Mister Tuba in Wales?

[TxTx]

I happen to be visiting Wales in the UK next week. I am thinking about contacting Mister Tuba and seeing if I can visit. Can anyone here tell me anything about them?

Thanks!

Eric

[2nd tenor]

He’s reasonably well regarded here and I think that I might have briefly talked to him at some brass band event. As I recall his stuff isn’t cheap and his business deals in a wide range of brass instruments (not just Tubas). Wales is beautiful in parts and much less so in others, his business isn’t in one of the nice parts but is near enough to better places. (Cwmbran was a coal mining town that went into heavy decline when the mines closed, I quite like the relatively near Town of Abergavenny and Abergavenny’s surrounding countryside can be the very pleasant.)

Like most businesses he’s there to sell goods and expertise - no time to spend on sightseers. Carriage of Tuba stuff can be expensive and then there are import tariffs, local taxes (VAT) might be avoidable on items returning to the USA with you (there used to be exemptions). I’m not sure of his opening times, call before you visit and don’t trust advertised times.

As you’re visiting the UK and if you’re a treble clef reader consider bringing an old mouthpiece with you to use. Some local Brass Bands might welcome you to a rehearsal and let you play a spare instrument, ask in advance and hope. If not playing they might still allow you to sit in and listen - I find that a polite email often produces good results. When you’re in Wales where will you be based?

Wales is not a big place but traffic is congested, the roads are poor and it can take hours to get from one place to another. Travel between North and South Wales is particularly difficult.

I hope that you enjoy your trip to the UK; the UK is certainly not all glorious, but very many parts of it are rather nice.

[TxTx]

Thanks for your reply. My wife and I are sortof working our way around Wales going anti-clockwise, starting in Conwy (there now), then Portmerion, Brecon, then somewhere around Carleon and back home through London. We had a delightful drive over from Wolverhampton today, mostly on back roads.

Had not thought of looking for brass band music. Will see what I can scare up.

Thanks again,

Eric

[arpthark]

Remember to drive on the right side of the road, which in this case is the left.

[Three Valves]

The other left!

[York-aholic]

The other left!

Right!

[bloke]

OMG...

Does Monstro has part of him...?!?!?
Which whale has the rest of him...!?!?!

[TxTx]

The other left!

Right!

I have always been notoriously bad with left and right. Thank you both so much for straightening all that out.

Visited an early bronze age copper mine today, that was only discovered in 1987 or so. Think limestone riddled with miles of tunnels dug by hand using rocks and bronze pickaxes. Wonder if they made any horns?


Eric

[Heavy_Metal]

Might be interesting to see Cwm Rhondda, the place that gave its name to the famous hymn tune. I'm pretty sure that's pronounced "Koom Rhontha".

[Craig F]

I'm pretty sure that's pronounced "Koom Rhontha".

Correct, to qualify further.
The oo is short as in book
The th is voiced as in that
The rh is a voiceless trill. Many have trouble with this and just pronounce a rhotic R.