TubeNet

The answer is "yes." They are variable. There are great ones; there are not-so-great ones. Try before you buy.

I had one of these for a few years; I played it in community band and brass quintet. Big sound. Dark. Valves worked well and intonation was never a problem. Perfect for community band and all-round playing.

Don't worry about the whole 'thin metal' thing; I kept mine in an Altieri gig bag, which had NO padding, and in five years never had a dent. I thihk any adult who uses normal "this thing is big, awkward, and delicate" care will be all right.

Don't be afraid to look at used, especially if you willing to adopt a cosmetically challenged tuba. I found a raw brass Mirafone 186 on Ebay for $800 that plays GREAT!. If I were on a limited budget (as always) and had to find another horn today, that's where I would look. For me, at least, the question is not "Will this be perfect horn", it's "If I don't like it, can I get most of my money back out to try again?"

Hope this helps
John Thompson

I think the ABBs were made by Amati in Kraslice. I have one from the early 1980s. Great horn!

There are the same horns in different qualities:
Lignatone 681
Amati 681
Stowasser 681
Ceveny 681
Cerveny 781
I play an old Lignatone 681-4. Good sound, but not so big like my Cerveny 701:
40 cm bell vs. 50 cm bell.
The horns with "7" are complete in gold brass (red brass in English?)
I mean: If x-81-4, than 781-4
Ulli

I have an ABB-681-4 (Amati Kraslice) from the early 1980s that has excellent intonation and cello-like response, if you don't purposely "blat" (I added monster weights.). I''ve recently bought a 5-valver, but I'm keeping the 681 for gigs on which my horn is at risk.

I had a Cerveny 681-4 BB flat in high school and my first year of college that I bought used, it served me well. I sold it in 1975 to a biology major that plays this tuba to this day and is very happy with it. He is a rather accomplished amature and this tuba has served him so well he would not part with it. Since he bought this tuba in 1975, he has had minimal work done on his tuba. He plays it often and although he takes excellent care of his tuba, he does not baby it. This is a comment on the durability of this model if someone takes care of it (and could most likely be said about most models of tubas). In my opinion, if you get a good 681 it will be an excellent tuba when you consider playability (it does not take much work to play) , sound (nice core) and price (especially for a four valve tuba).

best,
Mark

Mark E. Chachich wrote:This is a comment on the durability of this model if someone takes care of it (and could most likely be said about most models of tubas). In my opinion, if you get a good 681 it will be an excellent tuba when you consider playability (it does not take much work to play) , sound (nice core) and price (especially for a four valve tuba).

I agree. The first tuba I owned was a Cerveny 681-4 BBb, it took me from my sophomore year in college to my third year in the army bands. It was a very nice horn, was workable in just about any musical situation. I recently played on a new 681, and noticed that this newer horn was even better than the one I owned years ago. It seems to me that the quality of the horn has improved over the years. It had quick response and beautiful tone, and didn't seem to be quite as easy to overblow as my old one was. Definitely try before you buy, but find a good one and it can last a lifetime.