Advice for tuba purchase needed

[JJJimmink]

Dear tubenetters,

Maybe you can help me out with choosing my next tuba. I now play on a relatively small Eeb tuba, but I want to be more allround. So I want a bigger tuba togheter with it, to play for instance in symphonic orchestra.

But what to choose? I test played a B&S Bbb PT-1, but this was way too big for me. (It was the first time I played a BBb tuba and maybe I must get used to it...).

So I tried something smaller. The candidates are (all in same pricerange):

-Dalyan Reference BBb tuba. Height 104 cm bell size 45 cm
-Schiller C -tuba 5 valve
-Walter sear C-tuba. Height 88 cm, bell size 40 cm (not very larger than my Eb tuba) with 4 valves.(most expensive)

The B&S was costs the same as the walter sear, but has already been sold.

Any new options are also appreciated. Does anyone have an advice for me?

Thanks!

[Rick Denney]

This is really too broad a question. The PT-1 that you tried is a standard 4/4-size rotary Bb tuba that most in the U.S. would not consider particularly large for orchestra. In the German tradition of using an F tuba for everything, a large F such as a B&S would not strike you as being all that much smaller than the PT-1.

There are many, many tubas of Bb and C pitch that are smaller, however. One is the Cerveny "Piggy", which is a C tuba with a large-bore valveset and small outer branches. Walter Sear tubas were made by Cerveny, so if that instrument is much smaller than the PT-1, that may be what you are considering. Those who have good examples of these love them. I'm surprised that you would find that it feels smaller than a PT-1.

Another direction is something like a King 2341, which has 4/4 outer branches and a smaller-bore piston valveset.

But maybe the best option is to get a bigger Eb tuba. If the PT-1 feels too big, probably most contrabass tubas will feel big. The Willson 3400 Eb tuba (probably outside your price range) is as big as many C tubas. Perhaps an older Besson 981 or 982 could be found in your price range--that is the standard orchestral instrument used in the UK. Still another option is a large F tuba, though this will inevitably bring an F-tuba sound.

Again, most folks here would think all these choices rather small for use in a symphony orchestra, particularly for 20th-century works or for Wagner's Kontrabasstuba parts. European practice is to use a bass tuba as the default instrument, but something larger for works needing something larger. American practice is just the opposite--the contrabass tuba (usually in C) is the default choice.

Rick "whose 4/4 rotary Bb is only the third-largest in his bevy of B-flats" Denney

[jmerring]

Please, I beg of you; do not buy a Schiller ANYTHING, until you test play it (caveat emptor). They are hit and miss as to being in tune with themselves. They do have a big sound and would probably be far too big in this case, since you are used to an EEb.

Bonne Chance