SOLD: c. late 1960's Meinl-Weston (Geretsried) 5-rotor very large "TENOR TUBA" (aka kaiser bariton)

[bloke]

- original lacquer
- 5 rotary valves- fully chromatic
- heavily customized/enhanced (by me, for my use)
- 12" bell
- VERY LARGE bugle (At the point where the small end of a typical large compensating euphonium's bell would be located - bugle-wise - this instrument's extended bell is around 25% larger in diameter - again: compared to the diameter of a typical large compensating euphonium.)
- capable of being played in tune. Per typical with a classic kaiser instrument taper (and this includes most all "kaiser" B-flat tubas) some of the 5th partial pitches are flat. I have easy work-arounds for C and B, and - actually - C# and D are just fine with regular "2" and ""0" fingerings. For most everything else, I'm able to - simply - "play" this instrument.
- The bore size of rotor #1 is 14.5mm, and the bore size of rotor #4 is 15.5mm.
- The large thumb ring is adjustable (for optimum 5th lever operation comfort).
- This instrument is considerably larger - overall - than an Alexander "tenor tuba" (kaiser bariton). This instrument is 29-3/4 inches tall.
- on-board adjustable chair peg for very comfortable extended playing. (It's considerably longer than necessary. The new owner may - at their discretion - cut it off shorter.)
- NEW CONDITION custom-fitted/custom-made wood case (would probably cost at least $750 - more? - to have this case maker fabricate a similar custom case, were they willing to do it today.)
- any dents/creases completely removed
- I'm willing to go back and polish/lacquer the portions of the instrument that I altered/customized in order to improve general appearance (included in the quoted price). I might even be willing to strip, lightly polish, and re-lacquer the bell interior for a bit of additional "bling" - unless the buyer chooses to leave it original.
- large shank receiver
- playable at A=440 with very large mouthpieces (with the main slide mostly pushed in) as well as at A=440 with very small mouthpieces (with the main slide mostly pulled out). Personally, I had settled in on something sort-of medium for optimum response/resonance - between 6-1/2AL and 5GS.
- amazing craftsmanship - with the lower bow, upper bow, and dogleg all being made from ONE LONG TAPERED TUBE.
- original S-arm linkage and original steel S-arm bearings (NOT noisy). Rotors are not worn at all.
- oem (very stiff) springs were replaced with new "medium" stiffness springs.
- Prior to moving to a Yamaha YEP-321, Rich Matteson performed regularly with one of these Anton Meinl hand-made instruments.
- This genre of instruments is "their own thing". Though a 9-feet-long B-flat instrument, this is NOT an English-style euphonium.
- This is an instrument that I purchased/enhanced for my own use, but am now deciding to offer it for sale.

Price to purchase immediately is $5000 + FedExGround shipping (carefully packed), and - otherwise - I would entertain offers. Local pick-up (as well as local testing - prior to purchase) are encouraged.

I always give the TUBAFORUM people FIRST SHOT at my stuff, prior to offering on fb "tuba/euphonium marketplace" or on my fb Mid-South Music page.

[LeMark]

I Can confirm that this instrument does have a much richer tone than any other rotary euphonium I've played.

[bloke]

I Can confirm that this instrument does have a much richer tone than any other rotary euphonium I've played.

Thanks very much for the positive comment.


I hope no purists (or Germans) see the term "rotary euphonium" used to describe this instrument.

Any interested/funded person - who would like to play-test - can be put up and fed at blokeplace overnight.

[the elephant]

Never fails. I have money; no horns for sale that I want. I have no money; horns I want pop up everywhere.

Fortuna taunts me.

BUMP.

[bort2.0]

That really long one piece bow(s) is really cool!

[bort2.0]

Also, i'm surprised to see you selling this... But I know your criteria for keeping or selling instruments, so I understand. Really cool tuba that you don't see very often!

[bloke]

on hold

[bloke]

This is going to be shipped out to its buyer, tomorrow.

As promised, I shined up the places (quite a few) where I enhanced the instrument (much of which was related to making it fully chromatic - via the addition of a 5th rotor, but there was more), and also removed (in specific areas) not-pretty lacquer and re-shot some of the formerly-scratchiest areas on the instrument... (Most of the instrument currently retains its original finish.)

...so here are three "farewell" pics:

" ' nice knowin' ya, l'il big guy..."








Anton Meinl, maker

[MikeMason]

I failed to note this when posted. Va va boom! Good lookin.

[bloke]

I REALLY LIKE it, but it wasn't falling with in blokeparameters for personally-owned equipment.

The results of its liquidation ended up becoming part of something else.

bloke "NOT a 'rotary euphonium'. THIS is an ("Elite": "Frankfurt" - no less, and "gold plated") rotary euphonium:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265371951795

[MikeMason]

If I buy one of these most elite of tenor tubas, could you turn it into one of yours for me? I’d be willing to go 2 maybe up to 300$ and need it by Monday. Of course if it doesn’t meet my standards, I’d expect a reasonable discount.

[bloke]

I would probably do it for free, if you allowed me to tell everyone that I was Mike Mason’s repair person.

If I buy one of these most elite of tenor tubas, could you turn it into one of yours for me? I’d be willing to go 2 maybe up to 300$ and need it by Monday. Of course if it doesn’t meet my standards, I’d expect a reasonable discount.

[MikeMason]

Hilarious! And yes, I would

[MikeMason]

Oh yeah, I would be expecting you to throw in a custom blokepiece junior in the case. Ill push it on social media, if it gets the sound and intonation im looking for. That should more than make up fir the 15 or so extra minutes that might take. Gold kote please

[bloke]

Most of my gigs are freebies - which give me a lot of exposure, and lead to bigger and better things.

I was accepted – by the way – as a preliminary-round audition applicant for the East McKeesport Philharmonic Community Orchestra.
($200 annual dues, to be a member of this ensemble.)