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Alright, with the new year, I am going to start saving for a tuba of my own. But, which one? I've only played on a few tubas/brands, - Yamaha, Miraphone, Jupiter(well, these are all I can remember). I particularly like the sound of the Miraphone, but then again, that was the first actual concert tuba I'd ever played. So, I WAS thinking of going with a Miraphone, BUT i found this --> http://www.rickdenney.com/york_vs_miraphone.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank <-- This is making me think I shouldn't go with a Miraphone. For the time being, I'm just in a high school band. But I plan to pursue a musical career, maybe an orchestra. SO.... what is your opinion on this? What brand, and what key? I've only played on Bb (or BBb, I don't know the difference and I've been told both). Basically, I need a good all-around concet tuba with an even balance of tone and volume, and 4 or 5 rotary valves. Suggestions?


Thank you to all that take the time to read my unorganized, poorly written, annoying high schooler post(s)!!!! x]

If you haven't tried many piston instruments, there are some good ones out there, but if you've tried BOTH piston and rotory valves, and rotories are your preference, good luck! i prefer pistons, but most of the rotories ive played have been crappy school ones. They always broke.........

I applaud your decision to save up to buy a tuba. But, before you spend that hard-earned money, you should do a lot of shopping. There have been a lot of different good tubas made and sold in the last 75 years, and although some of the old brands have changed in quality or have gone by the wayside, there are still a number of options available. There may be a "best instrument" for you that you have not even heard of yet.

In fact, there is an American instrument maker that is making some of the best tubas ever, including a 4-piston, 5th rotor BBb.

But, before you buy, you should take lessons while you are saving for an instrument. This will focus your efforts, and save you a lot of time in getting along the path you wish to travel. A good instructor can also give you valuable input in your decision to purchase an instrument.

I wish you all the best in 2011!

Well assuming by your name, you're a junior? What's your budget? You said you plan on going into music, so if your budget is large enough and you take lessons or have access to lessons, then I'd say get a CC tuba. Unless you're just loaded and can afford to buy a BBb in high school and then a CC in college then do that, but I'd say try and get a CC. If you prefer rotors, then you can't go wrong with a Miraphone 186 or 188. Or you could get a PT (perantucci) 6 or 20 in the rotor versions. If you like pistons, then again I would suggest the Perantucci line of horns. I play on a PT-20 right now and love it.

Hope that helps a little!

Try as many tubas as you can.

I for one think that Miraphone is doing a great job with the horns in their current stable. Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, I think the best horn on the market at the moment is the Miraphone Bruckner. At $7999, it is a flat out steal. At least that is the sale price at WWBW. For the moment.

The "Advanced Search" link at the top of this page, towards the upper right corner, is your friend.

I would try searching on things like "which tuba" "tuba recommendations" etc. There is a gold mine of commentary on tubas of all sizes, shapes and keys. Read up while looking for opportunities to test drive some. Ask your private instructor, who can also provide recommendations.

Happy Hunting

Nice Bb tubas in the $3000 range-
-used King 2341, 4 front pistons, should be able to get a newer one, my favorite out of the bunch for a regular contrabass tuba (I like Miraphone 1291's more but they are noticeably bigger)
-used VMI 3301, 4 (5) pistons
-used VMI 2301, 4 rotaries, I like it better than the 3301
-used Miraphone 186, 4 (5) rotaries, I've seen them below $2000, not really my favorite but lots and lots of people like them
-Yamaha 641, I don't like them so much but I'm not really a rotary guy in the first place
-some of the clones are very good, the Hirsbrunner and the 2341-ish one are the only ones I've tried in this range, I'd like to try the 1291 clone
There are more, but those seem to be the most common.

I play a Miraphone 187 and a Conn 56J (similar but lacking to the 2341, imo) fairly regularly. The Conn is easier to play, but while I'm not a huge fan of the 187 I prefer that over it.

I remember seeing a Miraphone 191 (big 4 rotary valve horn) for $3000 and a 1291 (4 pistons) for $4000 but those went -fast-.

