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I am interested in how the Cerveny 601 5/4 CC sounds and plays compared to the BBb version? Can anyone who has played both please give feedback.

Thanks!

Bump

Interested as well. Are they the same tuba in different keys, or are they very different horn?

Tom McGrady writes:

Playing this horn [the 601 BBb] is like playing an Alex 163 on super steroids. The sound is great and the horn is about the biggest tuba I have ever played. I owned the CC 601 years ago but the BBb model is far superior. After playing this horn, anything else is just a toy.

Jonathan, which 601 did you formerly own?

Steve, I previously owned a BBb 701, which is the red brass version of the 601.

It had a great sound (not so different from a Fafner), but was much more difficult to steer than my Neptune - and took a lot more air. I did not consider it such a flexible/useful tuba

I've owned five of the Bb's and two of the C's over the years. The B flats are quite a bit taller but are the same bore size. I found both keys to play very open. The B flats had a wider sound. This was in the 70's and early 80's.I tried two C's around 2000 and they were squirrely, especially the low G. I'm not sure when they were built, they weren't new. But what it boils down to for me is they played like any other manufacturer's B flat and C models of the same horn. Except they didn't add the extra length for the B flat by addin bends or an extra loop. It's just the same horn streched out. They do make (I don't know the model number) a "Compact Kaiser" which is still the same bore but tighter wrapped. They are asthetically pleasing like the C, I always thought the tall B flats looked ungainly, but I hear they have pitch problems. This from several owners and dealers. I've never tried any with a fifth valve. That's all I got, Ed

I've tried two of the Arion Kaisers (sort of like a Kaiser Piggy). They were both fairly recent horns, and both impressed me. I thought they played quite well in tune and had massive, dark tones.

The 601 CC I owned years ago had an 18 inch bell then I put the 19.7 inch bell on it. The sound did not chane much. The horn overall was more responsive than the BBb I currently have. The major issue I had with the CC was the low ccwas very flat.

The BBb is tiuned like a alex but more not as bad. I dont find any issues with or response.

I remember watching Paul Krzywicki (sorry, probably misspelled that) on television back in the '80s and think I remember seeing that he was playing an Arion Kaiser. Can't remember the piece. Can any students of his on here confirm or refute whether he had one of those in his arsenal?

Not sure about the Arion but he took six of the first shipment of Piggys from Walter Sear and I heard him play Finlandia on one of them with incredible results.Ed