Large Eb?

[USStuba04]

I really want to switch to Eb for everything. But the occasional orchestral gig keeps me from taking the plunge.

What front action Eb tuba can handle full size orchestra? I really want like a 983 with a 19" bell. Or a 2040/5 with a 19" bell. Thought about ordering it custom. Really can't get used to the top action.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks

[TUbajohn20J]

The PT22 is a great Eb. I know a guy that plays one and uses it for everything. I think it has a 7.45-8.25 bore. Also, I know these are hard to come by and people would look at you crazy, but you can't go wrong with any of the older American Eb's like the Conn and King Giant, if you can find one with 4 valves.

[iiipopes]

Have you looked at the large Eb Willson?

[Donn]

Also, I know these are hard to come by and people would look at you crazy, but you can't go wrong with any of the older American Eb's like the Conn and King Giant, if you can find one with 4 valves.

I don't think you can count on those American Eb Giant/Monsters to supply an effective replacement for a contrabass, at least based on the one I have. I like the sound, but it's good down to about 8 foot C. The problem isn't that it needs more valves, it needs a longer conical section.

[TUBUD]

I use a Willson 3400FA5 Eb for large orchestra, quintet, and dixieland. I'm very happy with it and have only received positive feedback from other musicians. If you ever have a chance to play one, do so. You won't be disapointed.

[Bob Kolada]

What front action Eb tuba can handle full size orchestra? I really want like a 983 with a 19" bell. Or a 2040/5 with a 19" bell. Thought about ordering it custom. Really can't get used to the top action.

It wouldn't be a 983, 2141, or a 2040. They will do just fine, but they won't have an almost-contrabass sound. The best choices to "make people think you have a contrabass occasionally" would be a 981-style horn, a Willson 3400, or possibly one of those new front action Kanstuls.

I have a 1916 4 front valve Conn Giant that does the job rather well, though I have not used it in an orchestra yet (I usually play bass trombone when I play orchestra). It worked very well in concert band with one other tuba (PT4). The low range took a while to get used to, and is still not exactly how I want it. But it's usable, and will be better when I get some slide work done so I can do the proper low register slide pulls (it IS a 4 valve horn). Low C is fantastic. B and Bb took a while, A is fine, Ab is a bit better, and G on down are great though I believe my particular horn might need an alignment.
The sound is spot on for such an objective, and intonation is fine except for 2 odd notes (4th partial Eb and D work better 23 and 13). Open G is fine, F needs a push.

I assume you want to go to only Eb? The problem with that is that a horn big enough to do large ensembles will lose out on the smaller bass tuba sound, and if you're going to get 2 Eb's you could have just gotten an F and a Bb or some such thing. However.... a nice small York or Conn Eb would be cheap, great for Bydlo and the like, and not really break the point of playing Eb to get down to one tuba since the second would be so cheap. Or you could just get a euphonium for such music.

I actually did that myself- my Giant for most large ensemble playing, and my small (looking at an ad on the King website, it appears to actually be their medium Eb) 15" bell, .620 bore King Eb for quintet and such. I love the King for quintet, although given that it only has 3 valves I have to do fast slide work for the low register and the false tones are not super great. Low Bb and A, however are sweet.

Good luck!

[USStuba04]

I had a Wilson Eb in the military. I wasn't impressed though. I think I may need to try another. The one we had was awful. But I think that itcouod work. I remember liking the low register. It had awful intonation though.

[Wyvern]

Only the British style 3+1 top piston 19" bell EEb's have proved to be satisfactory in use as an all purpose tuba.

The M-W 2040/5 can certainly produce a big tone, but with the 17" bell sounds rather too focused to substitute for a contrabass in my opinion. If you could pick up a used one and put on a 19" bell, I guess it would sound more like the British EEb's? Mark Carter at http://www.mrtuba.com may be able to give you feedback there, as he worked in collaboration with M-W on the development of the 2040/5 and I think he mentioned to me that they tried putting on a 19" bell, but it did not provide the F tuba tone that they were looking from the model.

However with any front valves Eb, you still have the problem of difficult fingering patterns moving around fast in the low register - although those would be lessened using a compensated Besson 983.