Page 1 of 1

FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:40 pm
by simonfrisk.tuba
Bb-Tuba Melton 197/2
Model "Original" Handmade 5/4 Size

4 Cylinder valves
Brass body
Bell: Ø 46 cm
Bore: Ø 21.5 mm
Height: 114 cm

The Meinl Weston 197/2 is a classic original ‘Kaiser” style German “Large” 5/4 Bb tuba. The bell shape is classic early style. This instrument is a hand made sheetmetal model.
The 3rd and 4th slide lie smoothly inside the body with soft bows.

Special features:
Double trigger on 1st valve slide with ebony handle.

Spring mechanism on 2nd valve slide with right thumb ring and left hand lever.

4th valve slide with string stopper.

All valves with trigger are vented.
Hand engraved with ornaments
Incl. Melton gig bag

Completely in RAW Brass. This Tuba is in great condition. A one time opportunity!!

This Tuba is located in Stockholm, Sweden

Price: 195.000 SEK

PM for more pictures and info:
simonfrisk.tuba@gmail.com
or Messenger

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:18 am
by TheBerlinerTuba
This is an awesome tuba as anyone who has heard Simon live can attest.
If you want one of the best modern professional Kaiser BBb tubas, this is it.

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:14 am
by bloke
Just to help out some people who might be interested, am I correct that moving the comma one to the left would be very roughly the price in American dollars?

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:09 am
by Mary Ann
If he wrote it as he intended, 195.000 SEK is $18,843.90 USD, according to the currency converter. One decimal point to the RIGHT would be ~$1884.00, but I doubt it is being sold for that amount.

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:20 am
by matt g
Mary Ann wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:09 am If he wrote it as he intended, 195.000 SEK is $18,843.90 USD, according to the currency converter. One decimal point to the RIGHT would be ~$1884.00, but I doubt it is being sold for that amount.
Pedantry:

The comma and decimal often interchange with euro* writing of numbers. So then…

195.000 —> 195,000

Then bloke says move the comma to the left…

195,000 —> 19,5000

But that trailing zero seems silly so it’s dropped…

19,5000 —> 19,500

Which in units of USD is within 10% of being the proper currency conversion.

*usually the dead giveaway is the demarcation of 10^3 orders of magnitude being separated by whatever arbitrary delimiter is being used.

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:31 am
by Mary Ann
Yup I dunno what I did with that theoretical decimal point in my head.

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:54 am
by bort2.0
@matt g , that's pretty interesting how it all worked out.

But isn't it just 3 orders of magnitude? Wouldn't 10^3 orders of magnitude be 1,000 orders of magnitude? :)

Back to the tuba though, these things sound incredible in the right settings. Quite a while ago, I was in Berlin and saw Alexander von Puttkamer playing his on Bruckner something or other, and it was just the most fantastic tuba sound I've ever heard live. Shortly after that, I heard him play a different Bruckner piece at Carnegie Hall on the same tuba, and it was the second most fantastic tuba sound I've ever heard live.

I know of one or maybe two of these instruments that are in the United States. I wish I could bring this one over too, but I hope somebody else is able to. The sound is amazing.

I do think that it needs a supporting ensemble of the correct style. Plopping one of these down into an American Orchestra with American trombones and American trumpets etc etc isn't going to sound quite right compared to being in a German style Orchestra with German instruments. I doubt the result would be bad, and not even close to that... But I think it thrives and a heavily Germanic group.

Or at the very least, you better play this instrument and then ensemble that doesn't have a weenie bass trombone player. Kaiser tuba Plus strong bass trombone is a must.

Good luck with the sale, what a fantastic instrument

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 8:21 am
by bloke
Unless someone is retiring, it's always fascinating to know what they acquired to replace a really great instrument.

Being a gauche American, I like a coat of lacquer in good condition. Of course it looks good, but it keeps the instrument - and my hands - from smelling like brass.

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 10:22 am
by matt g
bort2.0 wrote: Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:54 am
But isn't it just 3 orders of magnitude? Wouldn't 10^3 orders of magnitude be 1,000 orders of magnitude? :)
It’s tricky to articulate what I was trying to get across, so it’s clumsy what I wrote. I was trying to define 10^3 as its own “order of magnitude” which, as noted, is clumsy. Nonetheless, punctuation/delimiting comes in thousands, for whatever reason.

Re: FS: Melton 197/2 Bb-Tuba

Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2023 12:01 pm
by bloke
The pricing involves magnitude.
The tuba's sonority involves amplitude.

' hope that clears it up...