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Fs: ZO Prototype F tuba $4,000 OBO

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:20 pm
by LargeTuba


For sale is a ZO F tuba. This tuba has a great low register, good low C. I was pleasantly shocked when I received this tuba. I was expecting a bad low register, but it feels good. It’s not going to be like 2250 or 822, but it’s really good.

There’s a small crease on the bell, I’m looking for a quick sale. I will repost this tuba after I fix the bell at a higher price. The tuba can stand on its bell with no problem at all and it really is just a small cosmetic issue.

$3500 OBO. Feel free to shoot me an offer, I really am interested in a quick sale.

Shipping or pickup from 46360

Thanks!

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:12 am
by bloke
A sandblast finish on brass covered with lacquer is a really interesting look. :smilie8:

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:51 am
by the elephant
This is a one-off tuba, and it plays very well with solid intonation.

I'm interested, but will not have the $$$$ for a few months. If it is still available at that time I will put it on my list of horns to inquire about.

Good luck with your sale, man!

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:54 am
by arpthark
Theodore is a great guy, very up-front and super easy to work with. I have bought some parts from him before, and I almost pulled the trigger on this F tuba before something else I was interested in came up. He sounds great on it, too. It has a very colorful sound and not at all sort of hollow like some larger rotary F tubas.

I am sure it will sell quickly! :tuba:

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:18 am
by LargeTuba
the elephant wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:51 am This is a one-off tuba, and it plays very well with solid intonation.

I'm interested, but will not have the $$$$ for a few months. If it is still available at that time I will put it on my list of horns to inquire about.

Good luck with your sale, man!
Thanks for the kind words! Im really surprised they didn't run with this model. You'd be hard pressed to find a rotor F with a better low range. Leagues above any other Chinese rotor F I've tried. Solid Intonation and a good sound.

Im a little hesitant to let it go, but Im a Eb player.

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:07 am
by Casca Grossa
I will chime in on this. I am the original owner. This is a really solid horn. Intonation is very good and it is really well built compared to many of the Chinese horns out there.I had talked to Wade about this last night. I need to ammend one thing I told him. Going back on memory, the valves are a step above your average Chinese horn. Smooth, fast, and quiet. I had told Wade they were typical Chinese valves but as my memory gets jogged, as long as you keep them oiled, you won't have them seizing up. Sorry for the misinformation @the elephant. I was sleepy when you were messaging me. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get a good enough picture to do the finish justice. It has a very cool antique look. Not really a bead blasted finish but like a polished patina if that is possible. This is a 5/4 sized horn with a bell a little over 17 inches if memory serves me correctly. It has a graduated bore through the valve section that I believe is the same measurements as a B&S F tuba. I had the coins put on the valve spatulas because I have short, Vienna sausage-esque fingers. I usually do this to any horn I own. The low end plays a lot more freely and open than your typical German rotary F. The C, B, and Bb below the staff speak easily. To my ears, the sound lays somewhere between a PT 10 and a large piston F like the Yamaha 822. It still retains that Germanic F tuba sound rather than sounding like an F tuba built to sound like a CC. I did not have to use alternate fingerings or do much slide pulling to get this horn to play in tune. I used a Blokepiece solo on it but also considered using my Cooley Helleburg. Both mouthpieces worked great. I settled on the Blokepiece because of the sound concept I had in my head. Hope this helps. It's a great horn for a great price.

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:58 am
by the elephant
I'm not too fond of lacquer, but I would leave this interesting-looking horn's finish alone. I like it like that. A lot.

Yep.

Re: Fs: ZO F tuba $3500 OBO

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:24 pm
by LeMark
it would look very good with my Euphonium

Re: Fs: ZO Prototype F tuba $4,000 OBO

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:08 pm
by LargeTuba
Bump!