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I'd be pretty much content with either of these F tubas. I just can decide which one is best. I love things about both. I need a second opinion!!!!

Thanks,

Marc

First of all, I own a 5V firebird, and my only experience playing the 621 is at conventions and stuff. That being said, the firebird is a fantastic F tuba. The intonation is very good and all the slides you will need to move while playing are very easy to reach. As far as range goes I would say the middle register is the best, followed by the high register, and the lower register takes some work sometimes to get the sound and feel I desire. I have played the firebird in both orchestras and brass quintets, and I like it in both settings. From what I've read, the 621 is more geared towards a quintet/smaller ensemble setting, but I'm a firm believer that you can make any horn sound great in any settings. Hope this helps a little... Good luck.

Another thing I just thought of... The firebird has rotary valves and the 621 has pistons. Just something else to think about.

tubamarc8891 wrote:I'd be pretty much content with either of these F tubas. I just can decide which one is best. I love things about both. I need a second opinion!!!!

Thanks,

Marc

This won't help you but.....

They're VERY different horns. Maybe you should write a pro/con list for each one and see which one outweighs the other. That being said, you can make the Firebird work in most situations. The Yamaha will prove to be pretty ineffective in large ensemble work, not having the umph that a bigger F tuba would have. And as the other comment pointed out, piston vs. rotary..big story.

phoenix wrote:The intonation is very good and all the slides you will need to move while playing are very easy to reach.

Yeah, I really want something that is versatile which is why I like the Firebird. But I'm going to be at ASU and Sam Pilafian is crazy about the Yamaha. I mean I like the sound of the Yamaha horn but all it can really do is solo which is great, but I can imagine ever using it in any other situation.

The low range on the YFB is very ballsey too which I like

I've used the Yamaha in brass quintet, and it's well suited. Chuck Dallenbach spent all those years with Canadian Brass playing the 621 CC, and the F plays much easier than the CC, IMHO. I've only played the Firebird in exhibit rooms, but it's awesome.

I'll reiterate what's already been said: You cannot find two more different F tubas. The Firebird and the YFB-621 are apples and oranges. Seriously.

The Firebird and the YFB-621 are apples and oranges. Seriously

Yeah, the difficult thing is that apples and oranges are both delicious!!! haha