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Nick,

Depending on where you are geographically, it would be time well spent to travel to The Tuba Exchange and try this as well as other modestly priced BBb tubas. Only you will know if you can live with certain quirks that a given tuba has. If you are a freshman in college, why are you not looking to get a CC? Not that you have to, but I'm sure a lot of members of Tubenet will agree, it will make life a bit easier for a number of reasons. If you are on the East coast, you should try to get to Baltimore Brass and try what they have as well. I know that I saw an advertisement for a line that they carrry of new 4 valve BBb tubas for under $2,000.00. You may want to consider holding off a bit until you can sink a bit more money into a horn, and get a good used Miraphone 186 CC or BBb(that many on this board will heartily endorse), or a Meinl Weston 25 or a newer Cerveny. Whatever you choose, I would recommend trying it first. Buying a cheap horn on Ebay sight unseen is a dangerous way to go. Good luck in your search.

While this topic is up... I wonder how their copy of the 186 CC plays.

Mojo workin' wrote:You may want to consider holding off a bit until you can sink a bit more money into a horn, and get a good used Miraphone 186 CC or BBb(that many on this board will heartily endorse).

Good advice! Many of us will, indeed, endorse this.

By the way, Mojo, I see that you are in the ultimate location. It is coming, and soon, too. We'll all be rich.

I've been curious about their copy of the Besson 981.

Mojo workin' wrote:Nick,

If you are a freshman in college, why are you not looking to get a CC? Not that you have to, but I'm sure a lot of members of Tubenet will agree, it will make life a bit easier for a number of reasons.

I was always told not to be afraid of buting used. I was also told that it is better to buy a used "name brand" as compared to a new "off brand". I have also found that the older tubas were built better, I would take a tuba that is 40 years old over almost any new tuba, they just had that bigger sound. Do anything you can to play the horn before you buy it, and if you cant play it ask alot of questions.
You might even want to think about wating until after your sophmore year to buy the tuba, that will give you more chance to build up a "tuba fund" and will also make sure you are going to do music a a profession. Not that I am wishing you to change your major, but I had a friend spend $15,000 on a tuba, bag,, and the whole deal then changed majors the next semester.

Good luck with what ever you chose.

William Parlier wrote:No offense, but if you are looking to be a tuba major, then you have to be willing to spend more than 2,000 on a tuba. Especially considering if you want to do it for a career you are most likely going to have to invest in a bass tuba as well.

Not stated. He is simply a college student.

The advice to look for a good used BBb is solid advice. There are BBb tubas in the for sale section that are a little higher than his price level, but well worth it. $2000 was nothing to spend on a tuba 20 years ago. My first 186BBb bought new in 1991 was a shade under $4K. You could get through college on a BBb fine as a Music Ed major. If you wanted to be a Music Performance major, you could switch to CC after a year or so of study. I know for a fact that there are players who spent about two years of college playing BBb who now play in professional orchestras.