Miraphone was one of the first German musical instrument companies that surfaced after the end of World War II. Using patterns from pre-war German and Czech (Czechoslovakian) tubas , the company began in Bavaria in 1946.
They looked for a market outside Germany. In the late 1950s, they looked to America. This was the time when Tommy Johnson (1934-2006) began playing for many cartoons and television shows in Hollywood. So working with the Lockie Brothers (which distributed foreign musical instruments), Tommy became the company spokesman and was featured in a few of the magazine ads.
The spelling of Miraphone was changed to Mirafone for the American market. Mirafone had warehouses in Downtown Los Angeles and the Sun Valley neighborhood of L.A. before moving to Santa Clarita (Valencia), California, in 1990. Then the outlet was sold to a Netherlands percussion company and moved to suburban San Antonio, Texas. A few years later, Miraphone stopped with the idea of having a warehouse in the United States and did all its work from Waldkraiburg, Germany.
My fellow tubists argue with me (I own a 1962 Mirafone 186-5U CC) but I think there is a difference between the Mirafone and the Miraphone tubas. But no matter now... they only make Miraphones now.
Hi,I'm about to buy a 1976 miraphone 186 pro 5v CC that has had the bell repaired will that effect the tone and sound of the horn.. he wants 3000 or a 1000 and my 1945 silver King sousaphone is that a good deal or should the horn be sold at a little lower price?? thank you for any info you can give me I really think the miraphone is a beautiful horn...bob
ReplyDeleteGo here to discuss that:
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Thanks. I'm not in a position to discuss this now.
Bill
Miraphone is the German company that manufactures. In the 1950's it entered into a distribution contract in the United States. If the "Lockie Brothers" refers to Lockie Music Exchange in Los Angeles, that makes sense. Lockie was also involved in a company called Rico Reeds with the principal being Roy J. Maier. The old addresses shown for Mirafone include one in the Sun Valley neighborhood of L.A. 8484 San Fernando Rd. That was the Roy J. Maier Corporation. Music Trades for 1975 lists the Mirafone Corporation as importing Miraphone tubas, French horns, Deskant horns, fluegelhorns, baritone horns, euphoniums, bass trumpets, contraaltos, tubens, bass and tenor trombones, contra bass trombones, oboes, English horns, bassoons, and contra bassoons. Howard J. Lockie headed the firm at the time.
ReplyDeleteIt is likely that Mirafone didn't import all of these items at the time and some of it was overstated. Lockie and Maier had already been involved in growing reed cane in the U.S. (arundo donax) and simply not mentioning that it was no longer French cane. If you don't tell musicians the facts, they often make up a really good story that is better than reality.