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Tuba Shopping Vacation!!

I have tried both the Tiger tuba and euphonium at Frankfurt Music Fair. The tuba does not play too bad, although rather hollow sounding to me. However it looks awful to my eyes and I would never be seen playing one.

The euphonium intonation is bad and it does not play well - to be avoided.

There is also a piston valve plastic BBb tuba here. That does not play well. Difficult slotting and poor intonation.

I have considered Wessex selling the Tiger tuba, but don't think so. The value to price ratio is not good in my opinion.

I have also tried three Tiger Tubas at Frankfurt Music Fair. A yellow, a black and a blue.
The yellow: 4th. valve handle doesn't come back
One valve handle of the booth other tubas comes back slowly.
The rest of the valves works perfect.
Sound- in the noise of the fair hall- was good, but impossible to check the tune.

What kind of plastic is it? Becomes it brittle? Will it be available in silver- metallic or in gold- metallic?

Neptune wrote:The value to price ratio is not good in my opinion.

An Austrian Importer demands for the Tiger Tuba 1299,90 Euro. (incl. 20% import turnover tax)
I think, it is not too expensive...
Unfortunately he offers not a silver- metallic Tiger.

The Tiger tuba is made of ABS plastic, according to the manufacturer.

I have seen quite a few comments from people of forums about "plastic is brittle". Well, not to belabor the point, but "brass is malleable"! If you want a tuba that can survive a fall from a parade float, or which is being handled by kids who are not yet able to handle a large tuba with sufficient care, or being handled by and older person who might not be able to deal with the weight of a brass tuba, or who might be more prone to dropping it, you want the dent-proof plastic.

It is also UNTRUE as a general statement that "plastic is brittle". Nylon is a plastic, and nobody would call it brittle. If you get metal cold, it becomes brittle. Heck, if you stick your hand in liquid nitrogen, it becomes brittle too. There are many kinds of plastics, with all sorts of physical and chemical characteristics. In the case of ABS, my own research shows that it is a polymer made by combining three molecules; styrene for the hard impervious surface, acrylonitrile as a binder, and polybutadiene which makes the result resilient (not brittle) even at low temperatures, and basically this is a very tough plastic.

ABS is a relatively safe plastic to use in close contact with humans, including for storage of food. However when it is heated for molding, or when exposed to alcohol for extended periods, it gives off fumes which should be ventilated. ABS is considered so safe that nobody has a problem with the fact that LEGO bricks are made from it. Plastic recorders and clarinets and oboes are usually made from ABS.

ABS is most valued for its high impact resistance (again, not brittle) and overall toughness.It has excellent structural stability under mechanical load.

ABS is resistant to many acids and alkalis, concentrated hydrochloric and phosphoric acids, alcohols, as well as animal, vegetable and mineral oils (it should tolerate petroleum based valve oils and slide lubricants, but it is probably safer to use synthetics). ABS should not be used around anhydrous acetic acid (sort of a concentrated water-free vinegar), carbon tetrachloride, aromatic hydrocarbons, concentrated sulfuric and concentrated nitric acids, or esters, ketones, or acetone.

ABS breaks down if exposed to sunlight for an extended period, so it needs to be protected by paint; some formulations of ABS are more resistant to sunlight.

Back to the supposed brittleness, car bumpers, golf club heads, hammer movements on many pianos, computer keyboard keys, and most 3D printed items are made from ABS, so again not too brittle.

This all has nothing to do with whether you like the Tiger tuba and other instruments, but it should shed some light on some of the controversy regarding whether Rheinsound Music chose a good material.

PaulSchmidt wrote:The Tiger tuba is made of ABS plastic, according to the manufacturer.

All I wanted to know is the kind of plastic.
ABS (not brittle, i know). Thank you.

Is a silver-metallic Tiger available?

Ulli

Neptune wrote: I have considered Wessex selling the Tiger tuba, but don't think so. The value to price ratio is not good in my opinion.

I think for a price in the $750-795 to your doorstep, they would sell better. And have actual raised bearing plates on the top and bottom cap.

Neptune wrote:There is also a piston valve plastic BBb tuba here. That does not play well. Difficult slotting and poor intonation.

Is it this one?

Daryl Fletcher wrote:

Neptune wrote:There is also a piston valve plastic BBb tuba here. That does not play well. Difficult slotting and poor intonation.

Is it this one?

No, please look here:

http://www.musiktreff.info/instrumente/ ... eite2.html" target="_blank

scroll to input #17

Ulli wrote: No, please look here:

http://www.musiktreff.info/instrumente/ ... eite2.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

scroll to input #17

It looks like a Yamaha 621.

Daryl Fletcher wrote: It looks like a Yamaha 621.

i played this one at namm and it was so crapply put together that i don't know why they even bothered to show it off. The valves were plastic and they were sticking a lot, the plastic on these thing is horrible cheap, the tiger felt solid compared to this and at least the tiger was able to be played decently whereas this one was unplayable

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8f8FF ... sp=sharing" target="_blank

"Hold that Tiger??"

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/pl ... mp=yhs-004" target="_blank

I've got one on the way. I'll comment once I get some time logged on it. As a materials science engineer who works in the polymers industry and plays several times a week I should be able to comment on various aspects of the horn. My hope going in is largely in the sealing and perfection of the molded parts vs that of extruded/formed parts of brass counterparts.

Hey Tuba people, I'm the one from the german Musiktreff-Forum who took the pictures of the black plastic tuba mentioned above at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt last week. I was able to play the black version with perinet valves myself and can confirm that it sounds very crappy. I would rather call it a toy, not a serious musical instrument.
But the other plastic tubas with rotary valves that you can see here sound much better. Not comparable to metal-instruments but quite good for the fact that they are made of plastic.

I'm just curious if anyone still owns one of these instruments and how they've held together. Also, if anyone has used them in any outdoor gigs?