Posted by Leland on April 30, 1999 at 00:12:43:
In Reply to: Tuba purchase help posted by Luke on April 29, 1999 at 15:46:33:
Another couple of options --
You don't need to own one right away; especially with summer starting, local school band directors might be willing to let you use one of their extras for a while (year-round schools might be tricky). I started on tuba by borrowing one from the high school down the street. No, you won't get top-of-the-line, but you may be able to work out a mutually beneficial deal, like offer to get a simple repair or a cleaning done.
While you're borrowing, you'd have the time to get the word out among local players that you're looking for a usable used tuba. Whether it's from a symphony pro, or a school that's selling them off, or in a garage, sitting with a "for sale" tag at a repair shop (always a good source), once you've got it it's _yours_ to have fun with.
This is what I did, and I "lucked out", or rather, I tipped the luck in my favor by getting set up in the right places with plenty of help from my parents. I ended up with a surprisingly usable 4-rotor BBb for $500, and I still use the thing.
As always, this is just one experience, and your mileage may vary. :-)
Seeya,
Leland