TubaForum.net

I did some searching in the Buy & Sell forum and got zero hits on most of these, or maybe one hit for a horn in much better condition whose price will obviously be higher.

My dad is in a nursing home, and I need to liquidate his instrument collection. I have no idea what a fair asking price is for anything, and forums like this require posting a price. So I'm hoping that some of you can give me a rough idea of what a good asking price is for each instrument. I have a lot of photos. They are all in good working order except one of them is missing a valve button. (Not sure what that's called.) Cosmetically... well, you'll see.

1. Conn USQMC Helicon - https://photos.app.goo.gl/qE9XGzypSPsZCuVV6 (Includes a loose Conn valve cluster. It has a King valve cluster is on it now.)
2. Conn Sousaphone - https://photos.app.goo.gl/GVRqxKbSkmfuDasv6
3. Yamaha YBB-321 Bb Tuba - https://photos.app.goo.gl/VVZVaf96cW4YFiiLA
4. Yamaha YEB-321S Eb Tuba - https://photos.app.goo.gl/QQcjJ6iobBaozUuP8
5. Keefer Eb Tuba - https://photos.app.goo.gl/5w1VEfXEYsaW7vxk9
6. Mirafone Standard 1610 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/bnHLyasgm5tvrUFh8
7. Conn Alto Horn - https://photos.app.goo.gl/VjZaCcU1xgKFyJ7J7

I realize the alto horn isn't a tuba. I hope it's okay to talk about it here. :)

Again, I'm just looking for good asking prices. Replies in the form of "You'd be lucky to get $X for the..." are exactly what I'm looking for. Because that would be a good starting point for accepting offers. Any ballpark numbers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for any help you can provide!

I'm located in Rochester, NY.

Your approximate location would probably be helpful to interested folks.

What I would do is positively identify each instrument's specific model number, then search ebay completed auctions for similar stuff in similar condition. You'll get an idea of what that stuff sells for.

Just curious.. is your dad someone that we might know? Either because he used to be on the message board here, or maybe one of us has played with him before in the past

Funnily enough, the alto horn is the one I can inform about with the most authority. The examples of that model Conn I've seen on eBay have sold for around $150-300 - the one closest the one you posted (silver plated, finish wear) was an auction that ended at $152 and some change (just checked via eBay sold listings). American alto horns never sell for very much.

Incidentally, if your dad's alto horn was on the lower end of the above price scale and the valves have compression, I might be interested.

The Conn helicon (#1) appears to have King valves.

Wondering if it has been franken-ized.

I agree, location would get you some sincere offers - I would be interested in one if you were within driving distance

That conn sousa is a 4 valve Eb. Very interesting. A lot of these prices would depend on the condition of the valves and how they played. I know I wouldn't give much at all for any of them without playing them or having someone I trusted play them for me.

The Yamaha Eb is considered a very good tuba, but only having 4 valves limits its interest to most. I would say for that one don't take any less than $2000, but Selling it for more than 3 might be difficult

where you are located? Maybe someone here can help you out by playing them

That 4 valve Sousaphone is awesome!

Those Keefer valve buttons!

LeMark wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 5:21 pm where you are located? Maybe someone here can help you out by playing them

He posted on reddit too and said Rochester NY area.

That YBB-321 looks to be old enough to be fully made in Japan.

Interesting selection of horns.

If you’re in need of truly liquidating them, your best bet might be to reach out to @Matt Walters or one of the other folks at Dillon Music in New Jersey. They can give you a pretty honest guess, put them up for consignment, or Steve might take them as a lot (maybe, but at a lower price).

Patience and eBay will likely net you the most money, but you’ll also have to deal with shipping and other issues.

*

I've been eyeing eBay pretty regularly over the past few months so I will share my (almost) neutral observations:

- Hard to gauge the value of a vintage Eb 4-valve sousaphone since they are pretty rarely for sale. A vintage King 4 valve Eb sousaphone sold for $1,500 in 2018.

- YBB-321s seem to go for anywhere between $800-$1,500 based on recently completed eBay auctions.

- A YEB-321 sold for $2,075, guess the buyer backed out and it was relisted and sold at $1,325. There is one currently listed for $1,700 or best offer.

- Looks like a Keefer Eb recently sold on eBay for about $800. (That seems a bit steep to me, fwiw). Your dad's seems to be in better shape, though.

- On the Mira[ph]fone, 1610 is the serial number. There is a much crappier 3-valve Miraphone Standard on eBay listed at $300.

