They were not terribly popular. It was already at the tail end of the recording bass period by the time Miraphone came into existance.R B Meng wrote:How popular were Mirafone tubas with recording bells? Were they ever common? What were the model numbers?
I picked up a 4 valve, bell front tuba in fair condition and cannot identify the model. It a 4/4 size with a bell diamenter of 19 and 1/2 inches. The bell appears to be original to the bass. All other appearances indicate that it's a Mirafone. Where would one look to find a model designation?
Miraphone does not mark their models on the instruments. You have to just know the models. If it's in BBb and has a .770 bore, then it's a 186 (or some close predecessor).
The detachability of the bells for these instruments was not to allow an upright bell, which I'm not sure were ever made, but to allow the bell to be aimed. So it's not "detachable" as much as "adjustible".
Rick "who would consider replacing the whole bell stack" Denney