Frankly, with the exception of some large bass tubas and probably some small contrabasses (I've not played many of those) no one tuba will do everything that other people expect of you "pretty well" unless you bias the outcome ("I play large groups and solos but all my solos are contrabassoon solos", "I play solos and large groups but my large group playing has me as one of six tubas in a thirty-five person group",...).
If you think you'll end up playing a large and small tuba it really doesn't matter too much which one you get first. Playing a small tuba will teach you how to play big and will open up lots of solos, playing a big tuba will teach you how to be nimble.

These guys will laugh at me, but what I should have done in high school was get a small bass tuba. My high school was very small and I was constantly bouncing around between euphonium, tuba, and bass clarinet. A small bass tuba could have covered all those with better end results than having to deal with starting a song on bass clarinet with a dry reed after playing tuba, hauling all those friggin things around,... As it ended up, my 1st (2nd and 3rd as well) tubas were small Eb's. 4 was a big boy but he's gone now. Whatever.

KiltieTuba wrote:Hey, if you want to stick with BBb, that's cool too. As long as you can play the music the way the director and the composer wants, who cares what key or brand of tuba you play?

+1.

186
Rick's article is merely an exposition for the sake of comparison. With the tried-and-trued, workhorse 186, especially a newer one with the 17 3/4 inch bell that sounds a little broader and brighter than the traditional 16 1/2 inch "stovepipe" that was the subject of Rick's comparison, you can't go wrong. As far as the poster who had a bad experience with rotors, yes, they do need care, but Miraphone rotors are as good as rotors get. If you liked it when you played it, even if it was the first concert, then that's the tuba for you.

I say miraphone for two reasons...

1) they are a great place to start (my first tuba was a Miraphone 186)

2) they are very resellable (I ended up selling mine to a Band Director in Maine)

I'll add a third reason: no matter what you do, it will always be a viable tuba that will have its place for a professional tuba player as a member of the stable, and if playing professionally is not in the cards, it will be a tuba that can be played anywhere else, including community band, for the rest of your life.

If you are buying your first tuba, and are preparing for a college career as a music major, I would strongly recommend you buy a 5 valve CC. If you see yourself doing mainly band & orchestra playing, a LITTLE chamber music, and some solo work, you should get a 4/4 or SLIGHTLY larger tuba. Please, do not go out and buy the biggest tuba you can get your hands on. I see this as a trend among younger tubists right now. These tubas (6/4's) are purpose built for large orchestra and band playing only, and are limiting in their scope. As a student, you'll want an all around CC tuba. Recomendations:

Mirafone 186, 188 or Bruckner
B&S PT-3, PT-20
Gronitz PCM, Meinl Weston 2145, Yamaha YCB-822 (if you like pistons)
Alexander 163
Rudolph Meinl 4/4

With your NEXT purchase of a bass tuba (F or Eb) you are well on your way. Good luck!

I think iiipopes is right. You can't really go wrong with a Miraphone 186 in BBb or CC, especially for a first tuba. You can find them used, they are reliable, have solid intonation, and are a decent "do it all" tuba.

Ok, so sounds like i should go with a CC Miraphone 5 rotary valve? And figure out the size (sooo many reccomendations!)

I have played both rotary and piston valves. I definetly prefer rotary, because they are less of a hassle. The other tuba and I have had too many problems with the piston valves on the Jupiter tubas. And the only problem I've had with the rotary valves is a screw falling out during rehearsal and that was just because we hadn't tightened it.

But as far as trying before buying, that's pretty much out of the question. I haven't found any local music stores that carry the tubas I'm looking for.

And I honestly don't know my budget. I'm a freshman, so i have another 3 years to save. I'm just HOPING to be able to purchase a tuba by the time I'm out of high school. Btw, I'm in California.

Yeah, sure, I'm jumping the gun quite alot. But I just wanted to know how much to save.

THANK YOU all for the replies, now i know what direction I'm headed in.
Erica

KiltieTuba wrote:Hey, if you want to stick with BBb, that's cool too. As long as you can play the music the way the director and the composer wants, who cares what key or brand of tuba you play?

