One of the tubas I will be the representative for selling is a Martin top action 3 valve bell front. I haven't had a chance to play it yet but assume it is a BBb because the owner was not a CC player.
It's not beat up but is probably typical for its age -- not pretty but appears quite intact.
Where can I find a reasonable market value for this?
I have the Alex F here now, and it is a five valve gold brass lacquered in what I would say is show room condition. No dents, dings or scratches that I could find. Needs to be cleaned and I will get that done. Has a pre-China RB bag in excellent condition but I will have to ozone the bag because both the tuba and the bag smell like a tuba that needs to be cleaned. Hasn't been played in at least five years, and could be 20 or 30 years old. I will need to find fair market value for this -- and I've read that serial numbers maybe don't mean much. I played it and it plays like a really nice rotary F tuba. So if anybody wants to speak up on valuing this, please do. It's not on the market yet. If at all possible we will sell to someone who can pick it up. It will be probably a few weeks before it's ready.
Edit: to me the Martin looks like this one that sold on reverb: https://reverb.com/item/60250835-martin ... -tuba-1933
Martin mammoth?
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York-aholic
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Re: Martin mammoth?
If the recording bell on the Martin is 24" diameter, it is a Mammoth.
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- Mary Ann (Mon Apr 14, 2025 8:54 am)
Some old Yorks, Martins, and perhaps a King rotary valved CC
Re: Martin mammoth?
The Mammoth - probably a few grand depending on condition. If it needs a valve job, but is in okay condition otherwise, maybe $1,500? If it doesn’t, maybe double that, $3,000 in reasonable cosmetic shape.
The Alex F - Hard to say as they’re so rare. I’d be willing to pay up to maybe $7,000 for a really nice rotor F tuba, regardless of make, but always depending on condition. Since it’s in excellent condition, you might be able to get more than that, especially since it’s an Alex and it’s so rare over here.
The Alex F - Hard to say as they’re so rare. I’d be willing to pay up to maybe $7,000 for a really nice rotor F tuba, regardless of make, but always depending on condition. Since it’s in excellent condition, you might be able to get more than that, especially since it’s an Alex and it’s so rare over here.
Meinl Weston "6465"
B&M CC
Willson 3200RZ-5
Holton 345
Holton 350
Conn Double-Bell Euphonium
B&M CC
Willson 3200RZ-5
Holton 345
Holton 350
Conn Double-Bell Euphonium
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Mary Ann
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Re: Martin mammoth?
I won't have the Martin here until next Sunday because with the other two in the van and no case for it, I didn't want to squeeze it in. Bell was not going to come off easily. Shipping it would likely be beyond anything I'd want to attempt though, so hopefully someone in Tucson or Phx will want it. I look forward to blatting on that in here with my high ceiling and seeing if anyone comes knockiing on the door. If I can hold it, that is.
I'd say the Alex F even in it's current condition of being pretty dirty, played better than the Firebird I honked on a year or two ago, but hard for me to make a comparison over that time period and only just barely tooted on the two of them. If I were an F player instead of an NStar player, I'd have grabbed it for myself, but someone else will be lucky I think.
I also have a 163 here -- and it, for me, plays "about" like the Hagen but, for me, is more unwieldy to maneuver because of slide placement, and it's taller than the Hagen, making it too tippy for my size. This one has a few minor dings on it but nothing serious. Ha,while I have all these here I'll have to get a "blended stable picture" just for posterity!! One or more of nearly every brass instrument there is, and an entire gaggle of tubas!
It has been most interesting to have two stellar Alex tubas here and find out that I like what I have, better enough that I have not decided to buy them myself. If one of these had been a CC, story would likely be different.
I'd say the Alex F even in it's current condition of being pretty dirty, played better than the Firebird I honked on a year or two ago, but hard for me to make a comparison over that time period and only just barely tooted on the two of them. If I were an F player instead of an NStar player, I'd have grabbed it for myself, but someone else will be lucky I think.
I also have a 163 here -- and it, for me, plays "about" like the Hagen but, for me, is more unwieldy to maneuver because of slide placement, and it's taller than the Hagen, making it too tippy for my size. This one has a few minor dings on it but nothing serious. Ha,while I have all these here I'll have to get a "blended stable picture" just for posterity!! One or more of nearly every brass instrument there is, and an entire gaggle of tubas!
It has been most interesting to have two stellar Alex tubas here and find out that I like what I have, better enough that I have not decided to buy them myself. If one of these had been a CC, story would likely be different.
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- York-aholic (Mon Apr 14, 2025 1:17 pm)
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Mary Ann
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Re: Martin mammoth?
Who would be a good person(s) to ask what fair market value is for these Alex tubas? Not like they show up on ebay very often, so looking at recent past sales isn't going to work.
I will say that in the past I have made the mistake of deciding to be kind to someone and give them a bargain, only to find out (more than once) that they simply resold it for a handsome profit. That really, really rubs me wrong and I'd like to prevent having that happen here.
Unfortunately, someone here has already tried to get me to believe that fair market value is $3500. It is very sad to find out who is dishonest and would take advantage of a widow.
I will say that in the past I have made the mistake of deciding to be kind to someone and give them a bargain, only to find out (more than once) that they simply resold it for a handsome profit. That really, really rubs me wrong and I'd like to prevent having that happen here.
Unfortunately, someone here has already tried to get me to believe that fair market value is $3500. It is very sad to find out who is dishonest and would take advantage of a widow.