Vincent Simonetti is the founder and president, The Tuba Exchange, Inc., currently serving as CEO of the privately held company.

Vince, a lifelong tubist, is a native of New Jersey , and a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, New York City. As an undergraduate scholarship student at Manhattan , and as a graduate student, Vince studied tuba performance with William Bell, Joseph Novotny, Harvey Phillips, and Herbert Wexelblatt. After graduation, he also had the opportunity to, study with the legendary Arnold Jacobs. During his young adult performing years, Vince performed professionally on tuba with the Lake George Opera Company and with the Metropolitan Opera stage band for a production of Verdi's La Traviata. He also toured coast to coast with the Moiseieff Ballet Company of Russia , the Martha Graham Dance Company, and the Paul Lavalle Band of America .

Vince moved to North Carolina in 1967, after winning the audition for principal tuba for The North Carolina Symphony, and held that position from 1967 to 1975. Later on, in the performance arena, Vince was busy locally as conductor and founding director of The Durham Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble he launched in 1976 and conducted until 1983 and which remains viable today as a regional classical music venue.

Nurturing his passion for the tuba, its design and promotion, by the mid-1980's,Vince had gradually moved his musical instrument business enterprise into a dynamic customer service niche specializing strictly in tubas and euphoniums. While attending a national manufacturers' tradeshow in Chicago in June, 1984, Vince received such thoughtful and enthusiastic confirmation of his business plan from various sectors of the international brass manufacturing world that the idea for The Tuba Exchange took shape in the catalyst of the moment.

Vince and Ethel Simonetti formally incorporated The Tuba Exchange, Inc. in 1993, and continue to operate the Company on Vince's original business property, now expanded to double its operational and display space.

Currently, Vince continues to play tuba in a variety of area performance groups as principal tuba for The Durham (NC) and Raleigh (NC) Symphony Orchestras; guest tubist with the Triangle Wind Ensemble; and tuba and sousaphone with the Moore Square Dixielanders and the Magnolia Klezmer Band.

When Vince is not presiding over The Tuba Exchange, or performing on tuba, he enjoys baking bread, jogging, and pursuing his interests in etymology and archeology, in his spare time.

John Simonetti, Sales Manager, has recently returned to his native North Carolina after nearly a decade of freelancing in New York City . Currently, John is performing a full season of off-Broadway shows under contracts with the City of Raleigh and the A.J. Fletcher Performing Arts Center ; and may be heard weekly at local and regional venues and festivals and at selected dining and entertainment destinations.

While in the Big Apple, John performed and recorded with the Lew Picardi Big band, the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra, and the Bootleg Remedy Dixielanders.

As a former member of Duke University 's Paul Jeffery Jazz Ensemble, John was for several years part of an international jazz exchange in Perugia , Italy , touring widely throughout Tuscany . He also won back-to-back scholarships to the prestigious Aspen Music Festival; and was awarded first place in the 1995 Tubist Universal Brotherhood Association's international jazz competition held at Northwestern University.

John's music education commenced under the guidance of both his mother and father, professional flutist and tubist, respectively; and was formalized when he matriculated at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem . John's college years took him subsequently to the University of North Carolina at Asheville , and to North Carolina State University , where he was an honors chemistry major.

John holds the position of Sales Manager at The Tuba Exchange, his family's business, located in Durham , NC and serving a worldwide clientele. Father of two children, John is now planning with his spouse to build a home in the rural Piedmont .

Mike Morse, Repair Technician, has been repairing and modifying brass instruments for over 20 years. After earning a Bachelor of Music degree in french horn performance, then a diploma in instrument repair from the Red Wing Technical repair program, Mike moved to Durham, NC in 1981. His work experience has included working for the areas largest music dealer as a brass technician, then department manager, and owning his own business. During that time Mike has done repeat work for most of the local professional brass players, the Tuba Exchange, and draws work from all around the southeast.

The Tuba Exchange is a unique clearinghouse for new and used tubas, euphoniums and sousaphones. We invite you to come to our store in Durham, North Carolina or see us at a music convention or university near you.

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR INSTRUMENT(s)?
The Tuba Exchange can help you by either purchasing your instrument(s), or through consignment. Contact either John Simonetti or Vince Simonetti @ 800-869-8822 for more details.

WARRANTY INFO
Exclusive Tuba Exchange Trial Period and Limited Warranty
The Tuba Exchange is committed to satisfying each of our customers. We offer a trial period and warranty, unless otherwise specified.

The 21-day trial period begins from the date the instrument is shipped from the Tuba Exchange. If, within the trial period, the customer wishes to return the instrument for any reason, he/she must notify The Tuba Exchange of this decision. Playing characteristics must be judged by the customer within the trial period. Once The Tuba Exchange receives the returned instrument, the customer will receive a full refund, minus shipping charges. Arrangements to have the trial period extended may be requested by contacting The Tuba Exchange.

The Tuba Exchange offers a limited warranty on all new instruments sold. This warranty covers all materials and workmanship for one year, but explicitly excludes any damage to the instrument after the customer has taken delivery.

Extended Warranty: Each new Kalison and St.Petersburg instrument purchased from The Tuba Exchange by an individual for the personal use is fully warrantied for the lifetime of the instrument. Each new Kalison and St.Petersburg instrument purchased from the Tuba Exchange by a school or institution is granted a Five year warranty. This warranty covers 100% of the current industry standard price for parts and labor on materials and workmanship deemed appropriate by The Tuba Exchange to remedy any manufacturing defect. The warranty explicitly excludes expenses associated with the damage caused to the instrument by the customer or ths customer's agent.