4 vs 5

[Z-Tuba Dude]

My assumption is that the student in question plays BBb, as typically CC is usually played by people, who are more career oriented.

Certainly a 5 valve BBb is not needed.

If the student in question happens to play a CC horn, and he is planning to be a recreational player, I would wonder why he would bother playing CC, in the first place. If he picks a CC horn, I would think that a 5 valve is necessary.

[UDELBR]

A 5th valve is not necessary on a CC tuba.

As long as you don't mind having two notes missing.

[UDELBR]

How often do you ever see low Db (5 ledger lines below the bass clef?)

Every day when playing Rochuts down 1 and 2 octaves. Music isn't only the demands of your gig, ya know.

[Jay Bertolet]

There are two reasons, as I see it, that a 5th valve would be desirable even for an amateur player:

1) It assists greatly in helping the player play notes in tune. Whether a player is a professional or an amateur, I don't think that fact necessarily precludes the desire to play really well. If you have a lot of grief playing low notes in tune because you don't have a 5th valve, does this make the amateur tubist happy? I think not. Enjoying playing, being able to execute the music to the best of one's abilities, is desirable for any player. The 5th valve's capacity to do this is beyond question.

2) A 5th valve on a horn increases the horn's value. Any instrument could potentially be sold at some point. 5 valve tubas are very much in demand, no matter the key. If the 5th valve makes your horn a more liquid asset, you might prefer that. I know I would.

[Jay Bertolet]

I know someone who plays professionally with a five valve Alex CC. If he doesn't find it "necessary" to have a fifth valve all the time, why would an amateur?

Considering the quote from your previous post, are you agreeing with me or disagreeing? If your friend with the Alex has a 5 valve horn, perhaps he finds some value in having the 5th valve. He certainly paid to have it on his own horn.

I suppose we disagree about whether or not the 5th valve makes the horn more salable. I suppose the answer for that question lies in who your target customer is. My impression of the cheaper horns (and the ones with less frills) is that they go primarily to schools and other institutions that have to justify purchases to bean counters (read: cheaper is the only acceptable option). Since such institutions don't generally purchase used instruments...

We also might disagree on whether or not a 5 valve tuba is always more expensive than a 4 valve model. For example, the most recent Brasswind catalog I have lists the VMI 3301 costing $4695.00 and its 5 valve sister, the VMI 3302, lists at $4295.00. Unless this is a typo or there is some other factor that differentiates the two horns that isn't listed in the catalog, this example shows a 5 valve tuba as not costing more than the 4 valve version of the same horn.

Admittedly, my point about the relative liquidity of a horn isn't as strong as my original point. I still stand by the assertion that having a good horn to play, one that you can feel confident won't hold you back and helps you enjoy playing to the fullest, overrides all other concerns unless you simply don't have the cash. Considering that the cost of a 5th valve doesn't add that much money to the purchase price, and since you're spending lots of dough already, why not get a horn that you'll really like and be able to enjoy for a very long time? Ultimately it's all about preference anyway and we're debating flavors of ice cream again.