I also tried to contact them about my 2145 for exactly the same reason. Tried their online registration process too. No response to either. Frustrating. It's such a wonderful horn for them to neglect the people who own them like 'red headed stepchild'...... oh well. Just enjoy what we have and leav...

The YCB-822 and the King 2341 are kinda the same size, but the 822 might be a bit brighter and or have a bit more ‘front’ to the sound that gets back to you a bit better. Also, that 822 bell is probably closer to your ear and probably points in a slightly different direction which gets back to you b...

I hope there is someone out there looking for an all around C tuba with the sensibility to realize that you can’t do much better for this price.

Nice shout out to the forum in that article.

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Combining both, it’s $38,000 per year max (max at the uni and assuming the upper bound on the services at the opera). There are people making more than this with zero education past high school and do so at a single location and probably have better benefits. Plus they are potentially younger. It’s...

bloke wrote: ↑Sat May 11, 2024 7:45 pm I'm thinking the '90s.

This. I think the switch was somewhere in the 1994 to 1996 timeframe? I don’t think the 2155 ever saw the “small valves” in production.

bloke wrote: ↑Sat May 11, 2024 5:32 pm My impression of BCC is that they wouldn't give a crap about pre-BCC production, and certainly not Geretsried/Anton Meinl.

Agreed. Hence me stating that Walter Nirschl might shed light on things if given a number from one of his sets.

bloke wrote: ↑Sat May 11, 2024 3:21 pm Those serial numbers - I'm thinking - are Nirschl numbers, and not really Melton numbers.

They are Nirschl numbers and there’s probably a better chance of estimating age via comms with Walter vice getting info from the Buffet Group.

The smaller valves will also have a serial number on the cluster.

Super cool but I have no idea who’s gonna buy it.

Also, it’s really tough to judge a horn’s Bb intonation tendencies when it’s been cut to C.

The 2xJ are pretty notorious for having an F below the staff that tends flat. Maybe I’m forgetting, but I don’t remember 2165s being all that bad regarding the G at the bottom of the staff. I do know that they tend to get lumped into the “flat third partial because it’s a 6/4 BAT of American style” ...

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The MAW valves on the 2165 I recently sold were fantastic. Lighter than the factory valves and better made. That made for a fantastic feel under the fingers. On that tuba, which wasn’t really known for an “open” low register, was immensely open and even in the low register. The fundamental C to D ju...

I doubt that Matt Walters built that horn. That question mark shaped port on the third valve would be a no-no in his book, I’d wager. Not that it doesn’t work or anything bad, just that Matt seemed to really enjoy building up valve clusters that looks as good, if not better than, something you’d fin...

2J vs 3J usually means something with respect to playability. The 2Js are usually a little better.

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@bort2.0 the Conn CC I have on consignment at Dillon Music checks all of your boxes except the German/Swiss deal. It’s American made parts modified and assembled by a true tuba magician.