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MW 2157
Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:06 pm
by bort
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 12:31 pm
by Jeffrey Hicks
looks like all the improvements that make a 2155 a 2000 without it being handmade. But what the heck do I know?
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:14 pm
by tubaaron
But the 2155 and the 2000 have the same bell size, don't they? would be really interesting if someone can try the horn out and post their humble opinions here..

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:48 pm
by Jonathan Fowler
The 2157 has the same body as the 2155 with a 45slp leadpipe and a different bell. The response is a bit quicker on these compared with the 2155 and the sound is a little cleaner. Dillon's has one of each- lacquer and a silver right now-I just played them yesterday.
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:06 am
by Wyvern
That engraving on the bell, looks rather like MW put on the handbuilt Fafners, so makes me wonder if the 2157 is handbuilt - although, the price indicates otherwise, so maybe it is just because it is a special?
Is a 45slp leadpipe larger, or smaller bore?
on a slightly-related subject
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:47 pm
by jon112780
Wow, more choices than ever! We don't know how good we have it compared to the tuba students of 50 years ago. Horns galore and mouthpieces up the wazoo; as well as a truckfull of music. If that isn't an incentive to practice, I don't know what is.
The bell on the 2157 reminds me of the bell on the Yamaha 4/4 piston CC. I'd imagine it would be for somebody who likes the 2155, but wants their sound a bit more 'spread' than focused. Now that I think about it, the MW2157 kind of looks like a bigger version of the PT606, and the cost is comperable as well...
Aren't choices nice? It's a buyer's market out there!
There also a MW2000 in the 'For Sale' section- $9,000
It's not mine, but it does seem quite nice, and a great deal!
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:12 pm
by bttmbow
I seem to remember Matt W. telling me that it used the bell that is used on the "Appolo" (I guess that's the VMI Culbertson F). The bell has a different flare than the 2155/2000 bell.
Also, to answer another question, the 45SLP leadpipe is smaller than on the 2155. I have played this horn (briefly) and some 2165's with this leadpipe on them, and found the leadpipes to work very well on CC tubas. (who knows, maybe the 45SLP leadpipe is too big for the 45SLP F tuba????)
The only way to know is to play it for yourself.
Nice work, Matt!
CJH
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:50 pm
by Matt Walters
I am very please how the '57 Meinl turned out. It's amazing what a different bell and leadpipe will do. The guys at Meinl won't say that the original Mell Culbertson Apollo bell at 480 mm (19") is what is used on that new B&S PT606. But, I always liked that bell flair. Since the newer (Mark II) version of the Culbertson F has a 450 mm (17.75") bell flair that looked identical to the 2155's bell, I thought why not reverse engineer? I'd always thought the 2155 needed to sound bigger anyway. And maybe because I am getting older, I wanted a more responsive (less effort) horn that the smaller leadpipe gives me. Also, the bottom 3rd slide is shorter so that you don't have to lip up the Eb 2&3. You can push the 3rd slide all the way in or pull out just a bit to split the difference between the Eb and Ab. Personally I could set the slides to the best compromise and just play the thing, it's that close in pitches.
It is not a sheet brass horn like the MW 2000 so it doesn't come with that higher price. Anyone looking for a horn that offers more than a MW 2155 but less work than a PT-6, should give one of these '57 Meinls a try.