What tuba would you buy?

ai698 · Post by **ai698** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:01 pm

I've sold my Miraphone 186 CC and now looking for another tuba to replace it. I know I already have three others but they all have their purpose. That means I need a fourth. I just got my bonus for reenlisting in the National Guard so I have a few $$ to use to get a horn. So with the tubas I have (see signature) what should I add to my arsenal?

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:11 pm

Looks like a BAT of some sort is in order.I'm thinking of listing my holton for sale soon....

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:50 pm

MikeMason wrote:...I'm thinking of listing my holton for sale soon....

Huh?

Rick "?" Denney

EdFirth · Post by **EdFirth** » Thu May 17, 2007 8:33 am

What you don't have is a hog Bflat with it's easy blowing huge sounding low range . York Holton,{one on Ebay now} ,Conn or Martin , or a big German Bflat , Alexander ,Rudy Meinel ,Meinel Weston , or something like that .Good luck .

pwhitaker · Post by **pwhitaker** » Thu May 17, 2007 8:40 am

I recommend a Miraphone 1291 5 valve BBb. Great all-around horn with mucho presence and clarity.

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Thu May 17, 2007 8:46 am

that picture always makes me happy to be alive.among other things...

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:21 am

MikeMason wrote:that picture always makes me happy to be alive.among other things...

It has a...similar effect on me.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:38 pm

the elephant wrote:Maybe it is time to invest in an upright bass. About $3,000 will bet you a very decent plywood Kay on which to bang out some nice jazz or traditional jazz. Old plywood Kay's are considered to be excellent for this application in the bass world.

Wade, time marches on. The latest crop of Chinese basses are incredible for the bucks. I had a chance to noodle around with a new Shen plywood bass and was blown away. Big sound, not at all the "tight" sound that you'd expect from a brand-new bass (P.S. to brass guys--"tight" isn't good in this case--a bass usually takes a year or two to loosen up and start speaking well).

Five years ago, a Kay would have been just the ticket. But new stuff is very good--and there's been some run-up on prices with old Kays by collectors and speculators.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:10 pm

the elephant wrote:My new love in life could very well end up being a New Standard Cleveland laminate or hybrid. I just do not have the filthy lucre for one right now. I have played three of them and all were excellent, excellent, excellent basses. (Did I mention that I thought that they were excellent?)

Weren't the original American Standard/Cleveland basses 4/4? They seemed awfully big to me at any rate...

ai698 · Post by **ai698** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:25 pm

the elephant wrote:
Allthumbs wrote:
the elephant wrote:To the OP:

So my advice to you about purchasing another tuba would probably be for you to get a tenor tuba.
So, we're talking small and German.
Always. Always . . .

I have a pair of those already. The mugs, not the..um, well...

ai698 · Post by **ai698** » Fri May 18, 2007 7:46 pm

the elephant wrote:To the OP:

Maybe it is time to invest in an upright bass. About $3,000 will bet you a very decent plywood Kay on which to bang out some nice jazz or traditional jazz. Old plywood Kay's are considered to be excellent for this application in the bass world. BTW â€“ If you actually consider what I am saying here, avoid getting a nice carved upright. These babies are very fragile. The tops can crack or even cave in if you tend to mishandle them very much at all. One of the reasons that the Kay is so venerated is that the laminated wood is *very* durable. It is still wood, but it will forgive being knocked over or banged into at clubs and bars. Of course, the excellent pizzicato tone is the other reason that they are sought after. Try to get a C-1 and not the M-1 model. The M-1 has violin corners that can get damaged a bit easier ad do not age as well as the more simply designed C-1, which has a gamba-shaped body. Have it set up properly by a respected luthier. Have the fingerboard dressed and the nut adjusted. Have the bridge replaced if it is not adjustable. Put on a set of Thomastik Spirocore Orchestra Gauge strings. These are not *the best* strings. They are the most popular, especially for your first set. Many, as they learn what they want from the strings and learn about different types will put together custom string sets. I do not play often enough to feel a need to switch. I still use these things and love them. BTW â€“ they are also sot of acceptable for bowing, though they are a bit raspy when played arco. Good jazz/classical crossover strings.

As far as tubas are concerned, I cannot help you. You have not outlined your specific needs. Additionally, you have three tubas already. I play full time in an orchestra. I have three tubas and two basses and need nothing else. So I cannot imagine needing a fourth horn at all. I have a very large horn, a large horn, and a smallish horn. The two basses have allowed me to get into whole new fields of music that the tuba is not involved in and also allowed me to pretty much double my freelance income.

So my advice to you about purchasing another tuba would probably be for you to get a tenor tuba.

Actually, I'm looking for a CC 'tweener horn that is larger the the Weril and smaller that the Rudi. The 186 CC was about right size wise, but did suit me. It can be piston or rotors, just so long as it plays well.

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Fri May 18, 2007 8:24 pm

for those criteria,no doubt, conn 2j...sweet,resonant horns...

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