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As a counter to Blokes 'tuba fads', I thought about a thread that would list timeless classic equipment. Anything qualifies that you would still be willing to play that was made before 1985. This goes back to the pre-Perantucci days.

I would like to start off the list with:

Mirafone 186 CC tuba
B&S 'Symphonie' F tuba
Alexander 163
Conn-Helleberg

3/4 or 5/4 Rudy CC 5v.

Early Miraphone 186.
Any fullsize Martin tuba or sousaphone, especially the early ones engraved Handcraft.
Outside tubaville...
Reynolds Contempora bass trombones - early ones with script engraving down entire bell.
Reynolds Medalist (student) trombones - 1st two generations with large R counterweight. Better than many "pro" small bore bones.

Conn 2XJ, King 1241 tubas for school/college concert bands

Conn 14k & 20k souzys pre-MacMillian, King 1250 souzy pre-cyborg
With the exception of an occasional Martin or Reynolds Contempora well taken care of, there just is no other viable long-term souzy.

Mirafone 184
Mirafone C4
Olds 099
Conn Geib

cjk wrote:Mirafone 184

Manhasset music stands.
Anhydrous lanolin.

Hirsbrunner HB2, HB2P
Early Yorkbrunners
Alexander Fs
Chester Schmitz playing his Alex CC

Souvlaki Gyro
St Pauli Girl

And the Mirafones already mentioned

Perhaps this is too obvious, but York #1 and York #2

MartyNeilan wrote:

cjk wrote:Mirafone 184

The new ones (ph) are very nice indeed, but the ones labeled Mirafone seem to be a bit preferable (lighter, brighter, and more gruff) to me imho. There probably are old pre-Mirafone Miraphone labeled 184s, but I haven't seen one. Most of the ones that come up for sale "used" are labeled Mirafone.


--Christian

bttmbow wrote:Manhasset music stands.

Souvlaki Gyro

Both are quite useful.

I haven't seen anyone mention the BAT that was used before all the other copies started being made. The York copy that started the whole York copy craze....

The Holton 345

My votes would be the King, rotary valved, CC tuba as played by Mr. Bell and Mr. Torchinsky as well as its copy, the Bill Bell model Meinl Weston.

I play in band with a guy who plays a M-W BB. Good horn. Now, if he would just figure out what the thumb valve is really for! (He uses it only for some strange "alternate" fingerings I'm not even sure how he comes up with it!)

Meinl-Weston/Melton 25 BBb. I believe it is the German tuba to which all others are compared.

Besson Sovereign 981/982 which were based on the previous Imperial model which went back to the First World War.

And until now, no mention of the old Sander CCs - each one just a bit unique, each one a prize. I doubt if there are more than a hundred or so still in use worldwide. Anyone out there have one?

Now, if your horn says "Sanders" please sit back down and keep quiet. You do not have a Sander.

MartyNeilan wrote:Any fullsize Martin tuba or sousaphone, especially the early ones engraved Handcraft.

What about fiberglass? Is my plastic Martin a classic? Who knew?

I would reiterate the B&S Symphonie F tuba, and add the Holton 345 (maybe someone down the thread already mentioned it).

And I would add Besson/B&H New Standard/Imperial euphoniums to the list.

And Conn 14K sousaphones.

Rick "wondering why a 5/4 Rudy has to have five valves to be a classic" Denney

bttmbow wrote:Manhasset music stands.

Yup. We can't overestimate how much we as musicians have depended on these reliable and durable stands that can still be fully operated with one hand and one foot.

Unless of course, it's spent one month in any school. I have two Manhasset stands that exceed 20 years old, and both are still nearly perfect even after having been toted (including piling, dropping, throwing, and even the occasional kicking) to many, many gigs. How the teen monsters can destroy them so quickly is beyond me.

The newer designs from Wenger, etc., just don't work as well.

Rick "admiring simple, good design" Denney