Miraphone 190 b flat current or former owners sound off

[MikeMason]

I’ve bought an older one and it’s being shipped here now. I’ve been looking through archives. Some people love them and some hate. Let me know your pro-cons. Intonation work-arounds, tuning slide gadgets, slide strategies, 5th valve additions, mouthpiece pairings, etc. I’ve got a great c and f that well cover any serious playing situations that arise, so this b flat is for fun, though I do plan to use in professional situations where possible. Price was right, always been curious, trigger pulled!

[bort]

I haven't owned one or played one myself, but both Joe S and Norm Epley have had older 190s in the shops in the past year or so. Both were around the same vintage which was '70s or something. True Kaiser tuba, very good intonation, and the sound that's like a 186 on steroids.

My one problem and curiosity with Kaiser tubas is that their designed for an orchestra style that's not the same as American orchestras. That is, sound of a Kaiser is designed to blend birthday Germanic concept of the rest of the brass section... The trombone trumpets and French horns are all a little different in a German style orchestra than american.

It's not to say that the Kaiser won't do well in an American orchestra. I'm sure it'll do just fine. But it does have a different sound quality to it. And some people may not like it as much, especially if you have a conductor who's more aware, or trombone section especially based trombone that has a lot to say about your sound.

My Rudy 5/4 BBb isn't quite the tall skinny Kaiser, but probably pretty close in the sound. It's a whole lot different than the big American tubas, that's for sure.

Steve Rosse has videos on his channel comparing the Rudy 5/4 BBb to a Nirschl York. Hard to hear real differences on a video taken in a small room, you can kind of get the point. I'll also say for my own experience, playing the Rudy in a large space is mind blowing. I bet the 190 could be just the same

It's sort of like wearing a Bavarian hat to a baseball game. At one level, you're just wearing a hat like everyone else. But your hat is an awful lot different than everyone elses hat.

Congrats, you'll do great if you can wrap your head around BBb fingerings better than me!

[Wilf.tuba]

As a player of the 190CC for almost 20 years I bought a 190 BBb last year and boy I'm glad I did!

Both of mine are from 1982, have good intonation and are easy to blow. The BBb has 5 valves (the main reason I bought it) and the large 19.5" bell. I started off playing it with the traditional Kaiser type mouthpiece, bowl shaped, but soon worked out I wasn't getting the most out of it with that setup. I changed to a Hilgers WH-B2 which was better but a Perantucci PT50+ makes sing! It easily provides a bass in a 30 piece brass ensemble worth ease.

Contrary to that certain website that compares the CC with the BBb my BBb is right on the heels of the CC and outclasses it in certain situations. Compared to my Alexander 164 it has about 90% of the sound with 75% of the effort.

With yours being an older model I can't really comment as I haven't played an older one. The Royal Academy of Music in London where I studied had a 190 CC but that was nothing compared to my personal instrument, an air hog and dull sounding. I don't know if there was something wrong with it.

I hope your one is an good as mine, they certainly are a fun instrument but don't try and muscle it, let the instrument do the work.

[MikeMason]

I wonder how long they’ve been made? If serial number is not on the bell, which is where the stenciled logo is, where else might it be?

[Wilf.tuba]

Both of mine don't have a serial number, but does have three numbers under the 2nd valve spatula. My CC has 072 so was built July 82 according to Miraphone, 7 being the month 2 being the year end digit. My BBb is 092. I hope at some point to make a video in differences between the two, the main slide from the CC won't fit in the BBb and both have different sonic characters.