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https://www.ebay.com/itm/325548681779?h ... R-K3-LnRYQ

Based on the hyperinflation and wild money printing we've experienced, this is quite a bargain, considering what money buys now.

This looks like the "newer" style 184 with the 90 degree bend going into the main tuning slide.

I owned one from ca. 1960 with the dogleg "B-flat" style bend before the main tuning slide. It was a great sound but featured flat third and fifth partials.

I wonder if the "newer" (~50 instead of ~60 years old) style retains those same characteristics.

arpthark wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 am This looks like the "newer" style 184 with the 90 degree bend going into the main tuning slide.

I owned one from ca. 1960 with the dogleg "B-flat" style bend before the main tuning slide. It was a great sound but featured flat third and fifth partials.

I wonder if the "newer" (~50 instead of ~60 years old) style retains those same characteristics.

Don't fret. The same pitches are just as problematic. It's just that the later style is sharp-natured, rather than flat-natured.
These were beloved because they were a workaround and an avoidance of an F tuba purchase (as American players didn't want to have to learn how to play F tubas (not to mention that most F tubas - at that time, just as now - were wretched...though now, there are many more wretched models from which to choose), and not beloved because these 184 tubas played themselves.

Wow. I paid a lot less than that, including shipping, for the one I recently bought, which included the original hard case, a mute, and a very nice blue Miraphone gig bag. Same vintage.

I will add that if they think they are going to ship that for $150, they are dreaming unless they know of some way that I've never heard of.

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 9:43 am Wow. I paid a lot less than that, including shipping, for the one I recently bought, which included the original hard case, a mute, and a very nice blue Miraphone gig bag. Same vintage.

I will add that if they think they are going to ship that for $150, they are dreaming unless they know of some way that I've never heard of.

Well, that doesn't mean they are only paying $150 for shipping, it means they are only charging you $150. Maybe they think the high costs scares people off so they set a flat rate and take the hit for the rest. $5500 was a heck of a price for that... Yikes...!

Heck of a price, do you mean high or low? To me it is quite high.

If you think it is low, I'm in luck if I find another NStar and can sell mine. I still have the boxes and peanuts!!

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 11:45 am Heck of a price, do you mean high or low? To me it is quite high.

If you think it is low, I'm in luck if I find another NStar and can sell mine. I still have the boxes and peanuts!!

I think it's quite high

Interesting. Bloke thought it was "quite a bargain." But I bet he wouldn't pay that for it

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:00 pm Interesting. Bloke thought it was "quite a bargain." But I bet he wouldn't pay that for it

Well, I think it's that tricky case of "a really nice example of something not many people want."

At that price, it would have either sat there for a while or found the right buyer. And, we know what happened there.

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Sun Mar 05, 2023 1:00 pm Interesting. Bloke thought it was "quite a bargain." But I bet he wouldn't pay that for it

Am I mistaken, or didn't it sell?

It's a bargain in the retail world.
For the flipping world (mine), it's a bit rich...
Again: Someone - reportedly - bought it.

Ten years ago, people were eatin' 'em up for c. $4500...
...at least, when I was tossing 'em out there.

If that was on ebay I'm not sure you'll find out what it actually sold FOR. What it listed for, yes, but not what it sold for.

Well admittedly one thing is true.
Even though USD's are only worth 2/3 to half of what they were in 2020 (depending on what someone is buying, and way more inflation has occurred then that BS inflation calculator claims) I haven't heard about people's salaries going up - other than entry level jobs... but - with money being worth only half - those entry level jobs are still basically paying what they were paying before... I don't think too many people with entry level jobs are shopping for 5,500 buck used tubas. (I hear they're really going to clamp down on wait staff at restaurants, with a new "let's tax the poor" initiative.)

That tuba looks to be in pretty nice condition, though.

.

IMHO, not a bargain, but an "OK" price. Lots of odd laquer wear and a patch on the leadpipe.
It wasn't nearly as nice as one slicked up by Bloke.

arpthark wrote: ↑Mon Feb 27, 2023 7:35 am This looks like the "newer" style 184 with the 90 degree bend going into the main tuning slide.

I owned one from ca. 1960 with the dogleg "B-flat" style bend before the main tuning slide. It was a great sound but featured flat third and fifth partials.

I wonder if the "newer" (~50 instead of ~60 years old) style retains those same characteristics.

I would swear to you that the one I formerly owned (90 degree no-dogleg main tuning slide, white socket linkage) had the flat fifth, but not the flat third. On mine, all of the first valve notes lined up, including the D in the staff. I could easily push up the Eb in the staff played 2nd valve, but more often than not still played the E 1+2.

' didn't see the patch.

Patches are usually non-starters for me.
I don't trust anyone to re-lacquer a tuba, other than myself (and I'm not asking anyone else to trust me).
Simply, I don't buff the $h!t out of the bell and bows - after repairing them.
Also, (since sanding and buffing is horrible work, and I'm LAZY) I have made sure that my dent-removal skills are good enough so-as to not have to fake over mediocre dent removal (via removing too much material).

Patches - I prefer to braze cracks and tears.

If I can EVER find the time, I'm planning on re-lacquering my 40-year-old F tuba (which I bought new). The scratches will remain, unless any of them disappear upon the first pass of the buffing wheel.

cjk wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2023 1:47 pm ... I could easily push up the Eb in the staff played 2nd valve, but more often than not still played the E 1+2.

I'm not a bit surprised. I usually play E 1+2 on my 188, even though the 188 has the reputation of not needing it.