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The serial number on my Miraphone 188 CC is 9020075. Anyone know when this horn was manufactured? Thanks.

Speaking of that, does anyone know if the current 188s play as well as older ones? Are they consistant instruments these days?

the only serial number list I've seen for Miraphone stuff is up to 1977... and those are 5-digit numbers. you might have a better time getting the date range from a picture, comparing it to other horns to find its vintage. Or you might contact brasswind to see if they have serial number ranges compared to dates of the horns they imported.

regarding the newer 188s, I've played two since they switched to the 1-step 5th valve and they were both good horns. I didn't like either enough to run out and buy one, but the intonation was good as was the tone and response. If I had to tell someone to buy a new 4/4 CC without getting to try it first, the new 188 would be among the first recommendations.

Dylan King wrote:Speaking of that, does anyone know if the current 188s play as well as older ones? Are they consistant instruments these days?

I took delivery of a new one about a year and a half ago. Dead-on intonation. Not a huge sound, but that's what it is. All around, a great instrument!

Thanks, Czar-------that information is helpful.

Ace

Check around at any local music shops and see if they happen to have that "magical blue book" that gives them a rough guide on what instruments trade in values are. It usually has guides based on serial numbers to help them gauge exactly how old the instrument is.

Hmm. If the 188 has such superior intonation, why isn't it more popular than the 186? Price? Weight? Larger flare to bugle and bell darkening/broadening the tone just beyond what is good for an "all-around" tuba? Lack of advertising/press/shop talk? Combination of some or all the above, or something completely different?

Thanks.
(The song "If I Were a Rich Man..." from Fiddler on the Roof starts swelling up in the background)

The world has heard a Miraphone 188 played more than they ever may have imagined...

Indeed! Nice pic!

DP wrote:2) too many tubenet putzes crowing about "you don't need a CC tuba"

Hey, I resemble that remark.

Rick "wondering about the putzes who recommend $8000 tubas to a guy who's gonna play once a week in a community band" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:

DP wrote:2) too many tubenet putzes crowing about "you don't need a CC tuba"

Hey, I resemble that remark

I don't think you look like a CC tuba at all!

Rick Denney wrote:

DP wrote:2) too many tubenet putzes crowing about "you don't need a CC tuba"

Hey, I resemble that remark.

Rick "wondering about the putzes who recommend $8000 tubas to a guy who's gonna play once a week in a community band" Denney

Weeelllll....those are often the guys who can actually afford one.

MA

MaryAnn wrote:Weeelllll....those are often the guys who can actually afford one.

Except for all the other expenses of life to which they assign higher priority. Lots of poor musicians pay ten or twenty grand for a tuba, but then it's their gig and so it gets their first dollars.

Rick "who buys tubas with what's left over...[grumble, grumble]...from tomorrow's paycheck" Denney

the elephant wrote:I won my audition on a school-owned, silver plated 188. It was a great horn. (I had just sold my horn the year prior and was still saving up for a more expensive tuba. So I played everything on that 188 for two years.)

There were a few guys that showed up with a lot of equipment and the other finalist had a nice, matched set of Hirsbrunners.

I just had the one school-owned tuba.

You wouldn't be telling us, now, that you had a World Class Sound on that 188?


MA