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I finally got down to Dillon's today to pick up the used gold brass 188 I've been looking for.

Details and pics to come later but I'll just say that I am very VERY happy with it. It plays, sounds, and even looks better than I expected!

And as always, Matt Walters is the man!

!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HOORAAYY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YIPPPEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



P.S.- What mouthpiece selection did you decide to try out with it???

Congrats!
mark

Congratulations! It's a really nice horn.

Where is the eye candy?
Congrats!

Happy New Tuba!!

You've waited a while to get your hands on one of these. Congrats with the acquisition! Happy for ya man. I'd like to hear this thing!

Thanks everyone! Pictures to come -- tried snapping a few this morning, but too sunny and they didn't turn out. The lacquer is worn and scratched, this tuba has had lots of use... I think a worn tuba is a great thing. Also, on this 188, the leadpipe through entire valve section is all nickel-silver (including all the valve tubing). I've only seen 1 other one like this, and it's really cool!

I've been using my Miraphone TU-31 so far, because it's what I'm already used to. So far I like it just fine. Honestly, I tried a few other pieces yesterday -- a Rose Solo, Dillon something-or-another, and the new Dillon Chris Olka. They were all good, but I just don't know the tuba well enough yet to tell the nuances of the mouthpieces. Plenty of time to experiment coming up. Hey, it's only been a day!

Took it to rehearsal last night, and I was right at home on it. Oh, and the 23 fifth valve is great. Ben, you're right, the 12345 pedal CC is a cool option, and as luck has it, I actually have a need for a very soft pedal CC in this concert. Cool!

BORT!!! Congrats. Play 'er in good health.

Many happy years for you and your new friend!

Mark

¡Felicidades! Just in case your new horn speaks Spanish!

Bort, So pleased you have found the tuba you have been searching It is a great feeling when you find just the tuba for you!

Definitely feels "right" and is a really good match for me. Used it in band last night and tonight, and thought it sounded great. Response is great, low register totally rocks (run from CC to pedal CC was fun!), and intonation is like you'd expect on a 188. Will take me a bit to get totally comfortable and learn all of the nuances, but I can tell now that this tuba is going to stick with me for a long time to come. Good... I was getting tired of shopping so much!

Other info and a few questions:
-- All 5 valves are vented. Awesome.
-- 1st valve slide and 5th valve slide are set up for stop rods. Looks like it was stock, but not sure. The braces are there, but the rods are missing. Not sure if I even want/need those, but would it be easy to replace those?
-- 5th valve lever is a bit of a reach for me... but I have problems with a lot of 5th valves. Might have it adjusted at some point.
-- Down the road, I may consider stripping the (already flaking) lacquer from the bell. Any easy way to do that? Or better to let it run its course?
-- Does anyone other than WWBW sell the Miraphone gig bags?

Also, a proper thank you to Matt Walters -- back in December, I visited Dillon's and loved a new gold brass 188...but it was too much for me to afford. He said he'd keep an ear to the ground for me, and sure enough, a few weeks ago I got a pleasant surprise email from him. The rest is history.

Ok, and a few pictures to come tomorrow, promise!

Here it is!

Is that one of the ones that Miraphfone called "Anniversary Edition?"

It looks like an Anniversary Model to me. I've been confused by the talk of the various finishes, especially on the Miraphones. Is there a difference between gold brass and red brass? And, is there a yellow brass - plain lacquer? Back in the 80's, I owned a lacquered 188, and then the Anniversary Model. Am I hyjacking this thread?

Yes, I think this is the "Anniversary Edition" Mirafone... oddly enough, I almost bought one of these same "special" models a about a year ago as well (but it was in Europe, and too hard to ship here). At that time, I emailed Miraphone what that designation meant, and they said they didn't have a record of a special edition, though the full nickel-silver valve block was the main difference (and that it should last forever).

Matt told me that yellow brass is 75/25 (copper/zinc), and gold brass is 85/15 (copper/zinc). I *think* that red brass and gold brass are the same thing, but not certain about that. If not, I'd guess that red brass has even more copper content, though much more and it's nearly all copper!

Hi-
Beautiful looking horn!
BTW, this topic has been discussed before, and each company has their 'own formula' for brass, but I think(?) the "approx." ratio(s) of copper/zinc is:
Yellow Brass: 70/30
Gold Brass: 80/20
Red/Rose Brass: 90/10

Have fun with the horn!
mark

bort wrote:the full nickel-silver valve block was the main difference (and that it should last forever)

I heard that nickel is the best metal of all for the rotary valve block.

bort wrote: Other info and a few questions:
...
-- 1st valve slide and 5th valve slide are set up for stop rods. Looks like it was stock, but not sure. The braces are there, but the rods are missing. Not sure if I even want/need those, but would it be easy to replace those?
....

From the picture, they look like Bach parts. I'm sure Matt Walters can supply you with the parts (or maybe even the Dillon's trumpet repair guy). If they are Bach parts, the rods and nuts are 5-40 size, which is a little odd.