Miraphone 1291 Case
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phoenix
- 3 valves
- Posts: 363
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:27 pm
- Location: Lansdale, PA
Miraphone 1291 Case
Does anyone have any experience with the Miraphone Deluxe Case for the 1291 BBb and/or CC Tuba from Woodwind Brasswind? I'm just trying to figure out if the case is worth it for $999 or if i should go with the MTS1707 case, which will also fit the 1291 and is only $409. Any input is appreciated.
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adam0408
- 3 valves
- Posts: 393
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:58 am
- Location: In the back row, playing wrong notes.
The MTS case is very nice. I like it a lot, and although I have not put it through much yet, it has held up very well and seems to be a good quality case. The miraphone case is, in my opinion VERY overpriced. It is not worth it to pay 1000 dollars for a case like that.
a couple of things against the MTS:
it scratches really easily.... Like ridiculously easily. Just loading it in a car will cause a bunch of marks and scuffs. Someone posted a review on wwbw concerning this, and they weren't exaggerating.
This case is fairly common. I recommend doing something that will make it stand out from everyone else. I have some stickers on mine.
On the valve side of the tuba it does not seem to be very well padded (not that I am case expert, that is just my estimation of the situation), and the side of the case buckles fairly easily. NEVER sit on the side of this case. Don't even think about it, and kill people who try to do that because the likelyhood of doing some damage to your horn is fairly high methinks. This could potentially be a problem in a flight situation.
NOT ENOUGH STORAGE ROOM!!!! This is absolutely ridiculous because as we all know, a tuba case generally has a lot of empty space on the inside. I have no idea if this is a structural integrity issue, but regardless it bugs the crap outta me. I would love to be able to throw my tuner, metronome, oil, grease, mouthpiece and other accessories all in my case, but there is just not enough room in that one tiny little compartment. Perhaps it is time to get some plywood and soft fabric and make my OWN compartment.
The wheels are too close together and it makes transit a little shaky sometimes. Don't roll it too fast or you'll end up in the bushes, and be really careful on bumpy and uneven pavement. This case will wobble and tip like nobody's business if you're not careful. This is a common beef I have with wheels on cases, so its not just the MTS. Perhaps I just need a huge utility cart.
It doesnt have a lock. I know that most case locks are virtually useless, which is why I had a chain and a padlock around my bass case 90% of the time back in high school, but it keeps prying eyes and dirty fingers off your instrument in a small way. I would have liked a lock because it gives me an extra feeling of security, even if its not that effective.
All of that aside, I have been very happy with the case thusfar. It is not ridiculously oversized and or overpriced like some hardcases. It rolls nice when its not tippy, it has REALLY nice padded handles, and it looks professional, and the latches all work well and are sturdy. I have never had a problem lining the thing up when I am closing it, which has happened in the past with some cases I have had and seen both for tuba and guitar.
It is an adequate case, but definately not a cadillac of cases. I liked the neotech case I used in high school but those things are so damn big they border on impractical. I would say that it is probably the best case around in a combination of price and features.
I hope that rather long dissertation helps you out in some way. Good luck in your case hunt.
a couple of things against the MTS:
it scratches really easily.... Like ridiculously easily. Just loading it in a car will cause a bunch of marks and scuffs. Someone posted a review on wwbw concerning this, and they weren't exaggerating.
This case is fairly common. I recommend doing something that will make it stand out from everyone else. I have some stickers on mine.
On the valve side of the tuba it does not seem to be very well padded (not that I am case expert, that is just my estimation of the situation), and the side of the case buckles fairly easily. NEVER sit on the side of this case. Don't even think about it, and kill people who try to do that because the likelyhood of doing some damage to your horn is fairly high methinks. This could potentially be a problem in a flight situation.
NOT ENOUGH STORAGE ROOM!!!! This is absolutely ridiculous because as we all know, a tuba case generally has a lot of empty space on the inside. I have no idea if this is a structural integrity issue, but regardless it bugs the crap outta me. I would love to be able to throw my tuner, metronome, oil, grease, mouthpiece and other accessories all in my case, but there is just not enough room in that one tiny little compartment. Perhaps it is time to get some plywood and soft fabric and make my OWN compartment.
The wheels are too close together and it makes transit a little shaky sometimes. Don't roll it too fast or you'll end up in the bushes, and be really careful on bumpy and uneven pavement. This case will wobble and tip like nobody's business if you're not careful. This is a common beef I have with wheels on cases, so its not just the MTS. Perhaps I just need a huge utility cart.
It doesnt have a lock. I know that most case locks are virtually useless, which is why I had a chain and a padlock around my bass case 90% of the time back in high school, but it keeps prying eyes and dirty fingers off your instrument in a small way. I would have liked a lock because it gives me an extra feeling of security, even if its not that effective.
