I'm struggling over the idea of selling my Holton 4/4 (same size as York 4/4 B-flat).

[bloke]

...yet, I just realized that I had best use it tomorrow/Sunday for a rehearsal and Christmas show at this particular church (see pic).

The Holton tuba is only 32" tall, the front-action piston valves are "sunken into" the bugle, and - unlike the Miraphone 98 - I can easily rest it across my lap, with no need to rest it on the floor.

This church is HUGE, but - being huge - they pack an entire symphony orchestra into this alter area (note this large Salvation Army band, which performed there when on tour), and everyone is packed in like sardines. (There is more space off to the left, and my space would be (line of sight) behind that ostentatious pulpit and jammed next to a curved/permanent (also hidden by the pulpit) wall - next to that organ console...but a full symphony orchestra is MORE PEOPLE than this Salvation Army band (pictured).

Not only is the Miraphone 98 (my other B-flat...if you don't count my in-progress compensating recording Besson B-flat) huge, but it is also thin and delicate (hand-made). The Holton is also hand-made (sheet brass) but it's thicker sheet brass (weighs just as much as the Miraphone 98) and (re: size/thickness) less delicate.

There's one sort of gospel-rock piece (where I was asked about bringing the cimbasso or bass trombone) but (again) there will be no ROOM to set another instrument next to me (based on past years and other misc. orchestra gigs at that church)...and the Holton sonority is capable of "popping" enough to be an OK substitute for either of those.

I know I'm sorta weird, but I DO really try to NOT own "way too many" tubas...regardless of whether I built them, whether they're particularly good (to the point of being "special") or whatever. (Think of the movie, "The Jerk" and the "That's all I need" scene... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSWBuZws30g )

Right now (while thinking of selling this) the tuba (itself) seems to be showing me that I have uses for it.
Also (with my lip covered with a scab from being scalded by too-hot coffee), I seem to be able to get the closest to a professional/marketable sound out if it (for the time being).

As recently as yesterday, I was seriously making plans to sell this thing.

[url]https://i.imgur.com/xBZeo0X.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sN4ofRd.jpg

This is not an ad...but - simply - a public display of an internal struggle.
I guess I'm looking for some peeps to talk me off the ledge, and talk me back into offering it for sale...and no: I'm not looking for offers, right now.
I really don't want this room filling up (nor filling BACK up) with tubas.

[York-aholic]

Don't sell it...yet.

You never know when you'll burn the heck out of your lips again.



Not to mention the obvious, that this is the epitome of "pit tuba".

The 98's WJ case isn't going to get any smaller or lighter, but the "J.S. Bloke" (distant relative of J.S. Bach?) Holton and its case are a bit more manageable.

[dp]

yup, you're struggling alright

[bloke]

I deserved that, Dale.

The thing is...
- I'm using it a good bit.
- It's really handy...and/but

- Admittedly, I'm looking around for things to sell, after propping up a couple of my don't-do-very-well-anyway adult children during the orchestrated economic shutdown.

notice:
I just sold an instrument for about the same price as the value of the work that I had to do to make it viable.

[Jinitude]

You better call me before you put that baby up for sale! :-). Maybe we can work out a trade offer for my 282... :-)

[humBell]

yup, you're struggling alright

Curious about the picture. That's hair, right? Do trolls ever have good hair days? I first interpreted the troll as bald, peering out of a tunnel in a snow bank.

But alas, not sure i have any wisdom to share, nor do i expect i am any good at consolation, so i'll probably retire to the bad ideas thread.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[Tim Jackson]

"Holton"
"32" tall"
"valves are sunken into"
"easily rest it across my lap"
"hand-made (sheet brass)"
A UNIQUE AND VERY COOL TUBA!

You are gigging with this - don't sell!
You like playing it - don't sell!
It is very handy - don't sell!
These are becoming rare - don't sell!

And most of all... there will always be a need for more money! Yes, the family is most important but some years down the road your life will change and you will not be using as many tubas - your family will need money then as it does now.

In my experience, the amount of money you make from that tuba will be gone in a flash. Maybe it's more important for kids to do without or work harder. I am in a constant struggle and wondering if my kids will grow stronger and learn the value of hard work and fiscal responsibility if the "trickle down" slows a bit. Sometimes I think about how hard my wife and I worked when we were in our 30s-40s & 50s. Now we are enjoying the seeds we sowed. I hope my kids will learn to follow this path.

If there is a real need to sell/develop cash - sell things you are definitely not using that can be easily replaced down the road if a need is developed for that item.

Tough love is harder on parents than kids.

Maybe the only real/best wisecrack I can offer this morning is:
"If allowed, kids will always need more money than parents can provide"

Happy Holidays!
TJ

[Stryk]

WOW - that's a very unique horn! Ya know, money is a good thing, but if you use something, it makes it a hard decision unless you really NEED the money. I have a feeling if the times comes and you NEED the money or no longer use it, that horn would sell very quickly.

[MikeS]

In my experience, the amount of money you make from that tuba will be gone in a flash.

