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Hi!
Today I finally got a tuba! Was looking for one for some time, and finally could borrow one from a wind band in the region. Only payment: I have to play with them, first on French horn (I am/was a pro) and, when I get good enough, on tuba.
The instrument is a Meinel. With E. I know Meinl is a maker of some reknown, but Meinel? Anyone heard of this brand? It's got a serial number, was made in the GDR, and I can't judge yet if it's any good [/i]

PhilW. wrote:What does the horn look like (rotary valves? piston valves? four five or six valves?)? What key is it in? What else does it say besides Meinel on the horn (model number, etc)?

It's a 4 valve rotary BBb horn. It says Meinel in capitals, straight font (like this one) with a border around it, and Symphonic in handwriting underneath it.
Made in GDR and a serial number are stamped on the mouthpiece reciever and there is a letter R on the rim of the reciever.

With the kind help of Klaus I have been able to discover that my instrument is a VMI 2103 (over here sold as b&s 3103) stencil horn.
Now I have to start learning to play the thing. Any advice on getting the low register? I keep flipping down to the pedal tones! Other question: there came a B&S 8/22 mouthpiece with the instrument. Any advice for a good all-round beginner mouthpiece which fits this horn?

pw wrote:For an all around mouthpiece, any mouthpiece labeled "18" is an all-purpose mouthpiece. I would recommend either the Bach 24AW, the Perantucci PT-50, or the Conn Helleberg. They are all on the large side of the spectrum, but are still playable in most registers with a good, thick, sonorous tone.

Good. On french horn, I also play on mouthpieces which are on the large side, especailly compared to US mouthpieces.
I am just wondering if among the tuba community there is also the theory that you are better of with a mouthpiece which is from the same maker as your horn, or a mpc designed for your horn. In my case, having a VMI tuba, going for a PT mpc.

schlepporello wrote:I have a Miraphone TU 31 mouthpiece that came with my Miraphone 187. I never use it because it doesn't work as well for me as my Helleberg or my Kellyberg.

Maybe I should clarify more: I'm not suggesting to use the mpc which came with the horn, or use one just because it's the same brand as your horn : Alexander for instance includes a truly awfull mpc with their professional french horns, and most other mpcs in their line aren't used by advanced players as well.
What I mean is, that some mpcs fit some horns better than others. Literally. The taper of the reciever of a lot of french horns is specific to that brand ,and bore and backbore have to be in balance with the resistance of the instrument. I once tried a Bach mpc on my Alex, and it simply didn't fit physically.
I assume the same goes for tubas?

pw wrote:I have never had the problem of having a mouthpiece not fitting in my horn, but many mouthpieces currently come in standard and large shank sizes, to rule any problems out.

Borrowed a Denis Wick 3.
Much improved the sound, but it's a small shank and it's impossible to get some notes to speak, especially 2-3 and 1-2 combinations. It's amazing how an ill-fitting mpc can wreck your accuracy
Monday my colleague will bring a 3L, let's see if things improve. Otherwise I'll have to practice a lot more on clean attacks.

The "Meinel" tubas were a takeoff from the name Meinl, ie., Rudolf Meinl, or W. Meinl-Weston, a trademark infringement, just like the more recent "Beston" tubas from Asia. My recent favorite, though, was the "Mirage" trombone that Andy and I worked on in the shop. If you were stranded in the desert, it would look exactly like a trombone. . . . Playing it, however, would be a different matter.
The VMI stencil tuba should be of sufficient quality to give good service, but I'll not offer advice about mouthpieces any more than I'll try to tell you what to have for dinner!

Lee Stofer wrote:...just like the more recent "Beston" tubas from Asia.!

...or the "Bessons" cornets from India, complete with a non-exsitent London address on the bell.

Lee Stofer wrote:The "Meinel" tubas were a takeoff from the name Meinl, ie., Rudolf Meinl, or W. Meinl-Weston, a trademark infringement, just like the more recent "Beston" tubas from Asia.
.....
The VMI stencil tuba should be of sufficient quality to give good service, but I'll not offer advice about mouthpieces any more than I'll try to tell you what to have for dinner!

At least there is a family making instruments in Markneukirchen called Meinel. That they took advantage of the fame of a well known maker with allmost the same name only serves those capitalist pigs right

I'm slowly getting accuainted with the instrument, and I'm planning to order a few Kelly mpcs to try them out. The ones I don't use I can flog to my colleagues as educational aids

I wish to make a correction to my earlier posting, the error of which was pointed out to me soon after I wrote it.

The Meinel name is genuine, and Czech, as is Meinl. The instance to which I was referring to was several years ago when a percussion company, named Roland Meinl, apparently sold some tubas under their own stencil, but just put "R. Meinl" on the bell. The ensuing confusion about the lineage of those instruments was understandable.

I don't think I like the tone of a posting above this one, that essentially said that it served those Capitalist Pigs right to have some other company in a Communist regime take advantage of the well-deserved good name of another company. Actions like that are deception and theft, regardless of the surrounding circumstances.

Lee Stofer wrote:.........
I don't think I like the tone of a posting above this one, that essentially said that it served those Capitalist Pigs right to have some other company in a Communist regime take advantage of the well-deserved good name of another company. Actions like that are deception and theft, regardless of the surrounding circumstances.

My apologies. I put in a smiley to indicate a tongue firmly planted in cheek, but it obviously didn't come accross. ( I noticed before humo(u)r doesn't allways travel well)
Of course this sort of trademark infringement is just plain wrong, but in communist times, it was rather common. It unfortunately still is in some parts of the world.

The R. Meinl case you mention is by far worse than my Meinel, because at least for someone who did his homework it would be clear something was wrong with the misspelled name. Allthough I must say two af my colleagues, professional low brass players, said "Oh, it's a Meinl. Should be a good instrument."
I informed them on the importance of spelling.
And yes, it is a good instrument.