All of that aside, I have been very happy with the case thusfar. It is not ridiculously oversized and or overpriced like some hardcases. It rolls nice when its not tippy, it has REALLY nice padded handles, and it looks professional, and the latches all work well and are sturdy. I have never had a problem lining the thing up when I am closing it, which has happened in the past with some cases I have had and seen both for tuba and guitar.
It is an adequate case, but definately not a cadillac of cases. I liked the neotech case I used in high school but those things are so damn big they border on impractical. I would say that it is probably the best case around in a combination of price and features.
I hope that rather long dissertation helps you out in some way. Good luck in your case hunt.
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AndyL
- bugler
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:13 am
- Location: Michigan
Use ONE Wheel....or a Cart
<<The wheels are too close together and it makes transit a little shaky sometimes. Don't roll it too fast or you'll end up in the bushes, and be really careful on bumpy and uneven pavement. This case will wobble and
tip like nobody's business if you're not careful. This is a common beef I have with wheels on cases, so its not just the MTS. Perhaps I just need a huge utility cart.>>
I had an older Miraphone case, and discovered that if I gave just a little "twist" to the handle, the case would roll on ONE WHEEL........with MUCH BETTER tracking and stability than it did on both wheels. The effort at my wrist was pretty minimal, and more than made up for the reduction in hassle with the way the case pulled.
I also went to the local home improvement mega-store (Menard's is a local example), and for $20 purchased an appliance moving cart. All 4 wheels will "rotate(swivel)" 180 degrees (in the horizontal plane), which makes it impossible to steer.....especially on a hillside with a tuba case aboard. HOWEVER, if you put screws in the "back" two wheel-gimbals to keep them straight (as I did) and put a couple of screw-eyes and a pulling rope at the other end (sort of like a kid's sled) the cart with case PULLS JUST GREAT with no hassles.
tip like nobody's business if you're not careful. This is a common beef I have with wheels on cases, so its not just the MTS. Perhaps I just need a huge utility cart.>>
I had an older Miraphone case, and discovered that if I gave just a little "twist" to the handle, the case would roll on ONE WHEEL........with MUCH BETTER tracking and stability than it did on both wheels. The effort at my wrist was pretty minimal, and more than made up for the reduction in hassle with the way the case pulled.
I also went to the local home improvement mega-store (Menard's is a local example), and for $20 purchased an appliance moving cart. All 4 wheels will "rotate(swivel)" 180 degrees (in the horizontal plane), which makes it impossible to steer.....especially on a hillside with a tuba case aboard. HOWEVER, if you put screws in the "back" two wheel-gimbals to keep them straight (as I did) and put a couple of screw-eyes and a pulling rope at the other end (sort of like a kid's sled) the cart with case PULLS JUST GREAT with no hassles.
Last edited by AndyL on Fri Jul 15, 2005 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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cjk
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:16 pm
I also have an MTS case. The wheels are too close together to pull the case behind you, they rock back and forth. They seem to work just fine when you push the case in front of you instead.
As for the choice between the MTS and the Miraphone case, I'd go for the Miraphone if those were the only two choices, but since you're considering spending the money on the Miraphone case, I'd get a Walter Johnson case instead.
Christian
As for the choice between the MTS and the Miraphone case, I'd go for the Miraphone if those were the only two choices, but since you're considering spending the money on the Miraphone case, I'd get a Walter Johnson case instead.
Christian
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gwwilk
- 3 valves
- Posts: 448
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:06 am
- Location: Lincoln, NE
I learned modern tuba-toting with an MTS case and quickly transferred my hand-cart skills from a summer job in a flour mill in the early '60s to the MTS job, i.e. it rolls in front of you just like a hand-cart and you can 'break' it into rolling position by placing a heel on the floor with the sole of that shoe on the case near the wheels and pulling the top of the case over until it balances in front of you. Once it's balanced it's easy to move around with minimal effort.cjk wrote:I also have an MTS case. The wheels are too close together to pull the case behind you, they rock back and forth. They seem to work just fine when you push the case in front of you instead.
Christian
Then when I acquired a Jacob Winter case, everything went haywire. I couldn't keep it in front of me without extraordinary effort, and the handle was placed where no sane person would want it. I complained a bit to Lee Stofer, and he pointed out that the Jacob Winter is designed to pull, not push. So toting it behind like wheeled luggage is the only way to get around with this wide wheelbased monster. I'm so accustomed to this mode of transportation now, that I inadvertently try to tote my MTS. The instability of this case while being towed mirrors that of the Jacob Winter while being pushed, and I'm quickly reminded that carts do sometimes go before horses.