Alexander F Tubas

zachattck514 · Post by **zachattck514** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:03 pm

My teacher here at Boston University, Mike Roylance, has suggested I purchase an Alexander F tuba. The problem is I know nothing about them. Any information you guys can supply would be great: Where to buy them? Price? Pros and Cons? Intonation problems? Advantages and Disadvantages of the 5 or 6 valve models (155 v. 157)? Other horns that comparable to the Alex's? Resale value?....You get the idea I'm sure. Anything you know would be helpful to me at this point!

~Thanks

Matt G · Post by **Matt G** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:11 pm

These are pretty rare.

Best bet on new is to talk to Tony Clements (Low Brass Werks) or Matt Walters (Dillon Music).

Also:

http://63.126.125.94/cgi-bin/classified ... =retrieval

This guy is in Montreal. Only about a 4-5 hour drive if you wanted to try it out first.
The listing is kinda' old though.

Comparable horns may be a B&S PT-10/PT-12 or a MW-45/46.

Good luck!

tubacdk · Post by **tubacdk** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:36 pm

Matthew Gilchrest wrote: Comparable horns may be a B&S PT-10/PT-12 or a MW-45/46.

the Alex is definitely a smaller horn than the B&S and MW 45. I think it's between the B&S and the little MW 182.

-ck

Jonathan Fowler · Post by **Jonathan Fowler** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:30 pm

I bought a brand new Alex last year from Dillon's. I think they waited for several years before they actually recieved one from the factory (I think new Alex F's are quite hard to come by). The sound and ease/openess of playing are second to none. The only problem note is high D, which sounds high but centers a little low in the slot. The usual German Rotory F problem of C and below is there, but as I have recently discovered, can be opened up very well with a slightly larger than normal mouthpiece (I'm just using my laskey 30G that I use on my CC)
I can't speak for all of them, since mine is the only alex F that I have ever played...
If you're located in Mass, we could meet when I'm in the area (probably December)

Happy hunting,

Jon

Haugan · Post by **Haugan** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 1:25 pm

The alex F is THE classic German sound. 30 years ago nearly all the pro tuba players I came in contact with played the Alex. I was a member of a German opera orchestra at the time, and the Alex I had on order took 2 years to complete! Their inability to keep up with demand has led to their being supplanted by B&S and other manufacturers, but they still make a great and classic F tuba. I play an Alex F now, and use a Gronitz piston F for works that require more "bottom". I own over 30 tubas, and conductors like the Alex F best (I know my former teacher, Abe Torchinsky might say "What the **** do you care what conductors like, they don't know anything"), but that's just an observation........