Your Favorite BAT

The bulk of the musical talk
Post Reply
User avatar
Untersatz
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 657
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 3:52 pm
Location: California

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Untersatz »

Daniel C. Oberloh wrote:No, Steve. I don't cut horns. Its a BBb.
+1
:tuba:
King 2341 (New Style)
B&S PT-600 (GR55) BBb
Blokepiece "Symphony"
User avatar
Pat S
bugler
bugler
Posts: 126
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:16 pm

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Pat S »

Daniel C. Oberloh wrote:My last major York tuba project is probably the one I like most. It's the property of Andy Rodgers in NY and is the largest horn of it type to leave my bench. With a 23'' bell and the fifth valve, it probably the heavies as well. The second is Mike Russell's (Seattle Symp. retired) BBb York that I completed in '93 which is tied with Mike Ferrie's BBb Martin, finished in '04. All cool and fun instruments that have all taken their share of my hide. :lol: Still, I have a soft spot for the Holton 345, it just happens to be in my head :oops:
Daniel C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
http://www.oberloh.com
Image
We have a winner... prettiest horn ever.
Wessex Eb solo
Jupiter 482 BBb
Conn 18J "Giant" Eb
Besson Sovereign and New Standard euphs
User avatar
Bandmaster
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 778
Joined: Sat May 15, 2004 3:33 am
Location: Upland, CA
Contact:

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Bandmaster »

Daniel C. Oberloh wrote: ... which is tied with Mike Ferrie's BBb Martin, finished in '04.
Just for the curious...

Image
Dave Schaafsma
Image
1966 Holton 345 | 1955 York-Master | 1939 York 716 | 1940 York 702 | 1968 Besson 226 | 1962 Miraphone 186 | 1967 Olds | 1923 Keefer EEb | 1895 Conn Eb | 1927 Conn 38K | 1919 Martin Helicon
tofu
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1995
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:59 pm
Location: One toke over the line...

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by tofu »

Daniel C. Oberloh wrote:My last major York tuba project is probably the one I like most. It's the property of Andy Rodgers in NY and is the largest horn of it type to leave my bench. With a 23'' bell and the fifth valve, it probably the heavies as well. The second is Mike Russell's (Seattle Symp. retired) BBb York that I completed in '93 which is tied with Mike Ferrie's BBb Martin, finished in '04. All cool and fun instruments that have all taken their share of my hide. :lol: Still, I have a soft spot for the Holton 345, it just happens to be in my head :oops:
Daniel C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
http://www.oberloh.com
Image
Dan if there was a Concours d’Elegance for tubas - your restorations would be among the select few invitees and most certainly Best of Show winners. Great stuff. There is nothing like a classic vintage (be it cars,trains or tubas) brought back to their prime.

What is it about a horn that makes it among your personal favorites - is it sound, playability, design/style, rareness or some X factor?
User avatar
Untersatz
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 657
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 3:52 pm
Location: California

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Untersatz »

tofu wrote:Dan if there was a Concours d’Elegance for tubas - your restorations would be among the select few invitees and most certainly Best of Show winners. Great stuff. There is nothing like a classic vintage (be it cars,trains or tubas) brought back to their prime.
Don't forget that Dan not only restores tubas, in almost all cases, he puts them back together better than they were when they were originally made resulting in better playability & just a more solid instrument in general, not to mention some of the most beautiful looking tubas on this planet have come out of Dan's shop.
:tuba:
King 2341 (New Style)
B&S PT-600 (GR55) BBb
Blokepiece "Symphony"
tofu
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1995
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:59 pm
Location: One toke over the line...

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by tofu »

TubaMusikMann wrote:
tofu wrote:Dan if there was a Concours d’Elegance for tubas - your restorations would be among the select few invitees and most certainly Best of Show winners. Great stuff. There is nothing like a classic vintage (be it cars,trains or tubas) brought back to their prime.
Don't forget that Dan not only restores tubas, in almost all cases, he puts them back together better than they were when they were originally made resulting in better playability & just a more solid instrument in general
:tuba:
But it's more than just improving them - it's that he keeps the quintessence of the horn and the design/heritage of its maker. It is not just some stuck on/weird looking/poor ergonomics add on for instance. For example we have all seen the randomly stuck on 5th valve added to some tubas that may or may not work well, but unbalances the handling and/or visual looks of the instrument . His horns (and I would add that Lee Stofer and Joe S. do the same type of work) are well thought out and expertly designed. You can instantly perceive that the process was well thought out from start to finish. The horns look like they were built that way (but better :) ) by their original maker. The art of the master craftsman.
Lamim Tubas
lurker
lurker
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:42 pm
Location: Brazil
Contact:

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Lamim Tubas »

My favorite BAT is my 24j. :tuba:
Conn 24J with adapted 20K's bell


Used to own:
Weril J370
Conn 12j
User avatar
armytuba
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:31 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by armytuba »

This was my BAT from back in the day. Used it for dixieland, brass band, concert band, military gigs, you name it. Probably belongs to someone on Tubenet now.

