Posted by Jay Bertolet on May 27, 1999 at 10:29:42:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Gig Bag Wanted for Yamaha 822 F posted by Leland on May 27, 1999 at 08:49:53:
I agree with your assessment of the St. Pete.'s playing characteristics. It really is a very average horn with a normal number of strengths and weaknesses. Understanding that everyone may feel differently about any given tuba and may choose one instrument over another for those same reasons, the big draw of the St. Pete. is its low price. If you take that away, you start putting alot of other finely crafted tubas in the same price range as the St. Pete. and then the competition gets alot harder. Let's look at an example:
An earlier post estimated the cost of a St. Pete. with the upgraded valves at around $2300.00. Now, add in the cost of stripping and replating which I've heard estimated at around $1000.00. So now, without a case or bag, the horn will cost somewhere around $3300.00. A new Mirafone S-186 is $3795.00. A new Meinl-Weston 25 is $3995.00. The 2 VMI tubas, models 2103 and 3301, are $2995.00 and $3995.00 respectively. There are 5 models of Cervany BBb tubas listed in the Brasswind catalog (where all these prices came from) and the most expensive of them, the model 693-4MR, costs $3950.00.
As you can see, the St. Pete. was only competing against a few instruments that it compared favorably to. If the prices are raised, that may not be the case anymore. I'm guessing that anyone who really wants a St. Pete. might want to consider Die Tuba as the best situation for price. Going through Die Tuba, and getting the horn in raw brass, will keep the costs down and preserve the St. Pete.'s price advantage...