I remember hearing an interview with an artist, long enough ago that I can’t remember who it was. He said he could sell a painting and buy some groceries or make a car payment. In a week the groceries would be gone and in a few years the car would be a pile of rust. Yet the guy who bought the painting could wake up every morning for the rest of his life and look at it. The artist didn’t say it was unfair; he still had to eat and drive to the store. He did say that the dynamics of these transactions struck him as somehow “dissonant and out of balance,”* and that learning to live with that was in some ways harder than creating his art work.

I hope you find a way to a decision that is harmonious and balanced. I am glad there are artists like yourself who create things that are worthy of making these decisions difficult.

*Although this story is paraphrased, those words made an impression and are a direct quote.

[Mary Ann]

You better call me before you put that baby up for sale! :-). Maybe we can work out a trade offer for my 282... :-)

So now I know whose 282 he was teasing me with but I went and bought that Hagen anyway.

Joe, if you need the money more than you need the tuba, sell the tuba. If you need the tuba more than you need the money, keep the tuba.

I still think you should look into regenerative agriculture for your own food supply. Yes I know that time is required, but with food prices doing what they are, and how easy regen IS after you figure it out (no chemicals, no tilling) -- and where you live, it's a no brainer for food. Dirt to Soil is the book. If I had a more reasonable climate (like, not death heat in the summers and at least some rain) and if I had the physical capabiity, I would be doing a regen garden food source.

[bloke]

We grow a lot of vegetables every summer and freeze them. We still have a whole bunch of okra, squash, and actually even frozen cantaloupe which we use for smoothies. The thing that I'm having trouble finding is bacon seeds... and sure: regenerative bacon seeds would be amazing.

[Three Valves]

We call them scrapple seeds 'round these parts...

[kingrob76]

It's a tool for your toolbox. If it has a use and works its way into your hands from time to time, there's a need for it. If you would probably replace it with a similar tool later after selling it, then it comes down to how easy it is to replace with a comparable (or better) tool. Simply based on your description in the initial message it appears selling this tool is more about padding the savings account than non-utilization, which makes no sense if you would replace it later. Unless there is a pressing need for the liquid cash, this asset will still maintain a value and can be considered a part of your savings for long term planning.

I recently acquired a Getzen CB-50 to compliment by Eastman 836. I've had a LOT of work done to it since acquisition including most of Lee's modifications and Monday night I took it to a band rehearsal for the first time. I was astounded how easy it was to play, and it (or something like it) will be in my toolbox for the foreseeable future.

[bloke]

The difficulty in replacing it with something as good is a really good point. Three to one, I'm taking the big tuba when I need a contrabass, but they're are still those other 25% of the time jobs when I need some heavy low range growl and there's limited seating space. It's also really good for most of the "lite" quintet gigs where it's really not a recital but just lighter music whereby the tuba part is mostly a bass part.

Financially, there's actually just one credit card that's annoying me, and that I would like to see disappear, so I can probably work that out without selling that instrument after all. It's just difficult to pay it down when every time I go to the store things cost 10% or 15% more than they did the last time I went to the store. I suppose "under control" means that horrible inflation rates are better than devastating ones, yet very few prices have retreated from the devastating ones... Some of us have seen gas prices drop by 75 cents a gallon, but it's still over a buck higher.

...LOL..There's a party that Mrs. bloke drags me to every winter, and the table decorations always thematically involve a bunch of roses. Apparently, this year roses are going to be costing 400% of what they cost last year.

[kingrob76]

Yep, it's a color on your palette. Maybe not your most used color, but, you do use it, and that color is no longer being made. Were I designing a stable based on what you have I would maybe look for a lightweight ("ultra-portable") instrument that would cover this role, but that may not be a thing based on the required "growl" factor. My Getzen is an absolute tank when it comes to weight and thickness of metal. It might be heavier than my 6/4 Eastman, and that COULD be its long-term downfall.

This feels like a keeper to me. Besides, it already has your initials on it.

[PlayTheTuba]

Everyone has already and more eloquently mentioned, but IF you are able to, keep the Holton you have. The closest tubas would the modern King and Eastman. Which are still technically a little larger with their bore size, as you are well aware. Even though you dialed in (modified) your Siegfried, you could still, technically, get another one at the moment. Now that Kanstul is gone, no one is making tubas with a bore that small anymore, let alone top action versions... Plus, you also dialed that Holton in, which makes it better than other similar tubas that may appear in the wild from time to time.

[Mary Ann]

We grow a lot of vegetables every summer and freeze them. We still have a whole bunch of okra, squash, and actually even frozen cantaloupe which we use for smoothies. The thing that I'm having trouble finding is bacon seeds... and sure: regenerative bacon seeds would be amazing.

Livestock is an essential part of regenerative agriculture.

[bloke]

Whether or not I have livestock, I'm not discussing that on any sort of social media.

[bloke]

Even though I haven't been playing this instrument at home much lately, it sure did perform well for me last night at a church orchestra rehearsal. The high range was really secure when I was covering some third trombone parts, and "iron octave" intonation was really easy to achieve with the two trombone players who were hired (John Mueller, who is retired principal euphonium from Pershing's Own, along with one of the Memphis Symphony trombonists). Of course, they're good players... and the fact that I didn't feel like I had to be constantly worrying about damaging this tuba (because of its size) made things less worrisome and less distracting.

I still might end up selling it, but I was just reminded of why I have it.