Durable, High-Quality Tubas for a University?

Mudman · Post by **Mudman** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:15 pm

I am looking for recommendations for durable, high-end, school-owned instruments. I am writing a grant to buy two tubas for the university I teach at. My students currently play an assortment of mediocre BB-flat Yamahas. The goal is to get two good inistruments for serious music majors who can't afford their own horns.

One is going to be a CC, and the other a BB-flat. Most of the students here are destined to be band directors, hence the BB-flat. The CC is for any gung-ho students who may want to go on to grad school at another university. Both instruments should be large enough to carry a decent wind ensemble (with two tuba players), yet versatile enough for the standard solo and etude repertoire.

Both tubas must be sturdy--someone once posted that the amount of care students take with instruments is proportional to the amount of money they spent out of their own pockets.

Money is an object, but I'm going to ask for good instruments any way. I am leaning towards a couple of Miraphones. 1291, 188 or 186.

Thoughts, flames, and insights are all welcome!

Mudman · Post by **Mudman** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:53 pm

bloke wrote:Willson tubas are VERY thick and dent-resistant, very well-made, and offer few serious intonation issues - particularly considering their size. These instruments have braggin' rights on low range response as well.

They look like great horns. The $11,000 price tag is a bit much for one instrument, even on a dream grant.

Are you saying that the 186 has a better low end than a 188?

cjk · Post by **cjk** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:03 pm

A couple of Miraphone 186 CC tubas with a couple of these would add a LOT of flexibilty to your two tuba purchase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 73379&rd=1

How much can you spend?
Do you have any procurement rules that might dictate who you have to buy the horns from?
Are new tubas a requirement?

My former university had "bundles" of goods bid out on an annual basis so if we wanted to buy XXXX, we had to buy it from YYYYY vendor. We often had to get really creative writing specs so that none of the predetermined vendors matched. Therefore, our request would be put out to bid and then hopefully be won by our vendor of choice.

Whatever you get, (if it's at all possible) have your university charge a lab fee for the use of the horns to go towards repairs.

Christian

Mudman · Post by **Mudman** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:22 pm

Hi Christian,

that BB-flat slide is a good idea. How badly does it alter intonation? I would imagine that the 2nd valve slide is too short to be adjusted correctly. (?) I was in Bloke's store when he tried it on a 186, but didn't pay too much attention to the results. (My mind was focused on the 184 he put together for me.)

There is no set budget (or guarantee that there will be any money available). The cost of two good tubas is more than the band budget holds, which is why I'm writing the grant to see if the university will come up with some cash to pay for horns.

The lab fee is a great idea. Thanks!

cjk · Post by **cjk** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:35 pm

How badly does it alter intonation?

I honestly have no idea. I've never owned a 186 or one of those slides. I just saw it on the auction site and thought it might be an interesting solution.

Christian

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:12 am

bloke wrote:How 'bout a grant to buy new one-piece bells, some valve jobs, dent removal, and other minor alterations for that endless stack-o'-Kings?

I guess I missed something here. I thought the poster had an endless stack of "mediocre Yamahas"...

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:16 am

Doc wrote:
Mudman wrote: They look like great horns. The $11,000 price tag is a bit much for one instrument, even on a dream grant.

Since when is a 188 $11,000? You can get one brand new for less than $6500. Don't look at the MSRP. If we had to pay MSRP, no one would ever buy tubas.

Look here:
http://www.wwbw.com/Miraphone-188-5U-Pr ... 2416.music

Doc

The $11,000 referred to the Willsons, not the Miraphones. It appears that the Willsons are now selling for around $11,000.

OTOH, I think that the King 2341 is still the best buy in the school BBb category. Yes, there have been some complaints of inconsistent quality, but for the money it's still the best playing horn I have tried, or owned.

CJ Krause · Post by **CJ Krause** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:14 am

ken k · Post by **ken k** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:09 pm

King 2341 BBb and the sister Conn 56J would make a very nice combination.

ken k

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:57 pm

bloke wrote:a little inside info...The stack of 641's is not endless (' just seems that way). There is a mountain of old bell-front 4-valve Kings there, though, that could be made into very nice instruments.

Ah--thanks for the elucidation. I wondered if I was going blind or dyslexic. I'll second the notion of the Kings as great school instruments. They're easy players and built pretty solidly. Put a couple or three grand into each one and you'd certainly have a very nice stable of tubas that will last a good long time.