Which make is "the Mercedes Benz of Tubas" ?

[bloke]

Mercedes-Benz
Predicted Reliability Rating: 24/100

[Casca Grossa]

Whichever one I decide to play.

[Tubeast]

Hard question.
You´d be looking for a company that stands for products of two separate categories:

- The one that created the brand´s well deserved worldwide standing.
In terms of vehicles, that would be the kind populating Albania´s roads.
Albania is the European country with the highest density of Mercedes Benz, many of which had surpassed 500.000 km on the odometer, BEFORE they got transfered from elsewhere to the Albanian market, 20-30 years ago.

Those were the good old days when MB was the sole supplier of German taxis.
Mercs were expensive, but You´d get by selling ONLY ONE of your family´s kidneys to afford a large car at entry-level furnishing.
In the long run, those would be the cheapest cars one could buy.

- The one they´re selling today.
Mercedes Benz made the decision to concentrate on top-tier customers only, and they´re foolish enough to try and campaign on that decision. There is no entry level to provide reliable family transportation for decades to come, not any more.

Time will tell if they´ll be able to sustain the well-deserved admiration gained in the 50s through 90s, but they´ve lost MY vote.

[MikeS]

It seems to me, perhaps incorrectly, that Mercedes built a reputation based on mechanical excellence. They are now dealing with an era where cars are less about mechanics and more about software. A 2020 study by Deloitte found that 40% of the cost of a new car was electronics. Look at car commercials. There is very little said about how well the car drives and handles. They are mostly about touch screens, sound systems, and radar-based systems that bail you out when you are distracted by your phone. 1960’s Mercedes magazine ads talk about twin cams, RPMs, and compression ratios. I think the company is having some difficulty making the transition, at least in terms of how to define its image.

I am expecting my next tuba to have touch screen tuning and a Wi-Fi based breath pressure monitoring system that will tell me if one valve is leaking. It will also have a system that will monitor my eye movement and deliver a warning if my attention wanders during a performance. Finally, it will have two large screens so the bass trombonist and I don’t have to argue about what videos to watch during rests.

[Snake Charmer]

The "good old days" of Mercedes Benz ended in the early 1990s, when the models with class-suffix were introduced (E240, C200, S350...). At this point the built quality was changed from made-to-last-forever to it-should-last-at-least the-guarantee-time.

So a comparable tuba would be any solid no-frills horn with good sound, proper intonation and built-like-a-tank finish. Think of 186, Symphony or other models and their makers. My trusty Besson 981 did this job to me, until I was not longer able to reach the 4th valve

My 190D has taken me hassle-free through the last 14 years (I bought it from a friend of my parents when she quitted driving). It looks a bit battered on the outside, but is still rust-free, runs smoothly with perfect handling (and the first shock absorbers after 370 000 km!) and offers a cosy atmosphere to every passenger. Approved by Roger Bobo
And after 33 years it still needs less fuel than the newer models!

[Rick Denney]

Hirsbrunner, for the intersection of build quality and reputation for same. And market position (including price) in America and (with the relevant distinctions) in Europe.

But all car analogies fail and end up being more about cars than whatever they are supposed to be modeling.

Rick “car analogies are banned on some forums” Denney

[Snake Charmer]

Hirsbrunner, for the intersection of build quality and reputation for same. And market position (including price) in America and (with the relevant distinctions) in Europe.

But all car analogies fail and end up being more about cars than whatever they are supposed to be modeling.

Rick “car analogies are banned on some forums” Denney

Just learned some days ago that for Mercedes Benz extra gadgets you don't have to tick a box when ordering. They are all built-in and if you want to use them the car charges your credit card...
Imagine that for the tuba world: 4th valve is free for one week (afterwards you can buy a flatrate), valves 5 and 6 are paid per use...

[JRaymo]

Never heard that term regarding tubas. Back in the early to mid 80s my teacher at the time referred to HB as the “Rolls Royce” of tubas. He talked my parents into buying me a used Conn 3J. I wish I still had that tuba.


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[bloke]

Never heard that term regarding tubas. Back in the early to mid 80s my teacher at the time referred to HB as the “Rolls Royce” of tubas. He talked my parents into buying me a used Conn 3J. I wish I still had that tuba.

Yes, I'm making light of the "Rolls-Royce of tubas" importer's marketing analogy of the past. I always chuckled at that.

I shouldn't say anything more, but I guess I will. I own one of those instruments, and found it to be quite sturdy as well as quite out of tune. People have spoken about "response problems" with the model I had - as well as similar of their models. I don't think they were really response problems but trying to play pitches in those ranges in tune when the instruments just didn't want to - due to their harmonic natures. Of course that's going to cause response problems. In the past, I've offered the analogy of someone describing their friend (for a future blind date) as being strong and sturdy, but saying nothing about whether or not they are pretty, pleasant, or clever.

[JRaymo]

I played one a friend owned. The 5 rotor composite rotor model. I liked the sound better than my PT4 rotor but I liked playing my pt4 better and it still sounded pretty good.


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