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In another thread, I made the remark that:

if for some reason I could only keep one tuba, it would have to be my Neptune as that is "THE tuba sound in my head".

This got me wondering which tubas are most important to other people.

If you are also luck enough to have more than one tuba, but for some reason could only keep one - maybe you could only rescue one escaping from a disaster, which of your own tubas would you grab? Why would you choose that tuba?

Assume they are all insured, so the decision is not purely on financial value.

I would rescue the 1900 BBb Cerveny Kaiser that belonged to the late David Mayfield. A beautiful instrument. Arnold Jacobs did everything but tackle David to keep him from leaving his lesson without selling it.

Of course, I'd rescue my own Nirschl but it's more fun to rescue a unique instrument like David's.

the most expensive one I could find

Alex C wrote:I would rescue the 1900 BBb Cerveny Kaiser that belonged to the late David Mayfield.

What was so special about that Cerveny Kaiser? Are there any photos of it?

I'd grab my gold Conn 5 valve double-belled euphonium. I'd then make my wife grab the Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory Helicon...

I'd grab my Gronitz PCK because they have a tendency to not be in stock.....

I have only my old 1940 King eefer but I doubt I could replace it easily. I despair of finding a tuba that was a good player for a price I could afford.
My wife researched my 1960 Gibson 330 archtop guitar and found it to have grown greatly in value. in the event of a fire I'm sure she would save the Gibson and let my poor old tuba burn up.

tubatooter1940 wrote:My wife researched my 1960 Gibson 330 archtop guitar and found it to have grown greatly in value. in the event of a fire I'm sure she would save the Gibson and let my poor old tuba burn up.

I hate to say so, but given those choices, so would I!

I would save the Holton. Not because it's the most versatile of my tubas, but because it would be the most difficult to replace using mere money.

The York Master is a wonderful instrument and similarly unusual. But I prefer the Holton for most things.

The most versatile of my tubas is my Miraphone, and that's probably the tuba I could use best in the absence of the others. But it's a pretty typical Miraphone and it could be replaced easily. Ditto the F tubas.

Rick "who spent years waiting for the right BAT" Denney

Glad you got your BAT, Rick. May you and your Holton never be separated.

In the event of disaster, I would leave hundreds of pounds of molten vinyl from the record collection and the ashes of a very nice stereo. But after my wife and kids, 'cause they don't make 'em like that anymore,.....I would then make an effort to save my B&S 6-valve and a nice old Guild D45 both from the 70's. Both are insured, but they just don't make 'em like that anymore. Hopefully my wife and kids could grab the '37 York & the '21 Conn Helicon, 'cause they sure don't make 'em like that anymore either.

the elephant wrote: I may expand this program to include my wife's French horns.

I would highly recommend you do this right away.

the elephant wrote:James Wilson and I were talking about that very horn last night at Intermission.

I thought James played with David in the MSO back when it was the JSO. He should know the horn well.

Neptune wrote:

Alex C wrote:I would rescue the 1900 BBb Cerveny Kaiser that belonged to the late David Mayfield.

What was so special about that Cerveny Kaiser? Are there any photos of it?

It was unique in that the valves rotors operated in a plane 90 different from today's rotary valves. The rotors were placed directly under the valve levers so that it felt almost like piston valves.

What made the horn unique was the sound. As a Kaiser, it could balance a large orchestra. Lots of color to the sound but with a strong fundamental. Very efficient.

Because it was so lightweight (less than 16 lbs), it was very nimble and could be played in a small group. David performed the Armand Russell "Suite Concertante" and he was able to dance around the woodwinds through the whole piece.

I do not have a photo of it.

I do have a photo of my Eb Cerveny, which is the little brother to the BBb Kaiser in question.

A John Lennon song comes to mind:
"Just playin' those mind games...."

DP wrote: gee, most of the time I think my cat is an idiot. He could never do what you are describing. I feed him, give him a home, and clean up after him (cat box, etc) All he ever does is sleep, eat and occasionally puke. Come to think of it, who's the idiot?

Me too, times 3....and none of the cats are mine.

Wade,
I shall be the voice of reason. I think you need to start here and teach the cats to save themselves. Maybe find an oboe player or two to sacrifice themselves for your tubas, but people actually like cats.


http://www.peta.org/

My old B&H Imperial because it's all I have and you can't get fine British craftsmanship like that anymore .

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Alex C wrote:I would rescue the 1900 BBb Cerveny Kaiser that belonged to the late David Mayfield. A beautiful instrument. Arnold Jacobs did everything but tackle David to keep him from leaving his lesson without selling it.

Of course, I'd rescue my own Nirschl but it's more fun to rescue a unique instrument like David's.

Mr. Mayfield's Cerveny is now in the hands of one of his students. Danny Walley (sp?). He attends Louisiana State University.

Alex C wrote:

Neptune wrote:

Alex C wrote:I would rescue the 1900 BBb Cerveny Kaiser that belonged to the late David Mayfield.

What was so special about that Cerveny Kaiser? Are there any photos of it?

It was unique in that the valves rotors operated in a plane 90 different from today's rotary valves. The rotors were placed directly under the valve levers so that it felt almost like piston valves.

What made the horn unique was the sound. As a Kaiser, it could balance a large orchestra. Lots of color to the sound but with a strong fundamental. Very efficient.

Because it was so lightweight (less than 16 lbs), it was very nimble and could be played in a small group. David performed the Armand Russell "Suite Concertante" and he was able to dance around the woodwinds through the whole piece.

I do not have a photo of it.

I do have a photo of my Eb Cerveny, which is the little brother to the BBb Kaiser in question.

I'll also chime in. Cerveny did indeed do something special with that horn. Thinking back on when I listened to him in the Pensacola Symphony I recollect probably one of the most present, resonant, and beautiful sounds played. It was very colorful but still had plenty of core and was very unique in character. I would even say, crazy enough, that I'd put it over most Alex tubas for sound, it was that kind of 'wow'.