TubeNet

It's rather difficult for me to try many different types of tubas, given where I live. I see the manufacturing designations of 4/4 and 5/4 but I realize that is rather subjective.

Some of what I have managed to try are the B&S tubas: PT20P, PT606P and PT6P. The 20 and the 606 are listed as 4/4, but the 606 is a bit larger and has "chunkier" tubing. The 6 is listed as a 5/4. I haven't been able to try much!

I would appreciate if you could compare some of these instruments, in relation of size (and sound output/depth of sound) with some of the instruments I will list below. I am just looking for general information about this, and I won't base my purchase decision on this information, but I will use this information to help me decide which kinds of tubas I will try.

Examples of statements I am looking for:
Willson 3050S is virtually the same size as PT6P
MW 2155 is about half way between a PT20P and a PT6P

Besson 995
B&M 5/4?
Conn 5xJ
Gronitz PCM
HB 2P, 20P, 21P
Kalison Darryl Smith
Kalison PRO 2000
MW 2145
MW 2000
MW 2155
Miraphone 1290/1291/1292
Willson 3050S
Yamaha YCB-822

THANKS!

I think the 2155 or 2000 has the right idea in terms of a "happy medium" the problem is that I don't like the way they play.

I do play a MW 45SLP

The CC is a Willson 3050S

When I played the PT6P, I thought this is just too dang big for most of what I do, and it seems like most people agree with that. However, many people think the MW2000 is a good all-around tuba... but the thing is that they are both designated as 5/4 horns (by the manufacturer). Is the PT6P larger than the MW2000? How does the Willson 3050S compare in size?

You will find (or have already found) that there is no consistency between manufacturers. So your quest may be of benefit.

IMO, there are other aspects to consider as well, that also have an impact. For example, I play a Conn 56J CC, which has a modest bore (about .689inches) but a large bell (20 inches). This horn has a nice, broad sound, with reasonable, yet not heavy "core" to the sound. (sorry -- that's the best I can do with words) Yet I often wonder if my previous tuba might have been easier to hear for the audience -- an older Miraphone 186, with a 16.5inch bell, but .770 bore, and a completely different bell shape. That tuba seemed to have more overall weight to the sound, but not as broad as the Conn 56J. Both of these tubas are routinely considered as 4/4 instruments. Yet the perception when playing them and when listening to them is distinctly different. So once you figure out how to put all of those horns in "rank order" based on 4/4, 4.1/4, 4.3/4, 4.8/4, 5.1/5, 5.8/4, 6/4, etc., this still won't be the whole story, I'm afraid.

So many tubas ... so little time ... so little money!

quinterbourne wrote:Besson 995
B&M 5/4?
Conn 5xJ
Gronitz PCM
HB 2P, 20P, 21P
Kalison Darryl Smith
Kalison PRO 2000
MW 2145
MW 2000
MW 2155
Miraphone 1290/1291/1292
Willson 3050S
Yamaha YCB-822

A B&M 5/4 is bigger than a 606 and smaller than a 6.
Conn 5xJ is smaller than a 606.
HB2 is a little bigger than a 606 and smaller than a 6.
The 2145 is about the same as a 20, and a little smaller than a 606.
The 2000 and 2155 are the same as each other and a hair bigger than a 606, but smaller than a 6.
The Miraphones are bigger than a 606 but smaller than a 6.
The Willson is about the same size or a little bigger than a 6.
The 822 is about the same size as a 20.

These are rough estimates of size, and have nothing to do wtih how they play, the size of the sound, or any other outcome that is actually important (which apparent physical size is not).

Rick "who doesn't have a guess on the others" Denney

The problem with the x/4 sizing issue is that it is a European comparative means of a particular manufacturer describing that particular manufacturer's tubas in comparison to each other based on what any particular manufacturer thinks is its "standard" full sized tuba, and has nothing to do with bore, bell, wrap, etc. So, one manufacturer's 4/4 tuba may actually be larger or smaller than another's 4/4 tuba, and what one manufacturer may call a 4/4 tuba may be the same size as another's 5/4 tuba. For example, a Rudy 45, which he calls a 4/4, would almost be called a 5/4 by some other manufacturers.

As a side note, on a tuba, with the wide variety of manufacture, bore cannot be judged alone, as the conical progression is more important. So, it is possible, with its short leadpipe, that a Conn 5xJ with its .687 primary bore can play just as open as, for example, a VMI with a @.770 bore, as the lead pipe is so much longer, and therefore has more taper accordingly.