EMERGENCY SALE!!


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Posted by Wade Rackley on May 02, 2003 at 13:59:44:

EMERGENCY SALE!!!!

Due to unforeseen (and rather unforgiving) circumstances, I am forced to sell two of my tubas for prices significantly lower than I would normally accept.

There are two real reasons for this.

One is that I need the money NOW! A family member is in serious financial trouble and I owe them money. If I sell these horns at a really low price point, I might sell them quickly enough to pay them back ahead of schedule and maybe get them through this bad stretch that they are having.

The other reason (that will drop the prices more) is that they both need some work that I have been putting on the back burner for a few years. When the work was completed, I had planned to sell them at normal prices, but the work is undone and they need to go NOW!!

Here is what I have:

1959 Alexander 163 BBb tuba with four valves. Has jumbo receiver. Very minor dents. I bought it with clockwork springs, but converted it to spirals last year. This horn has the usual odd Alex intonation, but is quite playable. It is a bit stiff in flexibility. It has a hard case that is in need of repair; no gig bag. This was my "project" horn - my Guinea Pig for experimental modifications, and I HAD some big plans for it; or I did until this situation cropped up unexpectedly. The upper rotor bearings ought to be swedged, and it is currently set up for a tall player (high lead pipe). Flow of 3 and 4 has been reversed. It is unlacquered.

If you want that great Alexander sound on a BBb tuba and are willing to get some work done to the tuba and case (or buy a gig bag), this could be one for you. $1,900 with Doug Elliott MP and damaged case.

1971 Miraphone 180 5U F tuba with five valves. (5th has been converted over to right thumb.) This tuba was a study of how to fix the awful low register of older Germanic F tubas. It was never supposed to see the light of day. And then I needed it for the Vaughan Williams!! So I added a pull ring to the first slide, added a larger lead pipe, and did a bunch of things to it to make it VW-worthy. The end result of my experimentation was quite good, but I used some VERY unconventional short cuts and design of parts in order to save time, and I have never gone back to clean it up. It is unlacquered as well, and has no case or gig bag or mouthpiece. It needs a valve rebuild, as all five rotors are leaky. Yet it played great on Bydlo the last time we played Pictures. It has that sweet sound that my YFB 621 lacks. So, warts and all, it is great for Berlioz and Bydlo, and is pretty good on the VW. The low end is still too weak for any serious quintet work. It is what it is, and I REALLY regret having to sell it prior to having completed my acoustical studies on it and then really cleaning it up to look like my mods were done at the factory. All of my customer work has always been to that level, but this horn was just for experimental purposes. I had fully intended to keep it, continue to mess with it, and maybe turn it into a really nice and valuable instrument for myself. $1,250.

Again, circumstances are forcing me to offer up horns which I am not really ready to sell. So I am offering them at pretty low prices in hopes of getting cash NOW.

Other caveats:

I will NEVER, EVER ship a tuba again. I am in Jackson, Mississippi and am willing to drive to meet you HALFWAY, if you are no farther than 1,000 miles away from me.

I will not accept payments, only the agreed upon price in full. I will accept ONLY a BANK CHECK or a MONEY ORDER from the post office (or any other brand that will be easily cashed across State lines...no Mom and Pop money orders from the gas station please!) And no personal checks. This is to protect me from you. In order to protect YOURSELF from ME, do not pay with cash! (I have been burned both as a buyer and a seller in the past, so I am very cautious; you should be cautious as well.)

PLEASE NOTE: As I need this money NOW, and I am selling for so little, and I am informing you that both horns need work, there will be no trial period. That means these tubas are being sold AS IS, and a receipt will be given for your taxes. (And, yes, they do both play - I am not trying to rip anyone off by selling rotary valved spitoons!)

E-mail me if either of these instruments interests you. I will send you my number and we can talk. I have no photos, but can get some made quickly if needed.

These would make very good instruments for someone wanting to get back into the tuba world after a break. The F is a pretty good and inexpensive "first F tuba", and the Alex would make some High Schooler or HS Band Director quite happy.

Alex BBb for $1,900
Miraphone F for $1,250

Wade Rackley
Principal Tuba
Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
helicor(AT)earthlink.net


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