Posted by Lew on September 03, 2001 at 22:34:06:
In Reply to: "Blind Date" with a tuba posted by Bugalugs on September 03, 2001 at 01:07:26:
I ordered my first tuba that I actually owned to get back into playing without trying out any tubas at all. It probably wouldn't have made much difference because I hadn't played in 18 years and probably wouldn't have been able to tell the difference anyway. I didn't know much about different tuba brands other than what I had known years earlier, and didn't find any stores with any selection. This was pre-WWW, which made things that much harder. I wanted a 4 valve BBb with front action valves, so I chose a King 2341. The store from which I ordered it ended up having one shipped directly from the factory to my house. It was delivered in an 18 wheeler in 3 large boxes, one for the tuba and 2 for the cases. I was very happy with the horn and it served me well for many years. I have heard that UMI instruments are relatively consistent between individual samples. My experience then and since seems to confirm this.