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Well, I found this info:

Posted by Wayne Forrest on January 27, 2004 at 11:11:45:

I just purchased a Meinl Weston 2141 Eb tuba. Having read previous messages about the horn and changes to it to improve its intonation I contacted MW directly and asked them above what serial number would have these modifications. Here's the response (January 2004.

"Yes you are right we did a lot of testing together with the "Melton"-Tubaquartett and improved the 2141. I am not 100% sure when the improvement was but I am sure all instrument with a higher number than 3000 are the better ones!
Sincerely

Volkmar J. K�hnle // Wenzel Meinl GmbH

But then I was recently reading about another 2141, with a S/N of 80615. The owner stated: I do know that this is one of the older models, or so I have been told.

I can't determine how to relate S/N=3000 with S/N=80,000! Surely MW hasn't made 77,000 of these! I thought I had the "official" info about the way to determine "old" vs "new" MW 2141 models, but now I'm again in the dark.

Anyone have the answer?

Curious in Kokomo,

SN on the receiver = newer version

jtuba wrote:SN on the receiver = newer version

Thanks! And, where is the SN for the older "pre-improvement" version?

Strange about the 80,000 number. MW have only got into the 7000's going by my new 2040/5 produced December 2006

Steve Inman wrote:

jtuba wrote:SN on the receiver = newer version

Thanks! And, where is the SN for the older "pre-improvement" version?

First valve

My 2141 was new 1 year ago. The S/N on the receiver is 0060xx. It also has a S/N on the 1st valve of 0508xx.

Why 2 serial numbers?

My understanding is that Meinl-Weston/Melton do not manufacture their own piston valves, but they are made by an external supplier (which also make piston valves for other manufactures), so I guess the number on the valve set is the valve's own serial number.

BTW Rotary valves on Meinl-Weston/Melton tubas are manufactured in house

Hmm... So, based on this talk, when registering an instrument for say, insurance sake, should you use the serial number on the reciever? I have a MW 2145 with two different serial numbers, which I always thought was weird.

I am interested in trying out a 2141 as a potential one-tuba solution. I tried a Willson 3400 last fall, but didn't like the low register response -- it took a bit of work to get the low notes to speak easily, compared to my current YEB-381.

However since Willson quotes their bore dimensions as outside diameter numbers instead of inside diameter numbers (a section of an email from Herr Willi Kurath is quoted below) then the MW2141 bore is significantly larger than the Willson for 1-3 -- which might open up the low register a bit. (They DO have the same 4th valve bore, however.)

I would personally choose to limit my interest to one of the "newer" 2141 models, however. So I would also be curious to know what was changed, and whether this can be determined by observing some obvious, visible feature in the horn layout -- or not.

Email exchange with Willson:
3. Could you please confirm the specification measurements for the "Erickson" model (FA-5), specifically regarding the bore size? What is the INSIDE DIAMETER measurements of the different valve slide tubes?

The bore inside diameter is:
1. - 3. valve 18,0mm
4. valve 19,0mm
5. valve 20,5mm

Cheers,

Steve Inman wrote: I would also be curious to know what was changed, and whether this can be determined by observing some obvious, visible feature in the horn layout -- or not.

Any info?

TIA,