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What's with all of the rotary F tubas? I am starting to look around for a bass tuba and as far as F's go it seems that my options for pistons is a MW SLP or a yammi, willson (last two are out of price range) I have played pistons and rotary's (right now on a piston CC and a rotory F) and I much prefer pistons.

Why is it that rotary F tubas are taking over? and what horns are out there other than a MW SLP, not that its a bad horn I'm just looking for other options.

Im not discluding Eb's either, what are some Eb's that I should take into consideration in the great search for excalibur?

P.S- This isn't meant to be another piston vs. rotary

MW 2182 is another piston F- smaller than an SLP. I have one, I like it. It sounds like an Alexander F, but easier to play.

Hi,

The Gronitz PF 125 is an excellent tuba that you should add to your list of piston valve bass tubas. Gronitz also has a piston E-flat model as well.

TUBAMUSICIAN87 wrote:Why is it that rotary F tubas are taking over?

Taking over? I rather thought it was the other way around. The rotary F's have always been there. The piston F's you mentioned are all newer.

There just aren't as many piston F's made, and all F's are really intended for the pro market and are therefore expensive. Because the piston F's are relatively recent and because they have never been made in much variety, there aren't as many on the used market to provide good deals. I'm not sure there was any new piston F available (except in the UK) before the Yamaha 621, which came out in 1989. If you want a big piston F, the MW SLP, the 822, and the Willson 3200 are pretty much your only choices. The Gronitz is a little smaller, more like a traditional bass tubas size.

Ditto Eb. If you want an orchestral bass tuba, and don't want top-action valves, the Willson is about the only choice. There are smaller Eb's tubas, and there are vintage Eb's, but they are often quite limited in number of valves, and the really great-sounding vintage Eb's tend to have wacky intonation. The British instruments offer great Eb alternatives if you don't mind the right-facing bell and top-action valves.

On the used market, rotary F's are the best deal going.

Rick "who has one of each and likes both" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:
Taking over? I rather thought it was the other way around. The rotary F's have always been there. The piston F's you mentioned are all newer.

Indeed. At least since the early MW and B&S F tubas (pre "PT") were popularized in the U.S. Perhaps the Miraphone 180, too.

Rick Denney wrote:There just aren't as many piston F's made.

This is also true. Pistons F tuba choices are limited to the larger and small Yamaha's (822 and 621 respectively), Yamaha's Bobo solo model, Meinl Weston's 45 and 46 SLP and 2182, the Gronitz PF 125, and the Willson 3200. There is also the PT-10P. I cannot recall any others at the moment.

Rick Denney wrote: Ditto Eb. If you want an orchestral bass tuba, and don't want top-action valves, the Willson is about the only choice.

Correct. Front action piston Eb choices are limited to the Willson 3400, Meinl Weston 2141, Gronitz, Besson 983, and a PT offering (PT-22 ?).

There are probably some more "boutique" offerings in both the piston F and piston Eb category that I've forgotten, but I would not consider them mainstream or readily available.

Rick Denney wrote:Taking over? I rather thought it was the other way around. The rotary F's have always been there. The piston F's you mentioned are all newer.

Indeed. Wieprecht's & Moritz' original patent was for an F with Berliner valves, which within a few years were then made with rotaries instead, and that is historically the standard bass tuba for most of Europe.

Piston valve F tubas are Johnny-come-lately's.