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Anyone had a chance to play the Jupiter 3/4 BBb tuba, model 482? What was your opinion of the horn in terms of sound, range, intonation, quality of materials and construction, etc. If you have not actually tested one, please don't respond. Thanks.

i tested one at Baltimore Brass back in Novermber. I also played the 582 model. Although i didnt play them much, here is what i thought. For the pricing of the horn i thought that the construction was great. The adjustable thumb ring was a nice touch. The sound i got out of them seemed a little thin to me. Maybe it was because the mouthpiece i was using didnt match up with the horns very well (kellyberg) or maybe they were dry and needed to be warmed up a bit more than the time i gave them (however, other horns i tried that day sounded much better with little playing..namely the MW-25 and the Sanders and Karl Ziess). If the horn sounded a little better to my ear with a mouthpiece change or warming them up a bit more I would buy one without hesitation, But from my very short test i would have to say no. I will be back at BBC later this month or early in January and I will try them again and give them more time and update this post.

I tried them in two different settings. Once last year at mid-west, and the second time at Arkansas Bandmasters Association summer convention in August.

I used the same Mar. H1 each time. I was not impressed with the sound the first time. I felt that it was stuffy and thin. That was very out of characteristic with the 582 that I was used to. I will admit that I was trying out several horns at the time, and thought about trying it again at a different time and setting.

The second time came, and I tried it first before going to larger horns. I was a little more receptive to the horn at that point. Of course, it was a different horn as well, so my first impression may have been due to a horn with misaligned valves as well as my embouchure at the time.

I think my impression is that the horn would be good for the junior high player who will set in a section of more than two players. To me, it is not the horn for the single student in a junior high band. It may also work good for a person who wants a small BBb horn for quintet or small brass ensemble who would like the tuning of the 4th valve, but is not looking for a big bass sound.

FWIW

Tom Mason

I played a 482 at Dillons after Thanksgiving and was impressed. It would be a great student horn at a good price.

kne k

I have played one at Dillon's a while ago, and from what I remember, it played very well for such a small tuba. One thing that I did notice though was the leadpipe was way too high for the tuba. A shorter person or young student would have trouble reaching the mouthpiece in a normal slightly angled up right position. I have heard someone say that this problem may have been fixed but I haven't been back to see it myself.