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Miraphone has a good reputation for consistency. Is it such that one could buy a horn without having played that specific individual?

A 186 or 188 is a safe bet. Arrange a trial if it's used. If it's new, Roger at Brasswind can pick one out for you. Ebay: use PayPal and make sure it's a reputable seller, ideally with a return policy.

I'm not as familiar with the 191/1291 family, but they seem to get generally good comments on here.

Eric "who lusts after a 5v 191" L.

Their intonation is becoming legendary. I've never played a dud including the one I'm selling. I am also feeling that most pro tubas made in the last 10 years are pretty solid in that department. Even on a miraphone though, we need to hear the pitch before we play it, sometimes the horn makes it easier and sometimes harder.
Peace.
ASG

sailn2ba wrote:Miraphone has a good reputation for consistency. Is it such that one could buy a horn without having played that specific individual?

Lots of people are able to buy instruments like a Miraphone 186 sight unseen and enjoy what they get. But very experienced and skilled players may be more demanding of subtleties that go unnoticed by the rest of us. It's hard to answer your question without knowing how picky you are.

I agree that many of the instruments to come onto the market in the last few years have better intonation across the board than previous generations, and the instruments from the better companies (Meinl-Weston, B&S, VMI, Miraphone, Gronitz, Hirsbrunner and Rudolf Meinl) are reasonably consistent. I would say that for most of them, I have just now reached the point in my playing where I would be able to tell a good one from a not-so-good one of the same make and model.

Whoever you buy from, do so on approval. That way, if the instrument disappoints you, the most you are out is the shipping cost.

Rick "who often can't tell the difference between tubas of the same model that attract varied opinions from high-end performers" Denney

Rick Denney wrote: Whoever you buy from, do so on approval. That way, if the instrument disappoints you, the most you are out is the shipping cost.

Rick "who often can't tell the difference between tubas of the same model that attract varied opinions from high-end performers" Denney

I'll second this suggestion in spades. Some instrument makers grade their instruments "A" "B" and "C" for instance (you know who you are). They then sell the "C" grade tubas to a dealer who, they believe, has clientele that won't notice the difference (a school for example). The "A" tubas go to premium dealers, mostly.

Intonation is not the only criteria you should go by. I look for response in all registers as my highest priority, then sound and then intonation with some subtle nuances observed but maybe not catalogued. So, if the response isn't good for me, I don't care about the intonation. If the response is good but I don't like the sound, I don't even get to think about intonation. If I have all three, it would be an instrument I'd consider.

Above all, I still hear Roger Lewis' sage recommendation to me, "You gotta find a horn that likes what you blow into it." That turned out to be fine advice but I had to meditate on it first. Ooooooooommmmmmm pah.

I'll pile on the "Response, Sound, Intonation" priority rankings.

Since we don't know what you envision using said horn for, and for how long, use one of the excellent tuba specialists at the popular with tubists big-name shops.

I'll also echo the "get it on approval" sentiment. It won't be free, but it won't cost you any more if you get the right horn, either. The added plus is that you'll get to use the horn in your setting with your mouthpiece.

BTW, I got a Miraphone 184 4U in 1977, and I still use it every week.

I live in a tuba desert. So I had to purchase without playing. I am fortunate I bought my two tubas (the souzy is on semi-permanent loan) by description and they have worked out. Not perfectly out of the box, both needing some minor repairs, but both worked for me.

If you must buy sight unseen, know thyself, so you can describe exactly what you want so when you see it, or get someone like Roger to help you choose one, you describe yourself accurately so you get a good fit.

I have always considered, since playing one myself in high school, that the King 2341 is the best BBb tuba for a high school band program: easy to blow, easy to navigate, good overall intonation, durable, easy to get to the various parts for repairs, nested valve block to protect it, and it's been made about the same way for about a century, so any tech worth his tools should have lots of "crash parts" available.