Great tubas at Ferguson Music
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 3:11 am
I stopped by Steve Ferguson's shop today to buy a gig bag and he also was kind enough to give me a box to ship a tuba. Of course that isn't the only reason I stopped by: he also happens to have a bumper crop of great tubas in the store so I brought along a mouthpiece to give a few of them a toot.
The tuba I was most interested in trying was the new Mirafone Petrouchka. I'm not in the market but I was curious how it compares to some of the other popular f tubas. I played it side by side with a Yamaha YFB822, Firebird 5 valve yellow brass, Gronitz F and a Mirafone Starlight Eb.
My conclusion: I liked all of them!
The Yamaha YFB822s that Steve has in stock is very responsive and has a lively sound. I was surprised. The sound is big, robust and clear. I have to disagree with those that claim the YFB822 sounds like a small CC tuba: the overall quality of sound is more like an large Eb tuba. Play this tuba at extreme volume levels in a large group and you will understand. I don't like my 822 for Berlioz but it seems just right for pieces like Brahms 2 etc.. It's a very useful tool.
The Mirafone Firbird is a fine f tuba. It works great for lots of folks (listen to Ben Pierce! WOW). For some reason it doesn't work for me. I like smaller bore sizes on my rotary f tubas. That being said the tuba plays well and it has a clear, ringing and compact sound.
Normally I wouldn't compare an Eb tuba to an F but the Starlight seems to fit better into this group. I don't play Eb tuba but it really didn't matter with this tuba. It's very easy to play and the sound jumps out of the bell. This is the kind of tuba I could play without warming up. Tonaly it is warmer than the Firebird and the sound seems just as big. What makes this tuba work for me is the bore size: it is much smaller than the Firebird but the overall size of the tuba is similar. I don't understand why most of the f tubas manufactured today have such large bore sizes. Oh well. Anyway, the Starlight is a great alternative to an f tuba. To me it has a traditional German bass tuba sound.
The Pertouchka is fun to play! Its scale is very even, the pitch seems to be very good and it really sings. I found it hard to put down. Tonally it is between the the Firebird and the YFB822. It puts out a lot of sound with the right amount of "sizzle" but its not too bright. This tuba is going to give the Yamaha a run for it's money.
My favorite sounding f tuba in the shop is the Gronitz, hands down. It has a big, lush. clear creamy German f tuba sound. YUM! Tonally it compares to the best of the B&S f tubas. Like the Petrouchka, it's hard to put down. Pitch is a bit more challenging on this one as is the price (ouch) but it is a beautifully made instrument and may be worth the extra effort to make such a nice sound.
I don't work for Steve and actually don't get up to his shop very often, but I really want people to know what a treasure trove of tubas he has in stock. I didn't even ask him about the CC tubas.
Oh and the best part about Ferguson Music is Steve Ferguson. He's a great person and will take the time to show you the instruments and he won't give you a hard sell, he will help find the right instrument for you.
Good night
Norm Pearson
The tuba I was most interested in trying was the new Mirafone Petrouchka. I'm not in the market but I was curious how it compares to some of the other popular f tubas. I played it side by side with a Yamaha YFB822, Firebird 5 valve yellow brass, Gronitz F and a Mirafone Starlight Eb.
My conclusion: I liked all of them!
The Yamaha YFB822s that Steve has in stock is very responsive and has a lively sound. I was surprised. The sound is big, robust and clear. I have to disagree with those that claim the YFB822 sounds like a small CC tuba: the overall quality of sound is more like an large Eb tuba. Play this tuba at extreme volume levels in a large group and you will understand. I don't like my 822 for Berlioz but it seems just right for pieces like Brahms 2 etc.. It's a very useful tool.
The Mirafone Firbird is a fine f tuba. It works great for lots of folks (listen to Ben Pierce! WOW). For some reason it doesn't work for me. I like smaller bore sizes on my rotary f tubas. That being said the tuba plays well and it has a clear, ringing and compact sound.
Normally I wouldn't compare an Eb tuba to an F but the Starlight seems to fit better into this group. I don't play Eb tuba but it really didn't matter with this tuba. It's very easy to play and the sound jumps out of the bell. This is the kind of tuba I could play without warming up. Tonaly it is warmer than the Firebird and the sound seems just as big. What makes this tuba work for me is the bore size: it is much smaller than the Firebird but the overall size of the tuba is similar. I don't understand why most of the f tubas manufactured today have such large bore sizes. Oh well. Anyway, the Starlight is a great alternative to an f tuba. To me it has a traditional German bass tuba sound.
The Pertouchka is fun to play! Its scale is very even, the pitch seems to be very good and it really sings. I found it hard to put down. Tonally it is between the the Firebird and the YFB822. It puts out a lot of sound with the right amount of "sizzle" but its not too bright. This tuba is going to give the Yamaha a run for it's money.
My favorite sounding f tuba in the shop is the Gronitz, hands down. It has a big, lush. clear creamy German f tuba sound. YUM! Tonally it compares to the best of the B&S f tubas. Like the Petrouchka, it's hard to put down. Pitch is a bit more challenging on this one as is the price (ouch) but it is a beautifully made instrument and may be worth the extra effort to make such a nice sound.
I don't work for Steve and actually don't get up to his shop very often, but I really want people to know what a treasure trove of tubas he has in stock. I didn't even ask him about the CC tubas.
Oh and the best part about Ferguson Music is Steve Ferguson. He's a great person and will take the time to show you the instruments and he won't give you a hard sell, he will help find the right instrument for you.
Good night
Norm Pearson