Posted by Rick Denney on September 04, 2001 at 14:20:19:
In Reply to: Getting the kid a tuba - still posted by Tom T. on September 01, 2001 at 15:42:39:
Right on. But you forgot the most important item:
5. Call either Matt Walters, Dave Fedderly, Mike Russo, Charlie Krause, or Tony Clements on the phone--right now. Do not buy on ebay--your situation won't tolerate that sort of risk. Any of these gentlemen have well-earned reputations, and none of them will sell you the wrong horn for your situation. I'd take their advice over the first impressions of your son--he doesn't know what a good horn sounds or feels like, and is in no position to judge. Play-testing is not the answer for you, though I'm sure someone will forget what it's like to be in the 9th grade and disagree with me. Even many adults would do better with the advice of these professionals than they have done making their own selections.
I'd bet that four of the five fellows above have instruments in stock that meet ALL of your requirements, with a little dickering.
(By the way, I didn't list a couple of well-known stores. They may be fine for a buyer who knows his mind--and I have bought from one of them--but for a novice buyer, and who needs to trust the advice from the salesman, a store needs to have an unassailable reputation for being committed to the welfare of the buyer and not just to the sale. Without that reputation, there is no confidence.)
By the way, the VMI 2103 is a good horn, but in my humble opinion is a bit lighter in sound than the Miraphone or the Meinl-Weston. An identical model is the Schmidt-labelled tuba offered by Charlie Krause that is perhaps even a hair closer to your price range. Even though I'd prefer the Miraphone or Meinl-Weston, I'd take the VMI in a heartbeat over any sight-unseen Cerveny (the good ones are quite good and the bad ones really bad). Some would recommend it on the same level as the Miraphone. And I agree with your son about Amati, too. In your budget, get something with front action, which means avoiding the Amati 321 and the Yamaha 321.
The scratch-n-dent deals at the Brasswind (Mike Russo) are always a good source, but most other stores also have such deals buy they are not advertised. Call them.
Kings can be good horns, but the one thing you have to worry about with a used piston tuba is valve wear. Again, buy from a reputable source, and ask them about the condition of the valves. A leaky King will be expensive to repair. Rotary valves can be leaky, too, but are less likely to be so.
Rick "call the professionals" Denney