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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!

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

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