Image
Image
Image
Santos
User avatar
TUbajohn20J
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 943
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Sugar Land, Texas

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by TUbajohn20J »

I'm curious to see how many of your favorite BATs (or favorite horns in general) have changed over the years. My favorite is my newly restored Conn 26J/27J beast. Four front-short-action-valve .770 bore with both bells. It's not only by far the best BAT I've played, but it's the best tuba I've ever played and I have played LOTS of tubas. It's a lot more nimble and reserved than the other 2XJ/3XJ horns I've played. Like Lee Stofer said about a previous 27J on here, you could play a brass quintet with this one. With it de-dented, leaks fixed, and valves PROPERLY aligned it does not have a flat F third partial. This has been my dream BAT ever since I started playing tuba in school. I once owned a 20J and ever since then I had hoped to one day get my hands on one of these. Dream come true!

Image

Image

Image
Conn 26J/27J
Conn 22K Hybrid
southtubist
bugler
bugler
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:08 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by southtubist »

My favorite "BAT" was the old Miraphone 190 CC I borrowed from the school. I was between CC tubas at the time, so I did all my big stuff with the 190 for a few months. It was a good horn despite being pretty beat up. Close second would be the old Conn Grand Orchestral I owned for a little while- it had the biggest low F ever. I wonder where it is? I traded it for a Meinl Weston 45k F tuba that I absolutely love.

Here's a video of it in orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWCFyuSLX2c" target="_blank

Yes, the opening quote of Hungarian March is supposed to be offset a half beat between highs & lows. It's a little weird to play.

Never felt comfortable above middle of staff on the 190, so I did the solo on F tuba.
MW 45k
Alexander 163CC 5v
Conn 72h, 1G
King 2280
Used to own: MW20 BBb(super old model) 1915 Conn Grand Orchestral BBb, small valve MW 2145
Used to borrow: Miraphone 190 CC, from IAA
User avatar
TUbajohn20J
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 943
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Sugar Land, Texas

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by TUbajohn20J »

That sounds great. I've never played a big miraphone like that only the 188. I agree with you about the low F on the big Conn. If it is anything like mine, that note can shatter windows!
Conn 26J/27J
Conn 22K Hybrid
User avatar
Ken Crawford
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 722
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:45 am
Location: Rexburg, ID

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Ken Crawford »

southtubist wrote:My favorite "BAT" was the old Miraphone 190 CC I borrowed from the school. I was between CC tubas at the time, so I did all my big stuff with the 190 for a few months. It was a good horn despite being pretty beat up. Close second would be the old Conn Grand Orchestral I owned for a little while- it had the biggest low F ever. I wonder where it is? I traded it for a Meinl Weston 45k F tuba that I absolutely love.

Here's a video of it in orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWCFyuSLX2c" target="_blank" target="_blank

Yes, the opening quote of Hungarian March is supposed to be offset a half beat between highs & lows. It's a little weird to play.

Never felt comfortable above middle of staff on the 190, so I did the solo on F tuba.
I graduated from the academy in 98, glad to see that the ensembles are still ridiculously amazing for a high school. Oh and you and that tuba sounded great too. :tuba:
barry grrr-ero
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 837
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:40 am

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by barry grrr-ero »

I play a rotary Neptune, but it's not my favorite BAT in terms of sound. That prize, for me, would go to the Holton 345 that Floyd Cooley used to own, but now belongs to Peter Warhaftig who plays in the Bay Brass. Peter told me that Floyd borrowed that horn back to record the Nielsen symphonies with Herbert Blomstedt.

