PhilW. wrote:The most that I remember about this horn from having played it two years ago is that it has the best response of any horn that I have played.
I never understood the bad reviews I've read of this horn until now.. seems you hit the nail on the head! It's a great horn.. I've never owned one but I've played 4 or 5 of them, one of them on loan for a few weeks. If it were ONLY available in BBb, this horn would tempt me to switch.. the CC version is obviously great. The perfect quintet horn, imo, and just an all around fun horn to play.
Owned one for several months . . . capable of wide dynamic range, w/out breaking up. Great false tones, no need for 5th valve. Intonation was a bit squirrelly but nothing that couldn't be fixed. Small bore, valve diameter and fingerbuttons. Very heavy horn for its size. Biggest concern: resonance (or lack thereof).
I've been playing mine for little over two years now, and it is a great axe. I haven't expienced and intonation problems or any lack of room filling abilities. I tend to play mine standing/strolling and the one problem I do have with the horn is the positioning of the fourth valve slide. It runs down the back of the horn and hits me right in the gut. Overall I think it's a great axe, do get the silver one though, the tone is a lot brighter than the laquer ones.
TubaDude
1909 King Helicon with 4th Valve Added
1913 York 4 Valve Eb/C Helicon (for sale)
Yes Eli does play on a CC model. He loves it to no end. Send him an E-mail and he will get back to you about the horn and others that he has. He is very busy and out of the Boston area quite a bit, but, he WILL respond to you. I have chatted through e-mail with him several times over the last few years.
I saw Eli on Dateline a few weeks ago(a rerun that I'd also seen several months ago).. nothing tuba related, but was still neat to see somebody on a show you watch regularly, and be able to go "hey! I know that guy!"
