Review of the Meinl Weston 2155R CC Tuba

[LCTuba89]

In November of 2009, I was asked by the president of my community band if I would like to play a CC tuba. The BBb tuba I was playing at the time had quite a few issues that couldn't be fixed right away. So I decided to accept the offer and next week he had brought the tuba out of storage. When I saw the case I didn't think much of it, of course once I opened it I was very surprised. It was coated in a rich lacquer and the silver trimmings were spectacular, but what caught my eye the most was it's size. This tuba although shorter than a Miraphone 186 standing on its bell, was wider and the mouth of the bell was enormous. So I began to play the tuba, of course I had to learn a whole new set of fingerings, but I love learning a new instrument. I soon realized just how much lung power I was lacking because playing a 4/4 size tuba was a breeze compared to this horn, but I also noticed it's very very difficult to overblow this horn, in fact I tried several times to overblow this horn with little or no success and that's a big plus when it comes to tubas. The valves respond quickly and very easy to press down, it even comes with a 5th compensating valve. The tone of this instrument is amazing, it's not too dark sounding in a small room, but it sounded like a pedal section of a pipe organ in larger rooms and I love that. Outside you'll notice this horn isn't very loud compared to a 4/4 tuba because 4/4 tubas have more harmonic overtones in its timbre, but indoors this horn has no equal. Now comes the negative points of this horn. The intonation of this horn is certainly not the best, but it is certainly manageable. The open 3rd partial G is flat, the 2nd valve 3rd partial Gb is also flat, the 2-3 valve combination 3rd partial Eb is sharp. I usually play G with valves 1-3 and Gb valves 1-2-3, and I can usually lip the Eb. If you're used to playing a Miraphone 186 or any tuba with a similar shape, you will soon learn that you cannot put this horn in your lap because of the sheer size of it. Other than the intonation and the size, the horn is very excellent. I have attempted to play 4/4 tubas again, but I keep coming back to this horn. 4/4 horns just don't have the rich, deep presence this horn has and end I up overblowing the 4/4 tubas easily because I'm so used to playing with a lot of lung power which this monster requires. Although this is only a 5/4 size tuba, remember it is a rotary 5/4 which means it can easily compete with a piston 6/4 horn in terms of tone and power. If you ever come across this horn, don't let the intonation issues discourage you, because this horn has more positive qualities that easily overtake those issues.

The tuba I'm holding in my avatar picture is the MW 2155R.

[MartyNeilan]

There is a lot more info about that model, good bad and otherwise, in this thread:
/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=25911
Note that there were only a relative few of these tubas made, and virtually every one is slightly different from the next. Mine had a detachable leadpipe and two factory installed triggers for the first and second slides.

[toobagrowl]

Great review, Collin. Everything in your post was spot-on about the horn. I have owned my M-W 2155R for about 11 years now and love it. It's not perfect, but it is manageable and has a great sound - better than most tubas. I might get the leadpipe lowered and lifted off the bell in the future....not sure yet.
We are probably the only two ppl on this site who own this model. I LIKE the fact that not many are around

[LCTuba89]

Note that there were only a relative few of these tubas made, and virtually every one is slightly different from the next.

Just how many of these were made? I know the rotary model only lasted a good few years and it's Meinl Weston so I can imagine the number is pretty small.

[LCTuba89]

Great review, Collin. Everything in your post was spot-on about the horn. I have owned my M-W 2155R for about 11 years now and love it. It's not perfect, but it is manageable and has a great sound - better than most tubas. I might get the leadpipe lowered and lifted off the bell in the future....not sure yet.
We are probably the only two ppl on this site who own this model. I LIKE the fact that not many are around

Yeah I feel you, it's a nice feeling being the only CC in a group of BBbs, a rare 5/4 CC at that.

[toobagrowl]

I used my 2155R CC throughout most of college and for 4 years in a symphony orchestra. Still pull it out for subbing every once in a while. Actually I used it in a symphony pops concert at the park a week ago and just practiced on it tonight. Need to do something about that clanky 2nd valve.
I use the old rotary BBb for concert band and the piston Eb's for brass quintet. Sometimes I switch them up, though, whenever I feel like it.

As far as how many 2155R's were made......

I asked and was told "between 20 and 25" by the Meinl-Weston rep at an ITEC years ago.
Pretty rare The piston 2155 soon replaced the rotary 2155.

[LCTuba89]

WOW 20 to 25 of them? That's extremely rare! The one I got was purchased back in 1993, I guess that was the last year for them.

[toobagrowl]

WOW 20 to 25 of them? That's extremely rare! The one I got was purchased back in 1993, I guess that was the last year for them.

Yeah, that's what I was told. I bought mine used back in late 2000; dunno how long the first owner had it.

[MartyNeilan]

As far as how many 2155R's were made......

I asked and was told "between 20 and 25" by the Meinl-Weston rep at an ITEC years ago.
Pretty rare The piston 2155 soon replaced the rotary 2155.

And, about the only thing they had in common was the first four digits of the model number.

[LCTuba89]

Looking at my serial number which is CF-116, I'd say this the 16th horn of this model they produced.

[MartyNeilan]

Looking at my serial number which is CF-116, I'd say this the 16th horn of this model they produced.

Mine never had a serial number or model number anywhere to be found on it. Lee Stofer labeled it as a "Mystery Meinl Weston"

[LCTuba89]

Looking at my serial number which is CF-116, I'd say this the 16th horn of this model they produced.

