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So i was just wondering...I've been looking around to finally buy my own tuba. My proffesor tells me that the pt6 or any b&s tuba is the best way to go, but their a little expensive for me to afford right now. So i was wondering, if I were to maybe buy a miraphone 188, or something like that, would it affect the kind of job I could get? I mean sure the pt6 is a little nicer I guess...but wouldn't I be bale to get the job done equally as well with either of them? what's the difference?

Ain't nothing in the world wrong with a good Miraphone 188.

You can look at more than one brand, press the teacher for more information. Take a look at the the topic called "Me and my tuba". It's a photographic survey of the reader's horns.

Miraphone 188's were a standard for C tubas long before the PT-6 came along. I can't say that I've spent too much time with a PT-6, but of the 3 or 4 that I've played on, I'd take a 188 over them. Plenty of pro's have used 188's and PT-6's, respectively.

I would say that the 188 is a better all around instrument, if one were looking to get by with just one tuba.

I personally am a big fan of Perantucci Tubas

The PT-6(p) is a 5/4 sized horn and is great for large group playing

I have a PT-606p which is a lot like the PT-6 except it is 4/4 so it is more versatile. (also is less expensive)

But when choosing a tuba you need to take the time to find the right one for you. Try as many horns as you can and figure out your price range. If you can visit places like Custom Tubas or WWBW and try a few out. It's a long term investment so make sure its the right horn for you.

Hi santosgs,
A little info about you, your current playing, your budget and your goals concerning the tuba might help us direct you a little better. For instance, are you in high school? What is your price range? Do you plan on pursuing a career on the tuba? What kind of tuba do you currently play on?

A PT6 is definitely a nice horn... not for me but, regardless, a nice tuba. However, a 5/4 CC may not be the best choice as a first tuba for, say, a first time CC for someone in H.S. Perantucci tubas are great! I own a PT20-ps and I love it. It's a 4/4 CC and is my first CC (I've had it for around 7 years now and I don't plan on getting rid of it anytime soon). I use(d) it for my college wind ensemble and orchestra, brass quintet and for solos.

The Miraphone tubas are also great as well as consistently built. They often hold their resale value (which is nice when you want to upgrade later on) and come in a wide variety of sizes and keys. There are also a TON of other horns (new and used) that have a more attractive price tag. Right now there is a Cerveny Piggy, Mira 188, MW 32 and a Conn 56j all listed on the for sale section of the forum with a price tag THOUSANDS less than pretty much every new variety of tuba.

Without any information about you my suggestion would be to do some research and evaluate what your needs, goals and budget are. Go to a music convention or a shop and test play as many models as you can, and not just the pretty new ones but the used ones. You might be surprised to find something way lower than your budget that suits you perfectly. Remember that a tuba is a large investment and researching will provide the best result.

Good luck and happy shopping!!!

-CT