TE-1150L

[qwertre]

Yesterday I became the proud owner of a TE-1150L, the Tuba Exchange's lacquer compensating ephonium.

First thoughts: Very free blowing and easy to alternate low and high pitches.

Bright tone, but darker than I expected, and compareable in a favorable sense to the Adams I tested it against. In some registers, I thought it was better than the 6000 dollar Adamsvery smooth valves. I oiled them with Roche-Thomas valve oil, and love the action. mechanically and ergonomically sound, I only dislike a slight arm strain from one of the tuning slides. I think I'll get used to it though. I have been playing a Yamaha marching baritone, and didn 't like that much.beautiful tone even with the "new horn stuffiness", so I think it will get better.It's easy to see that this is a 642 clone. The elongated valves are the kicker. I'll continue to post as I play the horn more, and sit with that tuning slide for a while.

P.S I think that the extra 900 over the Schiller Elite was well spent. The play testing at the Tuba Exchange, and there experienced staff made it a great trip.



[EDITOR: edited formatting for better display on different browsers]

[Nuck81]

TE-1150L

The Tuba Exchange, Schiller, Dillon, Baltimore Brass are all coming from the same Chinese Factory Jin Bao.
 
Jin Bao Factory
 
They will stencil your "brand name" onto the horn, and I believe you can customize aesthitics slightly, but they are all the same basic horn....

[davewerden]

TE-1150L

Originally posted by: Nuck81 The Tuba Exchange, Schiller, Dillon, Baltimore Brass are all coming from the same Chinese Factory Jin Bao.
 
http://Jin Bao Factory"]Jin Bao Factory[/URL]

Interesting URL there. I wonder why Ali Baba is the root domain of the address? Do you open the case by saying "Open Sesame"?

[Nuck81]

TE-1150L

Thanks for the link edit.



Could the Ali Baba be a translator or middle man of some sort? Maybe they are a domain host for the english translation of their site?



Considering they have a 20 unit minumum on orders, It looks like it's for distribution only. If you look through their line of brass instruments, they have a clone of just about every type and style of horn on the market. I even saw a Monette Style trumpet clone....

[qwertre]

TE-1150L

I know that the Tuba Exchange horn is made by Jin Bao. I said i thought the extra 900 dolllars was well spent in reference to the Tuba Exchange's impeccable reputation and service, as compared to Jim Laabs' long delivery time, obscure location, and from all I've heard, low satisfaction customer service and little knowledge of their horns.

I wrote the review because I found little comprehensive reviews about any Jin Bao horn. In all the subject matter, most were vague.

[tonewheeler]

TE-1150L

Qwertre-

Regardless of the factory, thanks for your review. I've seen a few inquiries on this board from student players going to college, who have a budget, and might need an afordable horn. Your review should help.

[fmanola]

TE-1150L

A couple of additional sources of these horns are Big Bottom Music and Mack Brass of Virginia. These folks are small-scale distributors compared to TE, et al., but they are getting good comments over on Tubenet for their Jin Bao tubas. They also offer some less-usual instruments, e.g., a Bb "tenor tuba" (essentially a euph with 4 rotary valves).

[qwertre]

TE-1150L

Interesting.

After 3+ hours today, I am satisfied with the horn in all respects but the tuning slide. The 4th valve tuning slide digs into my arm pretty badly. Anyone else have this problem? How did you fix it? It's the tuning slide closest to the bottom and the bell. In that corner.

[fmanola]

TE-1150L

Originally posted by: qwertre

Interesting.




After 3+ hours today, I am satisfied with the horn in all respects but the tuning slide. The 4th valve tuning slide digs into my arm pretty badly. Anyone else have this problem? How did you fix it? It's the tuning slide closest to the bottom and the bell. In that corner.

I never noticed this until you pointed it out(!) But are you used to some other brand of compensating horn? I have both a TE-1150 and a Besson New Standard, they both have the 4th valve slide in pretty much the same place (seems to me it would have to be) and, if anything, the TE is more comfortable in that regard than the Besson is. Of course, there's also how you hold it (but I can't see all that many ways of holding it either!).

[Jhnthn]

TE-1150L

are you sure it holds up well against the schiller elite? I played a silver plated compensating Tuba Exchange euphonium and I enjoyed it, but I enjoy my Schiller more. The TE had more cosmetic problems and when I think about it, all I remmeber is how sharp a high F was. There was a huge change from a new schiller to a broken in Schiller, but in the end I'll stick with the schiller.

[Nuck81]

TE-1150L

Originally posted by: Jhnthn are you sure it holds up well against the schiller elite? I played a silver plated compensating Tuba Exchange euphonium and I enjoyed it, but I enjoy my Schiller more. The TE had more cosmetic problems and when I think about it, all I remmeber is how sharp a high F was. There was a huge change from a new schiller to a broken in Schiller, but in the end I'll stick with the schiller.

They're essentially the same horn with a different name stenciled on.

[qwertre]

TE-1150L

I have no trouble with high F and fit and finish is perfectly good for a stencil.

I also fixed the arm trouble by resting my thumb in the tubing of the third valve. Perfect little niche for holding, and I no longer have troubles with my tendons!

[JBrassLee]

TE-1150L

Congratulations on your new horn! Thanks for the review