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None of these answers suit... If you like it, PLAY it. There is nothing "better" about an F.

J.c.

tubashaman wrote:for a grad[ ]school like Arizona State, [Wichita] State, Michigan [or M]ichigan [S]tate, would a CC be fine to audition [as my only horn] if range isnt an issue [for me?]

Don't ask the freak jury®, ask the schools and/or the profs directly and find out for sure!

tubashaman wrote:Sorry, let me reword...

A professional tubist told me that I shouldnt buy the horn. It will probably have a bad low range, couldnt do pieces such as the vaughan williams, and I would want a 5th valve real soon. Plus he has seent he same horn for $1500

Perhaps the 321 needs a few more lessons if it can't "do pieces such as the VW ...."

I am a big believer in "if you like it, you like it"

This horn is marked as "intermediate" but I'll tell you, this is a solid all-around horn. I bought mine off eBay for $1300, and I absolutely love it...it just sings...

My 2 cents...

For what my opinion is worth(which may be very little to you) I think you shouldn't get the YEP. I only say this because you will most likely find yourself wanting to turn it over later to get another tuba, Eb or F, whichever. $1800 is a steal, thats why you don't see really high end instruments going for that low. From what I've experienced you'll likely spend about $5000 to get a really great in tune and lasting instrument.

That being said I have to say I'm happy to see a lot more people preaching "get what plays well." I think we were all a little sick of the "play F tuba cause thats what you do" crowd. That being said, I can promise you if you go into an orchestra with an in tune Eb tuba, they'll love you, if you go in with some squirrely F tuba, they'll be pissed. But its got nothing to do with the key, its the instrument.

I'm a student at ASU and will be doing my master's there next year, you can audition on anything and it'll be fine. From my experience with auditioning, most professors won't care as long as you sound good.

I owned a 321S for 5 years and a 381S for 8 years and they were my main horn except for an occasional outdoors souzy gig. I used them for Quintet, Dixieland, Army Band and community band, musicals and soloing. The 381S with the 5th valve - dependent 1/2 step - does make the low range below the BBb below the staff a little more accessible, but I was able to do all the music, low and high, with the 321S. The tone on these horns is gorgeous. I found them superior to the compensating Besson Eb I had for 6 years between them for tone and flexibility. If that 321 is in good shape and doesn't have too funky intonation then $1800 is a very good price. Play it before you buy it.

In the past year six 321's have been sold on EbBay for prices ranging from $900 to $2100, with conditions I judged as fair to new. The strange thing was that there was absolutely no correlation between price and condition!

I got a 321 off that site for $1350 in fair condition (with quite a few dents) six years ago and for both band and quartet work, found it nimble with good projection except in the half octave below low Bb. I also found it had good intonation except it was a little hard to zero in on notes far above the bass clef (which might be due to those pesky dents?). I recently bought a five valve horn to make up for these slight deficiencies and will probably be selling my 321 soon.

Now whether you should buy one depends on whether you can make the sounds on it that you want to hear. $1800 is not bad for a horn in good condition. However, if you are studying with someone, why not ask them to listen to you play it before you complete the purchase (if that is possible).

A thought....

If a potential graduate school said after your audition, "You played great. We really think you have a lot of talent. But, you played on an Eb tuba, and not an F tuba, so we're gonna say no." Would you really want to go to a school like that???

If your professor (whom you trust) says this instrument will be a problem for you without the fifth valve, then you should consider that advice when you test the horn (and you should play test the horn if you are considering buying it). Ask him to come with you and offer his advice. You have a much better and more reliable resource available to you than a bunch of tuba geeks (said with loving affection) on a bulletin board. Use it.

I wish you luck in your search for a new instrument...it's not always easy to "find your voice."