Best advice on this WHOLE topic. Second only to Lee Stofer's advice. Don't read too much or get up in your head about brands and makers. Set that business aside for now, set an appointment to go to a store or shop that specializes in low brass and try out as many horns as you can. Play material you are comfortable with and know well. Use a mouthpiece that you are familiar with. You want to eliminate as many variables as possible. This is a big purchase, and a good horn will last you many many years, so take your time and try as many as you can.

Also, if you wish to play professionally and in college and you aren't taking lessons outside of band, you need to do so. A private Tuba teacher can help in this process.

I would take private lessons, but I can't say I can afford it right now. Yeah, maybe for a few months after saving up. But this means putting off purchasing a tuba. And I don't want to ask my parents because I already do so much (I play hockey... pretty expensive). Which is why I am saving to buy a tuba myselfe.

Everything I've learned on tuba is from either noodling and figuring things out myselfe and playing with different people. A previous band director taught me the embochure and how to breath more efficiently, everything else, i have figured out myselfe or asked friends. I think it's going alright so far.

Thanks x]
<< nevermind that it's puffing it's cheeks and chest breathing... x]

Maybe it's just me, but I would hate to get tuba lesions...

Waltski wrote:Maybe it's just me, but I would hate to get tuba lesions...

now now ... around here, we usually do not deduct style points for spelling ...

DevilDog-2013 wrote:Ok, so sounds like i should go with a CC Miraphone 5 rotary valve? And figure out the size (sooo many reccomendations!)

[snip]

But as far as trying before buying, that's pretty much out of the question. I haven't found any local music stores that carry the tubas I'm looking for.

[snip]

THANK YOU all for the replies, now i know what direction I'm headed in.
Erica

For a first tuba, you can't go wrong with Miraphone. But there are lots of other good options.
For a first tuba, buy a USED tuba -- either from a reputable shop, or with the assistance of someone who can provide "expert" help.
Advice often heard 'round these parts is a 5V CC Miraphone 186 or 188 for a good, all-around horn. For a bit larger Miraphone, rotary CC, there's the "Bruckner" model (291 CC) -- but it's very unlikely to be found used, since it is a new model.

Regarding "trying before buying" -- if you can afford $4000 - $5000 for a decent used tuba, then it's worth considering a cheap Southwest Airlines ticket to fly to a good tuba store to try a whole bunch of tubas as part of the education process. (This is one advantage of choosing a brand/model like a Miraphone 186CC or 188CC, however -- most of these play very consistently -- well. Some on this board would consider buying a Miraphone without play-testing first. Not sure that *I* would, but there is a good measure of confidence with this brand.)

Regarding BBb vs CC, I have played both the Miraphone 186BBb and Miraphone 186CC, and liked the sound of both horns. I did experience that the 186CC seemed a bit easier for me to play cleanly/quickly in the upper register -- in the range common for quintet music, but less so for high school concert band. I would call this the "more responsive" characteristic that is claimed to exist for CC, compared with BBb, but YMMV.

A few more random thoughts.

DevilDog-2013 wrote:I would take private lessons, but I can't say I can afford it right now. Yeah, maybe for a few months after saving up. But this means putting off purchasing a tuba. And I don't want to ask my parents because I already do so much (I play hockey... pretty expensive). Which is why I am saving to buy a tuba myselfe.

Everything I've learned on tuba is from either noodling and figuring things out myselfe and playing with different people. A previous band director taught me the embochure and how to breath more efficiently, everything else, i have figured out myselfe or asked friends. I think it's going alright so far.

Thanks x]
<< nevermind that it's puffing it's cheeks and chest breathing... x]

Erica,

I strongly urge you to take private lessons first before buying a tuba and here is why:

1) You will learn more about your instrument, develop a good foundation that you can build on when you go to college,and learn more about being a musician, not just a "tuba player". This will also help you become a better informed buyer when you are ready to buy your first horn.

2) I did not take lessons in high school, even though I had the opportunity to do so. I had to play "catch up" when I got to college and that was NOT fun, trust me. University music programs are much more competitive now, so you want to be as well prepared as possible.

Better to show up to school a competent young musician, ready to learn more and not have a horn, than to show up with a great tuba but struggling to keep up. Think about it and good luck!

JJ