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please compare the cerveny tubas to other brands i.e. miraphone some one cautioned about the metal being thin ,dents easy.however good sound??????? thanks jds

Cerveny makes quite a few different tubas. Many of them are well regarded for the type of playing for which they are going to be used. "Generally speaking", there are some that are a very good value for their performance and cost.

The build quality of Cerveny instruments has gone up in the last ten or so years and they have a good reputation for quality. Some say that the metal is easier to dent than other models.

Why don't you describe what kind of playing you want to do and then perhaps someone could give you a knowledgeable response.

thanks for reply! have been looking @ all types of horns.almost to the point of too much info overload.numerous people have given much appreciated suggestions but still looking. 60 yo dentist who wants to get back into music for the joy of playing.would like a miraphone but really do not want to pay the price.will only play for fun in church or small town community college orchestra. have considered chinese clons ect.@ tuba exchange. now looking @cervany horns. having trouble pulling the trigger.thnksjds

dentaltuba wrote:thanks for reply! have been looking @ all types of horns.almost to the point of too much info overload.numerous people have given much appreciated suggestions but still looking. 60 yo dentist who wants to get back into music for the joy of playing.would like a miraphone but really do not want to pay the price.will only play for fun in church or small town community college orchestra. have considered chinese clons ect.@ tuba exchange. now looking @cervany horns. having trouble pulling the trigger.thnksjds

I would consider a new Cerveny without hesitation in your situation. There have been some good reviews of certain chinese models, but I've not played one to verify that myself. I have owned a couple Cervenys over the years, though, and think that the new ones are very good. Perhaps they are easier to dent, but I've owned and played the tar out of my little F over the last two years or so, and I don't have any major dents in it yet. And I do use a gig bag when travelling, not a hard case. With reasonable care, it should last you as long as any other horn. Try them if you can, even though the build quality and consistency has gone up in the last few years. I'd recommend you try any horn before you buy, regardless of name on the bell. Good luck and happy hunting!

My only advice to someone that wants to get back into playing is to buy a tuba (in your price range) that you are happy with and go for it! I know quite a few people that came back to music after a layoff (sometimes many years), all of them said how much more music meant to them the second time around, they realized that a big part of their life had returned.

My opinion about Cerveny tubas, I like them. This summer I heard one of the tubists from a Romanian Army Band playing his Cerveny, he was excellent! I know a community band player with a Cerveny, he is a fine non-professional musician. I have played Cervenys that I liked. Point, Cervenys can get you where you want to go. Other tubas can do the same (I would most likely look at used tubas before new ones).

The bottom line: I think that you should get a good tuba (one that you like in your price range) and start enjoying music again!

Best,
Mark

THANKS for the time and info.it is greatly appreciated! dentaltuba

ditto mr pretzels comments on the St Pete- at the low end of the price range, something has to be sacrficed, but my 202N has turned a few heads after its been heard and I ve had no issues with performance or durability . The horn is now 6 months old and I ve played everyday since and moved the horn around a fair amount- high register can sing and the lows sound like a much more expensive horn- js

I've played 3 different Cervenys (601, 681, and 686) and really like them. Denting hasn't been a problem. . . one of them is 27 years old.

just pulled the trigger and purchased a cerveny 686 CBB pxr 4.has miniball linkge with nickle slides and valve casings. VERY!!!!! excited.!about 2/3 the price of a miraphone but got the case also. THANKS for all the comments and suggestions! now if can find a place to play will be great.have not played in years and live in small town . will play in church orchestra and small community college group. jds

This may help.

http://www.boerger.org/c-m/commother.shtml" target="_blank

It is a listing of many community band and orchestra websites, you may be able to find one listed in your area. Also, although many of the bands are in the United States, there are a fair number of international community musical groups listed.

enjoy,
Mark

dentaltuba wrote:just pulled the trigger and purchased a cerveny 686 CBB pxr 4.has miniball linkge with nickle slides and valve casings. VERY!!!!! excited.!about 2/3 the price of a miraphone but got the case also. THANKS for all the comments and suggestions! now if can find a place to play will be great.have not played in years and live in small town . will play in church orchestra and small community college group. jds

GREAT! I hope you'll have many happy years of playing your Cerveny.

