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Hi Folks,

Happy New Year! I have a question that I would like to propose to the forum.

I am considering switching from a rotor bass tuba (PT-10) to a piston bass tuba, such as a Gronitz PF125. This is all being done with the thought of consolidating a few instruments down to one. Having one large CC and one F tuba. Currently, my large CC is also a Gronitz (PCK) that I have no intention of parting with XD.

I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with them. I obviously will try before I buy, but it could not hurt to see what others think of them as well. I have a colleague who has an FZ-125, and what a killer instrument and musician in tandem!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Adrian

There's one for sale in Chicago....it's posted on FB but I'm sure it'll get posted here as well

I have played two of these for a couple of weeks each. One of them I even bought and then later returned. They play beautifully with a solid sound and an extremely easy low register. It felt like a blend between an Eb tuba and an F. However, I found that the intonation on both horns was off enough that I could not make it work, which is why I ended up going another direction. I have heard the horns have a lot of variance from one production to the next, so if you find the right one, it could be great. After going 0-2 on them, though, I am no longer interested.

I trialed a Gronitz PF125 for about a month but didn't end up buying it. The sound has an excellent character and the response up and down the horn was consistent and easy. They're very approachable and fun to play. I was playin an older PT-10 at the time and found that the Gronitz held much of the same tone color but with incredible response. However, like Justis said above, the intonation was an unsolvable puzzle for me. I played it in a quintet performance once. While it added a nice round bottom to it, I found myself constantly in scenarios where no matter how I set my slides, something was going to be out of tune. I met someone at ITEC 2023 with one when I was trialing it and he said similar things about the intonation. It's really a shame, because otherwise I think it would've been the perfect piston F tuba. I hate to say this, but I often see that people who buy a Gronitz piston F often don't stick with it for long.

However, if the horn you're looking at is nearby, I would definitely still go and give it a play.

I played one for many many years. I would be delighted to chat with you about this instrument. Please give me a call.

Try it out.

Take a tuner.

Take a trusted friend and a book of duets that you can play very well together.

These tubas tend to have pitch issues, but on occasion, you can find one that does not.

You won't know whether it's for you until you actually play it.

I have not played a Gronitz but I owned a B&S that predated the PT-10 name. What a great horn it was, I would still have it but for a long story. I now have MW 2182 which I also have enjoyed. I don't know that you are going to beat what you already have.

I'll echo what a lot have already said. It is a tuba that sounds great and feels great to play, until you take it to the tuner. I've played a few, and they've all been just a little too pitchy when there are piston f tuba alternatives that have similar desirable sound qualities, but are more point and shoot like the Miraphone 1281 Petruschka or some of the new Eastman piston f tuba offerings.