Mine never had a serial number or model number anywhere to be found on it. Lee Stofer labeled it as a "Mystery Meinl Weston"

Guess they forgot to engrave the serial number because mine has the number hand engraved on one of the valves.

[Wyvern]

I think the 2155R has more in common with the Thor and (especially) the Tuono.

Has anyone had a chance to play an old 2155R against the Thor, or Tuono to compare the sound?

[toobagrowl]

Collin, do you have any number stamped on any valve casing? Mine has CF-111 hand etched on the side of the 3rd rotor casing and 92117 stamped on top of the second valve rotor casing plate.

I think the 2155R has a larger leadpipe and bore than the Thor. The bore is easily in the .800+ range ........I THINK .807 with a larger 4th valve bore (I just checked when looking for serial #). I pulled the 2nd valve slide from the 2155R and pulled the second valve slide from my ole Holton BBb 350 bell front. The Holton's second slide not only easily goes into the M-W's 2155R's second slide, but had lots of loose wiggle room too. If I remember correctly, the Holton 345/350 tubas have a .750 bore, similar to the Thor.
Then I pulled the 4th valve slide from the 2155R and found that the 2nd valve slide from the same horn easily goes into the 4th valve slide. The 5th valve slide bore is smaller than the 4th valve bore. It has the same .807 ish bore as valves 1,2,3. I am GUESSING the 4th valve bore is somewhere around .846; I could be wrong. Guess I need to buy digital calipers...

If someone has real documentation on the specs, we would appreciate it.

edit: I just checked the M-W website and found the Touno has a .807 bore w/ .846 4th valve.

http://melton.ta-musik.com/melton-meinl ... a-239.html" target="_blank

[LCTuba89]

My 2155R only has the one serial number I mentioned, no others. Damn! The bore of the 2155R is in the .800+ range? That's huge! Here I thought it was .748 like the rest of the M-W tubas.

[Michael Bush]

I'm astounded there is a community band out there with a tuba like that, *in storage* no less!

[MartyNeilan]

I'm astounded there is a community band out there with a tuba like that, *in storage* no less!

Considering that it is in CC and the intonation, the "in storage" part does not surprise me one bit. Mine had the fifth valve jammed down and was played as a BBb before it was "rescued." Given the 3rd partial problems as a CC tuba, I can only imagine what the pitch on one of these would be like played as a pseudo BBb.

[Michael Bush]

I'm astounded there is a community band out there with a tuba like that, *in storage* no less!

Considering that it is in CC and the intonation, the "in storage" part does not surprise me one bit. Mine had the fifth valve jammed down and was played as a BBb before it was "rescued." Given the 3rd partial problems as a CC tuba, I can only imagine what the pitch on one of these would be like played as a pseudo BBb.

I understand. I'm just surprised that first, the band could afford it (but maybe it was a gift) and second, that they hadn't sold it long ago. My band couldn't afford to keep an asset like that sitting in storage in the hope that maybe someday someone with the skills and patience to learn to use it might come along!

[LCTuba89]

I'm astounded there is a community band out there with a tuba like that, *in storage* no less!

Considering that it is in CC and the intonation, the "in storage" part does not surprise me one bit. Mine had the fifth valve jammed down and was played as a BBb before it was "rescued." Given the 3rd partial problems as a CC tuba, I can only imagine what the pitch on one of these would be like played as a pseudo BBb.

I understand. I'm just surprised that first, the band could afford it (but maybe it was a gift) and second, that they hadn't sold it long ago. My band couldn't afford to keep an asset like that sitting in storage in the hope that maybe someday someone with the skills and patience to learn to use it might come along!

The horn was donated to the band by a former tuba player in the group back in 1999, he also played in our local orchestra. He is very old now so he can't really play tuba anymore. Even though this horn has intonation issues, I can play it just fine without any problems, but I do need to get a bigger mouthpiece for it. Why they didn't sell is probably because the donor is highly respected. There have only been 2 other tuba players in our group that have attempted to play it, both went back to BBb by the next rehearsal. So far I'm am the only one who has played it for a long period of time, going on 2 years in November actually. I can understand why people wouldn't like it because of the intonation issues, but the famous Alexander or Yorkbrunner tubas have intonation issues too and look how wonderful they sound. This beauty has a HUGE sound, and because of that, the intonation issue easily manageable.

[toobagrowl]

I'm astounded there is a community band out there with a tuba like that, *in storage* no less!

Considering that it is in CC and the intonation, the "in storage" part does not surprise me one bit. Mine had the fifth valve jammed down and was played as a BBb before it was "rescued." Given the 3rd partial problems as a CC tuba, I can only imagine what the pitch on one of these would be like played as a pseudo BBb.

I can think of many, many tubas with equally "bad" or even worse intonation than the 2155R. And I have played mine as a "pseudo BBb" and have posted about it here. I cut off an inch from the 5th valve slide to bring it up to pitch as a BBb. There is still 2.5" - 3" of pull on the 5th slide. All open partials as a BBb tuba were smack-on; no flat 3rd partial. But the Eb's were SHARP. The low 2+3 Db was a little sharp too. If I could somehow get a longer first valve slide (2+ inches longer) and a longer 3rd valve slide, it could be played quite well in tune as a pseudo BBb