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Thread: Is this normal?

  1. #1

    Is this normal?

    I am still in the “look around for a decent euphonium” mode even after receiving mine. I’m quite happy with my purchase, but I am still poking around on eBay as if I were still shopping.

    Over the past week or so, I have noticed a steep increase in the amount of listings for unbranded compensating euphoniums. Considering the back-to-school thing, I get it, but it is surprising to see. These horns are listed at below $1,000 in many cases.
    Clayton M.
    Musician for Fun
    Euphonium Newbie - XO 1270S
    Trumpet Novice - XO 1602RS

  2. #2
    What is it you're looking for at this point?
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  3. #3
    Nothing in particular. Just seemed like a sudden rush of what appears to me as cheap compensating horns. I wasn’t sure if this was due to the time of year and schools going back into session.
    Clayton M.
    Musician for Fun
    Euphonium Newbie - XO 1270S
    Trumpet Novice - XO 1602RS

  4. #4
    There are a ton of horns showing up from China and India, and I would guess most are garbage for a player of any skill. I would not purchase most of these for any reason. The least I would consider is a Schiller/Mack/Wessex, with a preference for Wessex. After-sale support is important, as is knowing there will be a company to help you a few years from now if needed. Wessex is obviously serious about the market. I think Mack is, too, but they are more of a one-person shop as far as I can tell, which can be a problem down the road.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
    Posts
    2,369
    I have noticed this phenomenon from time to time (though I don't spend a lot of time scouring Ebay). In particular, I've noticed "waves" (tsunamis?) of postings typically from India for their outrageously crappy instruments. To a lesser degree, postings for "direct purchase" sales from China. I'm not sure what triggers this, though in general you'll see increased postings for the Christmas season. Otherwise, I think the hypothesis about the return to school period may well be correct. The Indian postings attract a lot of ridicule (particularly on the tuba and trombone lists) because they often involve real howlers concerning the language (vocabulary and phrasing) used, and hilarious pictures of people wearing white gloves with the instruments and frequently holding them in awkward or totally incorrect positions.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  6. Especially the listings for horns that say, "Band director approved...." and other hype. If you see this or similar phrases in a listing, click off and go to a real instrument as Dave suggests.

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