If you list these for sale on this site I'd say you'd get quite a bit of interest, as evidenced by these replies.

cjk wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:19 pm What I would do is positively identify each instrument's specific model number

How do I go about doing that? The Yamahas have obvious part numbers. A couple others have serial numbers, and I'm guessing there's a database somewhere of what numbers correspond to what years or models.

Yorkboy wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:50 pm The Conn helicon (#1) appears to have King valves.
I agree, location would get you some sincere offers - I would be interested in one if you were within driving distance

Yes, it has King valves. I mentioned that in the post. But we also have a loose Conn valve cluster that is designed for it.

I'm in Rochester, NY. I added that to the main post.

arpthark wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:49 pm I've been eyeing eBay pretty regularly over the past few months so I will share my (almost) neutral observations:

If you list these for sale on this site I'd say you'd get quite a bit of interest, as evidenced by these replies.

Thanks for all of that info. That's great! Listing them here might work for some of them. I've also got a guy in Rochester trying to sell them on consignment, too. But if I sell a couple on my own, I think that would work out, too.

I received a bulk offer from a guy in OH who would drive to Rochester and pick them up, but it seems he really low-balled everything:

1. Yamaha YBB321 tuba. 300.00
2. Conn Helicon 400.00
3. Conn valve cluster. 200.00
4. Conn 4 valve Eb sousaphone. 400.00
5. 3 tuba bells @ 50.00 each. (I didn't mention that there are some loose bells from who knows what.)

I understand that he would be the one driving all the miles, but from the prices arpthark found, that's a real low-ball.

For interested people:

For buyers near NY, I can deliver or meet half way. I have a Sprinter van that's also a camper, and I'll be driving from Rochester, NY to Greensboro, NC some time next month. Taking a detour a couple hundred miles out of the way would be no big deal. However, I can only fit so many tubas in the van and still live in it. :D If you live within 200 miles of Rochester, I could deliver even before then. But we'd have to work out a price, and well... that's why I'm here.

As for the playability, my father says they all play beautifully. All of the horns are currently in the hands of a brass repair specialist in Rochester, Paul Abel, and I can have him vouch for each instruments playability before any sale.

PM sent…..

Yorkboy wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 7:03 am PM sent…..

I replied, but now the site says I have an "unread" message in my outbox. That doesn't make any sense to me. Let me know if you don't see my reply, though.

It means he hasn't read it yet

A few people have asked for photos of the valves, and I plan on taking those photos this Wednesday when I head back to Rochester. I have some feedback from Paul Abel of Abel Brass Clinic in Rochester before then.

Paul Abel wrote: They all play good.

Valves on Eb sousaphone look really good. Plating look good.

Helicon valves look really good. Look like they've been replated at some point. They all look excellent.

Yamaha Eb valves look good

Yamaha Bb valve plating is worn, but it plays ok

He couldn't get the valves of the Keefer open while on the phone. He said he'd need to get some tool or another.

That's what I have so far, and I'll have photos soon.

Urgon wrote: ↑Mon Sep 12, 2022 3:02 pm A few people have asked for photos of the valves, and I plan on taking those photos this Wednesday when I head back to Rochester. I have some feedback from Paul Abel of Abel Brass Clinic in Rochester before then.

Paul Abel wrote: They all play good.

Valves on Eb sousaphone look really good. Plating look good.

Helicon valves look really good. Look like they've been replated at some point. They all look excellent.

Yamaha Eb valves look good

Yamaha Bb valve plating is worn, but it plays ok

He couldn't get the valves of the Keefer open while on the phone. He said he'd need to get some tool or another.

That's what I have so far, and I'll have photos soon.

Paul's a good guy. He's a bass trombone player, and has been doing repair in Rochester for a while. I was at Ithaca College with him (as students) for a year way back... I've had him do some work on a couple of my horns. Nice slide work in both cases.

arpthark wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:49 pm - Looks like a Keefer Eb recently sold on eBay for about $800

I don't see any results in All Categories, sold listings for "Keefer" and "tuba" (quotes used to force the words to be used). If I search just "Keefer" in the Music & Gear category, I see only three instruments, and none are tubas. Where did you find this listing?

I'm no eBay searching pro, though.

Urgon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:22 am

arpthark wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:49 pm - Looks like a Keefer Eb recently sold on eBay for about $800

I don't see any results in All Categories, sold listings for "Keefer" and "tuba" (quotes used to force the words to be used). If I search just "Keefer" in the Music & Gear category, I see only three instruments, and none are tubas. Where did you find this listing?

I'm no eBay searching pro, though.

Try here.