Dallas CL: Older 186

[hrender]

Odd appearance, silver bits look lacquered or painted.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/msg/d ... 59911.html

[jtm]

Is that a good price? And is it odd for the serial number to be on a valve casing?

Someone in Dallas could have my shiny 186 for half that, but the straight bell isn't original.

[hrender]

Price is optimistic IMO.

[ParLawGod]

If it worked and didn't need any maintenance, tops I would pay is $1300-1500 (but that's just me).

[bort2.0]

Is that a hole in the bell?!

[KingTuba1241X]

Is that a hole in the bell?!

Couple of them..looks like the owner tried to ward off a mugging with it.

[LargeTuba]

Are these older Miraphones more sought after then newer Miraphones?

[the elephant]

Are these older Miraphones more sought after then newer Miraphones?

By some, yes. They have a small, but strong following.

The older horns were largely made using rolled sheet brass tubes that were seamed together and then hammered and burnished over mandrels. The smaller bells were gusseted. Today's horns have a wider bell flare and are built from parts that were shaped by hydraulic blow-out presses. Hydro-formed parts have different playing characteristics than parts formed by hammering them into shape. Even the leadpipes had seams. whereas the slide tubing and leadpipes today are drawn over mandrels.

Many things about the modern horns are improved greatly with these advances in production, but the character of the sound is not one of them. They play a little differently, too; it is a different feel. Most of the changes have been to make production more consistent and less costly in the long term. Some have been to "improve" playing issues, like how ratty one of the older horns can sound when played loudly by a younger player.

Usually, when one comes across one of these classic 186 tubas there are all sorts of reasons to buy it, but there are also all sorts of reasons to not buy it.

As I said, they have a small, but strong following.

[The Big Ben]

The bell on this one's all boogity. Maybe a desirable older model but the premium asked is pretty high.

[bloke]

It's a good price...if I'm the seller...and someone pays that...

[the elephant]

Without a playtest, I would avoid this tuba unless the price is under a grand before shipping. There is no telling what condition the rotor bearings and slides are in. The bell is fixable but that work is not free, by any means.

Avoid.

[bloke]

A few months ago, someone gave me a 186 in nearly that condition (more bell cracks, but way shinier).

I have a silver-brazed-cracks Miraphone bell that I stuck on it, before tossing the instrument in bloke's attic.