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Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 9:27 am
by BRS
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Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 10:33 am
by bone-a-phone
Their lower end and mid range tbones aren't made in the USA, but I think the high end ones are.

These are the people who got most of the Kanstul tooling. If that was sent somewhere else, it would be disappointing.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 11:15 am
by BRS
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Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 12:42 pm
by daktx2
From their website:
The B.A.C. Artist Series instruments were.... designed by B.A.C. craftsmen, and produced for us by a partner facility overseas
so probably not.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 12:52 pm
by bort2.0
No.

100%

And that was before I read the other posts!

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 1:19 pm
by BRS
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Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 1:37 pm
by bort2.0
BRS wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2024 1:19 pm This tuba isn’t listed yet under their Artist Series, but if 2 + 2 still equals 4…

Oh, well. :eyes:
Art
Art-er
Art-est

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 2:14 pm
by MartinMan
No.

I have confirmation that BAC has no intention of using the tuba tooling purchased from Kanstul, so any tuba related stuff with their branding is coming from whatever factory makes their apprentice series, and the valve blocks for their higher end horns.

It's my understanding that the only things made in KC are the bells, crooks, and leadpipes, as well as trombone slides.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 3:02 pm
by Sousaswag
Looks like a cool horn, it being what it is. Priced below the Wessex stuff, too. Did anybody get a chance to play it?

I’m guessing this is based on the old BMB stuff? If I remember correctly BAC took them over too didn’t they?

Whatever the case, looks cool, but who’s going to buy it? Who’s it marketed to, being a BIG 4v BBb, it probably won’t see heavy use in the “professional” scene. It’s not cool enough for that. :smilie2:

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 3:08 pm
by Doug
They're not exclusively selling the old BMB tubas.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/ ... 2cd50fbc9n

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 11:29 pm
by bloke
Nickel slides are Chinese or European.
Brass slides are American or Japanese or Chinese-made-for-Japanese.

... so I'd have to guess Hawaiian.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 4:33 am
by JC2
Unpopular opinion: the best Chinese made tubas are equal if not considerably better than anything currently made in America.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 4:53 am
by BRS
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Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 7:27 am
by bloke
The new versions that I've seen get rid of the rubber bands.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 7:32 am
by BRS
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Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 7:55 am
by bloke
No idea from that angle, I'm not even sure that I even see a fifth valve. Without an independent fifth valve, there is no 523 valve combination, which is probably one of the most useful 5th valve combinations of all.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 8:22 am
by BRS
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Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 8:24 am
by DonO.
BRS wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2024 11:15 am They did get a bunch of Kanstul tools and parts. At that price, if American made, it would be something pretty different in the market. To me, something welcome.
Why did they get all that Kanstul stuff, and then do nothing with it? :huh:

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 8:53 am
by bloke
Didn't I watch someone (who worked for them, at the time) sell off most all of those leftover Kanstul tuba parts - and partially-built tubas, etc. - on the frankentuba fb page?

re: Kanstul parts/tools acquisition
Based on (what appears to me to be) that domestic company's primary emphasis, wouldn't they likely be mostly interested in tooling/molds for making trombone parts?

Were it that I decided to make myself out to be some sort of big deal, and claim to make the world's most amazing whatevers, I sure wouldn't pick tubas. I'd pick the easiest things to make: (duh) trombones.

Re: Let’s play “is it American made?”

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 5:16 pm
by BRS
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