Thinking of trying a CC

[Jerryleejr]

I have been without a horn for a little over a year. I always played a BBb horn and play just because I enjoy it. Im not in a group or plan to be. The one thing I want to do is 3 of my 6 kids are in music, One is currently a Music major at UGA. So I want to be able to work with them as they progress. And having a horn to show them how things should sound is something I enjoy. I've even worked up duets with my son. My current budget would allow me to do a couple things. Pick up a decent small CC to keep me playing and my chops in shape and continue saving for when I figure out what I really want (Willson Eb). Or I may find that I like the CC and want a larger version. Or I can pick up the CC and a used King 2341 now but I feel there's too much overlap between the two. Just trying not to waste time or money I guess...

JJ

[circusboy]

If you know now that you really want to be playing a Willson Eb, why don't you just find a less-expensive/used Eb for now? Then you won't have to bother with learning new fingerings and such.

[Jerryleejr]

If you know now that you really want to be playing a Willson Eb, why don't you just find a less-expensive/used Eb for now? Then you won't have to bother with learning new fingerings and such.

I have been watching for one but haven't seemed to come across one that matched my condition/price etc... I do prefer front action so that kind of limits Eb choices...

JJ

[jorzef]

Buy once, cry once.

[adam0408]

In my experience, there's not a huge practical difference between a BBb and a CC horn. It is my opinion that owning both is a bit redundant. I'll also echo what others have said in that if you want something, you should buy the thing you want, not something that'll take the place of it for a while.

You don't "need" a temporary solution, so why look for one? Get what you really want.

[tubadoctor]

PM sent

[Slamson]

I can only think of a blunt way to add my 2 cents.
You can't really "try" a CC... that is, unless you are already a CC player. Simply trying one after playing BBflat/Eflat/F, whatever and then expecting to have a solid feel for an instrument in a different key is simply not going to happen for a long, long time. If you buy a CC (ANY CC, but hopefully a decent one...) it needs to be a commitment to learning to play in that instrument's key and abandoning BBflat for (again) a long, long time.

The absolute worst advice that was given to one of my former students after he bought a Hirsbrunner HB-21 CC was to clamp down the fifth valve and keep using BBflat fingerings. He started studying with me but could never abandon the "quick fix" and of course the instrument sounded terrible.

Unless you get a CC tuba, say "adios" to BBflat fingering, and go back to basics for at least a couple of months, "trying" a CC tuba never works.

Yes, I know folks who have a "formula" for relating the fingerings from one keyed instrument to the next... but nothing beats drill, drill, drill on the fingerings to the sound.

All of that said, there's lots of BBflat tubas out there that can sound great these days. that might be a better option. For me, I play CC, F, and E-flat, but I'll never go back to BBflats simply because another set of fingerings would mess with my brain too much.

[Sousaswag]

To me, your post sounds a lot like you don’t really know what you want to DO with whatever horn you end up purchasing. You have some uses, but doesn’t sound to me like you know where you’ll be playing, or what you’ll be playing. I have two answers for you: a fun one and a practical one. We’ll start with the fun one.

If you REALLY want the Willson Eb, buy the Willson Eb. I am somebody who doesn’t seem to hold on to any horn for more than a year or so. I’m very much a creature of opportunity. If somebody has a horn that interests me, I think about getting rid of what I have to try something new. I love my tubas, but I’m always open to trying something new or that isn’t super common on the used market. As long as I don’t lose any money, I don’t see a problem. The same could be said in your situation. However, I also say, if you know you want the Willson, don’t settle for anything less than what you know you want.

My practical answer is that you need to figure out what exactly you want to do with your tuba playing. Eb is going to be more versatile than any contrabass, and I myself use my Eb for a lot of different things and only pull out my Thor when I really need it. But, having two horns isn’t necessarily the best solution. Eb has become my teaching horn both at school and with private lesson students. It’s much lighter and saves my back from carrying around my big CC. Something to consider.

If you want to learn with your kids, play Eb. You can play contrabass and bass tuba stuff on it. You won’t get the depth of sound that a big CC gets, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There are many big piston Eb tubas out there, and id you can play good examples before you buy, that’s ideal. At the end of the day, if you find yourself wanting to do a wide variety of things, play Eb.

I will say, I’ve only owned my Eb for a few weeks, and it’s not as easy a transition from F to Eb as I thought. Intonation and response are much different coming to a totally new key and it has taken some work for me to become comfortable playing in tune.

[barry grrr-ero]

I started out writing something long and involved. I'm now writing something short and to the point. In your situation, I would look for that King 2141 (or something similar in BBb), and a decent 3+1 compensating Eb tuba. They would compliment each other perfectly. Most compensating Eb tubas have a really nice 'singing' quality in the upper register. The low registers are adequate. No-one should buy an Eb tuba for pealing paint off the walls their low register prowess. Wessex and John Packer both produce good 3+1 compensating Eb tubas. They make low register fingerings a snap.

Forget the CC route, unless you're going to fully commit yourself to that. And IF you do go that route, I would go no bigger than 4/4 or 5/4. I would kick the tires on a Wessex "Wyvern" or an Eastman 832 (not the 6/4 size 836). I'm wanting to downsize to an Eastman 832 myself.

[GC]

Don't be wedded to front-action valves. I never wanted top valves until I owned a Conn 25J and liked the top-action feel, and now that I have a 3+1 compensating Eb, I'm happier with it than any other horn I've owned.

Don't forget that if compensating horns float your boat and you still want front valves, Eastman and Wessex make good Eb's that fit the description.