I've haven't heard Tony Clements yet on his MW Baer, but I'll bet that's a great sound!
southtubist
bugler
bugler
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:08 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by southtubist »

kmorgancraw wrote:
I graduated from the academy in 98, glad to see that the ensembles are still ridiculously amazing for a high school. Oh and you and that tuba sounded great too. :tuba:
Thanks- I thought I'd put it up because there aren't many recordings of that model horn. I found another I recording played in with the 190, but in band with three other tubas. The arranger is a cool guy and wrote in a pedal C at the end for us. :tuba:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFfC2lCdxHk" target="_blank

The runs towards the end were really hard to get right. It's kinda clumsy- on an F tuba or my Alex it'd be a piece of cake. It's a fun horn, although I don't think anyone else has used it in performance- it's very hard to focus, and a smaller mouthpiece didn't help me. We found it in the basement in unplayable condition, so I fixed it up in instrument repair class. I had to fabricate a 5th valve lever/linkage from random parts.
MW 45k
Alexander 163CC 5v
Conn 72h, 1G
King 2280
Used to own: MW20 BBb(super old model) 1915 Conn Grand Orchestral BBb, small valve MW 2145
Used to borrow: Miraphone 190 CC, from IAA
toobagrowl
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1525
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:12 pm
Location: USA

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by toobagrowl »

I don't really play a BAT, but my "large" tubas are a 5/4 M-W rotary CC and a 5/4+ Kaiser rotary BBb. But the Kaiser is very old and 'worn', so I only use it on 'special occasions'.

As far as 'true' piston BATs, I still like the ole Yorkbrunners :!:

Nice recordings @ southtubist. :tuba: I am glad you fixed up that old "Tommy Johnson" Mira 190 :!:
User avatar
Norlan Bewley
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 5:22 pm
Location: Dayton, OH

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Norlan Bewley »

My 1974-75 Holton BBb 345 is wonderful. I believe it was overhauled by Lee Stofer. I bought it from Jonathan Hodgetts of Wessex Tubas in England who was selling it for Peach.
Norlan Bewley
Lee Stofer
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 928
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:50 am

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by Lee Stofer »

I can't say that I have a favorite BAT - I've played almost every one of them made, and I love them all!
Lee A. Stofer, Jr.
User avatar
tylerferris1213
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 485
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:53 pm
Location: NW Ohio

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by tylerferris1213 »

Personally, I have fallen in love with the Conn Orchestra Grand. This one must be VERY different from the other orchestra grand mentioned. The first valve slide on top has been cut so I can push in for C in the staff. The rest of the time I have it out about an inch. Other than that and pulling as I go to pedal Eb and below, the horn is remarkably in tune.

I've played a few Baers, but they don't do anything for me. There's no personality to them. The 6/4 Cerveny's project well, but they can be a little squirrely with intonation. I do love the old Yorkbrunners. My old teacher's is definitely a close second to my Conn, and third place has to be J.c.'s rotary King. I have a picture of both horns side by side and it's quite a sight! Could someone help me upload that??
Tyler Ferris
Wessex British F
York Monster Eb
Getzen CB-50 CC
Cerveny CBB-601 BBb
"Yamayork" Frankentuba Contrabass FF
User avatar
TUbajohn20J
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 943
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Sugar Land, Texas

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by TUbajohn20J »

tylerferris1213 wrote:...I do love the old Yorkbrunners. My old teacher's is definitely a close second to my Conn, and third place has to be J.c.'s rotary King. I have a picture of both horns side by side and it's quite a sight! Could someone help me upload that??
Use a photo sharing site such as Photobucket that's what I use. Attachments don't work on here anymore. I'll upload it for you if you need. I'll PM you my email so you can send the pic.
Conn 26J/27J
Conn 22K Hybrid
User avatar
bort
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 11222
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Re: Your Favorite BAT

Post by bort »

Lee Stofer wrote:I can't say that I have a favorite BAT - I've played almost every one of them made, and I love them all!
Oh, real helpful, Lee! :)

I've tried a few 6/4's over the years. Never much cared for most of the 345 variations, just too big and tough for me to hold. I remember playing Scott Cameron's Yorkbrunner when it has at BBC, and that was a really easy tuba to play and make a huge sound. It was like "whoa, I made that sound"? (And of course, it also amplified tenfold all my shortcomings as a player!)

I briefly owned a rotary Neptune, and have recently started to miss it. Not that I want of need a tuba that large, but it was simply a beautiful tuba, super easy to play, and sounded great. And it was beautiful, did I mention that?

Not very many 6/4 rotary CC tubas out there!
Post Reply