Brass Quintet tuba

[Manituba]

Hi,

I’m looking for a brass quintet tuba. Must be: piston, CC, 4/4. Also has to be easy to play, and have a great sound.

I’ve used a Besson 983 and a Yamaha 621 and liked them both for sound and feel, but I’m looking for something one notch bigger.

What horn am I looking for: Besson 995, MW 2145, Miraphone 1292, Conn 52J, something else???

Thanks,
Chris

[Phil Dawson]

Check out a Conn 3J. Smallish bore, large bell, easy to play, 4 valves, professional construction, and great intonation. I have always been told that this was a copy of the horn that Harvey Phillips used in his New York quintet playing days.
Good luck, Phil

[tubatom91]

My 188 does a great job at quintet stuff, I used it last semester in a brass quintet and had great results. I used a Helleberg 7B to "lighten" it up a little as it is a 4/4+ horn. It's a good horn for whatever you're doing.

[Manituba]

I’m definitely looking for a piston tuba. The only thing this instrument needs to do is brass quintet, and even then, it does not have to be a one-horn-does-all. I only need to be able to do the majority of the rep on it, since I don’t mind bringing 2 horns to a gig.

I liked the 983, but I want to play CC (ie. did not like the low range on the 983). Also, I need an instrument that has a flexible sound/character. The 983 had a great sound, but it only had one sound.

PT 20 was great for everything on the staff, but I could not get the low range to play nice and therefore am definitely ruling it out.

621 was perfect, but too small. I need a larger 621!

2145, very nice, but not easy to play on the staff like the 983, PT20, 621.

I guess what I’m asking is how do the 1292 and 995 compare to the 2145 for quintet playing?

Thanks,
Chris

[Peach]

In all seriousness, I can't think of a better tuba for you than a (my) Gnagey 4/4 C.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=32332" target="_blank" target="_blank

I just played this today in Chester Cathedral. Great tuba.

Definately secure in all registers and a very colourful, malleable sound.

Best,
MP

[tubatom91]

I think the miraphone 1292/1291 would be a little overkill for a quintet setting. I think they are considered 5/4 horns which would be more at home in an orchestra setting than a quintet. Of course that is my opinion. Somebody that has one could probably give you a better answer. A good horn though!

[The Jackson]

Oh boy, if you take off the valve requirement, the Yamaha 661 would be perfect, I think...

[Bill Troiano]

I second the Gnagey CC. I have one that appears to be just like the one that Peach is selling - great horn, great response and intonation. I hardly have to move any slides - just the 1st. Sure, they are raw brass and don't look like a shiny new tuba, but with a little effort, it can look like this.

[jeopardymaster]

Here's a 3rd vote for the Gnagey whether you're locked into pistons or not. Great all-around horn, no doubt about it: super responsive, great intonation, makes for a fine foundation for a quintet.

If you were locked into rotaries, I'd recommend either a 184 or 185 among CCs.

[Tuba Guy]

You could also try the Getzen CB50/G50. I use mine in quintet (...ok when I don't use the York), and it's got a great range of dynamics, tone colors, and intonation is really great once you work for a few minutes on a tuner and figure out how to play stuff (ie my low F is 14 pushed all the way in, high F is 2, but once you learn where stufff is, it works great)

[kontrabass]

Hey Chris,

I use a Yamaha 621 F in quintet and find that it does the job quite well. The Yamaha's have quite a decent low range. The Yamaha 822 is larger, almost the same size as a smaller CC tuba, and makes a great quintet horn.
Just a thought.

[Kevin Hendrick]

Hey Chris,

I use a Yamaha 621 F in quintet and find that it does the job quite well. The Yamaha's have quite a decent low range. The Yamaha 822 is larger, almost the same size as a smaller CC tuba, and makes a great quintet horn.
Just a thought.

I just spent a month playing a friend's 621 C, and was very impressed with it -- no problem being heard! Low range was good, as was intonation. Yamaha does make the 822 in both C and F versions -- maybe one of those would better match your requirements.

[Manituba]

I know that I definitely want a CC horn.

I played a YCB 621 in quintet for about a year. I know it’s not what I’m looking for. For me, while playing it, it felt perfect. But from a number of well qualified observers, my sound was not projecting the way I thought it was on this horn. I’ve also heard other professionals play this horn up close and it showed me that this is not the sound I’m looking for.

I have also played a YCB 822 in quintet for about a year. It did not match what I was looking for playability-wise. Also, I felt it was a size too big to play in quintet for me.

I need something exactly halfway in between these 2 horns for size.

I know I want a horn that feels and plays like the YCB 621 but a slightly larger horn with a little more weight to the sound.

Maybe I’m being too picky and my perfect horn does not exist.

Really, I’d like to narrow down my choices to 2 or 3 horns so I can actively seek them out and try them in context.

I’m still looking on a quintet perspective of the Besson 995…

[pierre]

You really should consider getting Peach's Gnagey. Great horn, great price, sounds like it's exactly what you're looking for. I couldn't be happier with mine.

[Matt G]

MW 2145.

[tbn.al]

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=32204" target="_blank

I play the BBr VMI offshoot this PT-20P and find it to be a delight in all respects except weight. It's just too heavy for an old man to schelp around. Once I sit down with it I'm in heaven.

[eupher61]

given the piston requirement, I'd say the 1292 seems to mesh with everything else you've mentioned.

Of course, I'd say a Piggy, but no pistons.

The Weril 681 would be too small, but it's a great playing tuba, better than the 680 (BBb).

[tubatom91]

The Conn 5xJ's might fit the description. I don't know much about them but I do know that the people tht have found "the one" really like them. Other than all of the options mentioned I hear that some people really like the Hirschbrunner HB-2P's. The PT-606 is the topic of another post on this board and might be worth checking out as well.

[Rick Denney]

What about a Conn 52J?

And I second the motion for a Getzen G50.

Both of these are the on the small side of 4/4, have a broader and bigger tone than a 621, and fill up a hall better.

I use either a 621 F tuba or a B&S Symphonie for quintet, and with the latter I can really bury them. I know what you mean about running into the limit of what a 621 can do, I've just never run into that limit in quintet. Band, yes. Orchestra, yes.

Rick "noting that Daellenbach uses a G50-style instrument when playing with double or triple quintets" Denney

[Kevin Hendrick]

So, the parameters we have are:

exactly halfway in between [the 621 and 822]

I know that I definitely want a CC horn.

... which means the horn you're looking for is a YCB-721.5 ...