Wow, lots of great info here. Would you guys mind giving me a little advice? I'm a undergraduate college student who is looking at seeking music performance post-graduate degrees to the doctoral level. I am leaning really hard towards a petruschka or a firebird (love miraphones) but I don't know if I can get the cash. Would a Cerveny be a good step down in the price bracket without stepping down too much in quality, or is there a better horn as far as bang for my buck is concerned (new or used)?

Matt Walters at Dillon's describes the Cerveny 651 as an entry level pro F tuba here: https://www.dillonmusic.com/note_from_matt.html I've never gone wrong with advice from Matt, he'd be worth calling. . .

That being said, great horns show up in the used section on a fairly regular basis if you aren't locked into one specific (read: new, popular) model. . .

You don't have to get THE f tuba now. If you ever hit a point where you can specifically say through experience "XXX tuba does XXX thing(s) better than mine," then you should be able to sell yours and move on. . . On the other hand you might love the one you're with. . .

as with any advice from someone you've never met, ymmv,
be well,
--T. J.

ps, in case I never actually answered the question: Yes, I think the Cerveny (and several other horns) could serve you very, very well at a lower price.

WVUtubaman12 wrote:Wow, lots of great info here. Would you guys mind giving me a little advice? I'm a undergraduate college student who is looking at seeking music performance post-graduate degrees to the doctoral level. I am leaning really hard towards a petruschka or a firebird (love miraphones) but I don't know if I can get the cash. Would a Cerveny be a good step down in the price bracket without stepping down too much in quality, or is there a better horn as far as bang for my buck is concerned (new or used)?

T. J. Ricer wrote:Matt Walters at Dillon's describes the Cerveny 651 as an entry level pro F tuba here: https://www.dillonmusic.com/note_from_matt.html I've never gone wrong with advice from Matt, he'd be worth calling. . .

That being said, great horns show up in the used section on a fairly regular basis if you aren't locked into one specific (read: new, popular) model. . .

You don't have to get THE f tuba now. If you ever hit a point where you can specifically say through experience "XXX tuba does XXX thing(s) better than mine," then you should be able to sell yours and move on. . . On the other hand you might love the one you're with. . .

as with any advice from someone you've never met, ymmv,
be well,
--T. J.

ps, in case I never actually answered the question: Yes, I think the Cerveny (and several other horns) could serve you very, very well at a lower price.

WVUtubaman12 wrote:Wow, lots of great info here. Would you guys mind giving me a little advice? I'm a undergraduate college student who is looking at seeking music performance post-graduate degrees to the doctoral level. I am leaning really hard towards a petruschka or a firebird (love miraphones) but I don't know if I can get the cash. Would a Cerveny be a good step down in the price bracket without stepping down too much in quality, or is there a better horn as far as bang for my buck is concerned (new or used)?

T.J.'s right on this one. The Cerveny F's I've played have been very good, but don't forget to look at used horns, either. As soon as the latest F tuba du jour shows up, there will be Petruschkas and Firebirds on here for sale (used), as well as other great F tubas. My advice: don't follow the crowd. Play as many as you can and find the one that's right for you.

Congrats !! Good luck - have fun !!! And remember, what happens in the back row, stays in the back row....js

I had great experience with Cerveny. A piggy was my first CC tuba. lovely. Then I bot the Kaiser model CC. really a sort of 4/4 plus size. many compliments on sound. fine horn for playing up to small orchestra size. then i needed 5v

I was at the Army TEC in D.C. last January. I'm pretty sure I played every F tuba in the Demo hall except a Firebird (don't ask). The Petruschka was definitely my favorite. The Cervenys I played were nice, but I found that the depression depth of the rotors felt really deep. Any comments there?

Some Cervenys have pretty thin brass, which makes the big tubas light and ring really well.

Also, remember that they may dent easier, but the dents come out easier!

Cerveny make great tubas.