Query on pretty-ing up

[Mary Ann]

This Martin Mammoth 3 valve bell front that I acquired with the Alex tubas is now being hopefully de-dented enough to make it sale-able. People apparently do not want, for any amount of money, a bashed-bow tuba even if it does not leak, because it is ugly. I'll see what I get back in a week, but -- the finish is no longer any good. I suppose the lacquer is somewhat still there, but -- is there anything I can do without extensive physical effort, to pretty it up? If I were a big strong guy I might think of making it a "satin brass" finish and put a good coat of wax on it, but -- methinks that is well beyond my capabilities, and given the value of this thing, not worth paying someone else to do.
And I still would like someone to clue me in on what the value of this could be in playing condition and less ugly than it is now. The lady working on it said she had a friend she could ask, but I don't know if I'm talking $1k or $2k here. I'll probably have more in it than it's worth by the time I get it sold.

[bloke]

During Dixieland Revival #2 (late 70's through the 80's and into the 90's) tons of west coast players were looking for Martin 6/4 recording basses to play in those two-cornet bands (which read out of books - note-for-note - books written by Lu Watters many decades previously).

These days, I would suppose that mostly those in regions of the US where polka bands are still popular might be looking for those.
The plus with Martin is the noticeably better intonation vs. Conn 6/4's, and the lack of those annoying short-action valves.

my advice re: finish and other minor/major issues...
Take what you have to the market, and sell it for what it is.
One time, I flipped a house that I bought for $15,000 (a tax sale, and I then discovered epic water damage from a forever plumbing leak - icemaker pipe...water in the entire house).
I spent about $90,000 on rehabbing (and GREATLY improving as well - some reconfig), and sold it for $135,000 - profiting only about $20,000 (closing costs and other costs, plus "dealing with" people...I even had to sue - represented myself and won - an HVAC guy) and - yup - had to pay the tax on the $20,000 profit...and all the time messing with it (and - even at that - I ended up doing a bit of the work myself).

I believe I would have better better off (after discovering the water damage surprise...no one was/is allowed to pre-inspect those properties) letting it sit for a year, and selling it as-is for maybe $25,000 - LOL - or even for roughly what I paid for it, and just getting out from under the burden.

[Mary Ann]

I have had only one query about this tuba and that person did not want it for any price due to the bashed bow.
A local person expresses interest only by saying "how much did you pay for it?" And since I bought it with the Alexes for one price, I did not pay anything in particular for it. I'm still underwater with those, prefer to at least break even for the amount of time and effort I've put in.

[bloke]

A local person expresses interest only by saying "how much did you pay for it?"

That inquiry would result in a non-response from me...likely a "delete", and maybe even a "block".

[Sousaswag]

I would have the bow fixed… The lacquer? Well, the type of player who’s going to buy it probably doesn’t care that much. Easy enough to strip, I’d leave it as is, but certainly deal with the bow. Large dents are a turn off for a lot of people.

Just my 2 cents. It will sell, eventually.