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Yesterday I have seen a recent copy of the Hirsbrunner 388/Adams piston F-tuba. Looks like a fine instrument. Very well made. Owner was positive about it. From the same producer as the Yamaha 621 F-tuba, that was discussed here earlier (Tianjin Jessy Musical Instruments).

At the moment there is one for sale in Germany (through site "Kleinanzeigen", category Tuba, post titled "F-Tuba zu verkaufen").

Hubert

I have a friend who actually is no longer playing all that much tuba, but they used to studio teach at a university full time. When they first accepted that position, they had a 4 + 2 configuration B&S F tuba that's about the closest thing that is currently made to an original Symphonie model. It was a pretty good tuba. Later, a vendor offered them an Adams - reportedly for a wildly low price, and they sold the B&S. After a bit, they wanted me to change some of the Adams slide lengths to fix some pretty serious tuning issues. After I had it in the shop and studied the tuning issues, I realized that - had I done what they asked me to do - it would have made other pitches just as bad as the ones that I would be fixing.

There are a lot of tubas that people buy that I wouldn't buy, and I know that I've lost out on tons of sales by not buying some popular (or newest thing on the block) instruments at low prices - whereby I could have flipped them for more, but I just have trouble selling stuff that I wouldn't (or even can't) play myself, as my name tends to remain attached to things through multiple subsequent buyers and sellers. A tuba specialist - who's more successful than myself at selling - has a better view of this situation than I do, and I should adopt that view myself, I suppose.

A number of Swiss-design and Swiss-made tubas are - I guess I could say - fascinating. A knockoff could be better than the original, but I've not seen that happen very often.

hubert wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 2:47 am ...From the same producer as the Yamaha 621 F-tuba, that was discussed here earlier (Tianjin Jessy Musical Instruments)....

Where was that discussed? The only mention of Tianjin factories (and Tianjin is one of the main industrial production cities in China) is Jin Bao, and no reference at all to them producing Yamaha-branded 621's. My 621 certainly states that it is made in Japan, though it is from the first batch and doesn't even include Yamaha branding on it. There is no mention of "Jessy" that I can find on the forum.

Rick "recognizing the limitations of the PHPBB search engine" Denney

Rick Denney wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 1:38 pm

hubert wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 2:47 am ...From the same producer as the Yamaha 621 F-tuba, that was discussed here earlier (Tianjin Jessy Musical Instruments)....

Where was that discussed? The only mention of Tianjin factories (and Tianjin is one of the main industrial production cities in China) is Jin Bao, and no reference at all to them producing Yamaha-branded 621's. My 621 certainly states that it is made in Japan, though it is from the first batch and doesn't even include Yamaha branding on it. There is no mention of "Jessy" that I can find on the forum.

Rick "recognizing the limitations of the PHPBB search engine" Denney

My Yamaha 621 F copy was purchased through Tianjin Frater instruments which is a wholesale distributor of Jin Bao instruments. I've discussed it at length here. Maybe that's what @hubert meant.

Thanks, Arpthark and BRS, for your "interpretation" and complements.. Sorry for the lack of clarity in my message.
If someone is interested, I have a WORKING email-address of a sales person at Tianjin Frater Instruments, the distributor of the Yamaha and Hirsbrunner/Adams copies. Please, send PM.
Hubert

The advertisement on Kleinanzeigen Germany comes from Ulrich Haas, a tuba professional (a.o. member of the Melton/Meinl Weston Tuba Quartet). In short it says: Very young copy of HB388/Adams F tuba, silverplated, as new. Very good and easy intonation, perfect sound for solo work, with bigger mouthpiece also suitable for orchestral settings. With case. Being sold for reasons of health.
Hubert