The St. Pete's have been dependable, if not played for a while the rotors freeze-up, but they play in tune with a nice warm tone, we have 10 of them ranging from 1 year to 15 years old, and the older ones look and play just as good and the new ones. Are they the best- no- but good enough for honor band.
And FYI- the "Japanese" tubas are made in Ch1na or Korea, the American brand tubas- still most likely made in China and maybe assembled or engraved here.