. If you walk into a UPS or FedEx place, you will get retail rates. There is a huge difference. I ship mostly with UPS at the moment - and I pay about half the retail rate. I am guessing that BIG businesses get better rates. Certainly from USPS, which right now wants top dollar for retail or commercial rates. (Don't ask me why but it probably has something to do with Louis Dejoy, a billionaire who happens to run the USPS.)

The UHAUL box is 48 x 24 x 21. So, girth of 96 + 48 = 144. I have shipped several tubas in these boxes and there is no problem, so perhaps Joe is reading some out-of-date limits or those limits are for shipping at a UPS Store. The Texas tuba I just got is a Mirafone 184 BBb (only 16 pounds!) with no case. The one before was a Miraphone 191 in a gig bag. Same box. $200 to New England + $24 ? for insurance. Before that was a Cerveny 686. Also in a gig bag and it went to Chicago for $200 + $32 insurance?...

Shipping software is the key...

[greenbean]

...TOPICAL:
If anyone knows how to legitimately ship an over-130-inch L+G parcel via UPS Ground or FedExGround, please clue me in.

That table says 160 for UPS. You're welcome.

[bloke]

YES...
I REMEMBER seeing 160 in the past, but - when I exceed 130 creating a label, FascioEx forces me to go back...
I guess I should wake my UPS account back up...(??)
(I've been boycotting my UPS account for about 15 years, because they reneged on ponying up - after they destroyed a factory-packed Conn 8D double horn.)

...TOPICAL:
If anyone knows how to legitimately ship an over-130-inch L+G parcel via UPS Ground or FedExGround, please clue me in.

That table says 160 for UPS. You're welcome.

[greenbean]

UPS rates have gone DOWN for me in the past year. At least for the types of packages I ship - medium to large.