TFFJ query on Eb on reverb

[Mary Ann]

Anybody know anything about these? Size would probably be good for me but there is always the intonation / false tones question. It not being returnable and being probably priced based on shiny-ness, of course I am leery. Still wanting that small playable Eb for my empty stable.

https://reverb.com/item/39402327-concer ... er-plating

[DonO.]

Concertone brand instruments were made and branded such by various makers for Montgomery Ward catalog sales. This one is most likely Czech made (Amati? Cerveny?) and is likely to de a decent horn for what it is. Looks to be fairly small bore, and of course would have all the intonation problems that 3 valves usually have (1-3, 1-2-3) and also would be missing notes between low A and pedal Eb. That being said, no reason to believe that the intonation would be any worse than normal in the rest of the horn’s range.

[Mary Ann]

Thanks. Corresponded with seller who had a trumpet player check it out and say it seemed fine but she wasn't able to play low range. Wants too much and does not allow returns, so I'll keep looking. I wrote back and said I doubted if a trumpet player would want to take my tuba-player opinion on a trumpet.

[DonO.]

If you are still in the market for an Eb you should check out Taylor Music. They have a Conn 14J for 1250 right now, with free shipping. It’s an “Econo overhaul”, which means major dents and scratches removed, but minor ones left alone. Horn is stripped buffed and re-lacquered. People here have reported positive reviews of that company. I would be tempted myself if I had the room!

[Mary Ann]

Thanks but I can't do front pistons; I am so small (5' 2") and they are always designed for people with much longer arms than I have, and it puts my wrist at an impossible angle to try to play them. I can do rotors and I can do top pistons, but not the front ones. Otherwise it would likely work well for me.

[DonO.]

Good luck to you! An affordable nice-playing Eb is an elusive beast! Seldom observed in the wild…

[the elephant]

That seller is smoking waaaaaay too much weed. A thousand bucks for *that*? They are straight-up crazy. Hard pass. Good choice, MA.

[bort2.0]

That seller is smoking waaaaaay too much weed. A thousand bucks for *that*? They are straight-up crazy. Hard pass. Good choice, MA.

Used to be $2k!

[the elephant]

Remarkable!

[Mary Ann]

That seller is smoking waaaaaay too much weed. A thousand bucks for *that*? They are straight-up crazy. Hard pass. Good choice, MA.

There is a fool born every minute, and there is a reason why he won't accept returns.

[humBell]

That seller is smoking waaaaaay too much weed. A thousand bucks for *that*? They are straight-up crazy. Hard pass. Good choice, MA.

There is a fool born every minute, and there is a reason why he won't accept returns.

I was only born one particular minute, and while i don't rightly recall what it was like (it was some time ago), i am just as happy not to go through it again. Every minute might be a little hard to put up with.

And if being wise means i can't occasionally choose to be foolish, it seems like a constraint i wouldn't readly accept. I enjoy playing the fool for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is being the exception that proves the rule.

Anyway... i digress.

Should i continue keeping an eye out for Eb deals?
Like in this thread?

viewtopic.php?t=2981

[Mary Ann]

Still looking. Someone here actually went and play-tested it, but didn't know what a false tone was (he does now, belatedly) and so was unable to report on that capability. He liked it, for himself, just sitting home and playing it for fun.

Wade said WAY over-priced for what it is. I don't know what would be reasonable if it has the characteristics I'm looking for though. I actually had an old McClellan (probably a Conn stencil) as my very, very first tuba, and it was so radically out of tune with itself that it went eventually to Salvation Army. It could not be lipped into tune (open bugle) without jumping partials, and would have required significant tuning slide manipulation between low and high range; intonation was "stretched." Not something I want to mess with.

I'm still in the market with the same criteria -- 3/4, light weight, excellent intonation, excellent false tones so I can play the low range when required, and no front valves. At a reasonable price. That one was very pretty but I am not someone who really cares about pretty. My silver-plated euphonium is no longer pretty, except for "pretty tarnished" and I'm not one to put a lot of effort into polishing it. Good working condition, yes, pretty -- I'll pay someone to polish it but actually can't do so myself.

[Mary Ann]

This has now appeared on ebay and has been made really pretty. Still way too much $$$ I would think.
And --- I now will not consider anything unless the seller is willing to get on zoom with the tuba and a tuner and prove to me that the seller can play the open bugle in tune according to the tuner, throughout the range of partials. I have not found anyone at all willing to do that, but all are willing to sell it to me otherwise. Ha.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363845524719?h ... SwsEpih8wU

[greenbean]

Still a waste of money!

I can sell you a small (32"? x 13"; 16 lb) Besson 3v BBb for <1k. Great playing horn! Will outlive you and everyone else here!

[Mary Ann]

Thanks. Already know I can't blow even a 3/4 BBb. It's the tube length, not the bore. Don't know why. The Nstar was just so easy, you know?

[bort2.0]

Thanks. Already know I can't blow even a 3/4 BBb. It's the tube length, not the bore. Don't know why. The Nstar was just so easy, you know?

Last month, somebody local here in Minnesota was selling a Starlight for about $7k. Only interested in the star, and not the Starlight?

[Mary Ann]

The Starlight is unfortunately way out of my price range now; and I did playtest a Light and did not like it at all. Nothing like the NStar. And I think that is a pretty common reaction. Kudos to Baadsvick (or however you spell it) but maybe his doesn't play like the commercially sold version, and I suspect he's one of those people who can play anything, anyway.

[the elephant]

Maybe, out of the box, it plays how *he* wants a tuba to play. With the amount of time and money invested in both R&D and then marketing, I think it would be stupid to put out a tuba that is not good and then hope that it will sell like mad simply due to one endorsement, with that endorsement only coming after the "star" has had the horn heavily modified to his tastes because the stock one is not a horn he would, in reality, endorse.

Oh, wait…

2165

Never mind.

[Mary Ann]

Do you know what I am finding amusing? Some people are getting REALLY miffed over my criterion that for someone selling a tuba, they get on zoom or make a video with a tuner showing that they can play the open bugle pitches in tune with a tuner, demonstrating that the slots are not nuts and the intonation is not stretched. Like, they want me to just buy the thing, or pay shipping both directions should I find in the first two minutes that it is not playable in the way I need it to be. Fascinating. And if they find me "too picky" or "too demanding," I find them "not willing to disclose the truth." I personally would have zero problem doing that with an instrument I had for sale; I want the buyer to know what they are getting.

[greenbean]

I agree with MA. Eb tubas are *much* easier and more air efficient to play than BBb tubas. By a mile.