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I JUST got a 4460. Norm Pearson recommended this tuba to me. If you are considering a large rotary F, this instrument should be on your short list. If you are in or around the SF Bay Area, you are welcome to come over and give mine a honk. Email me for a photo: ttuba@comcast.net" target="_blank

Congrats! Dang... how many tubas do you have, anyway?

Recently tried the 5v version of this horn and it's EPIC! Wonderful! The first horn to give the beautiful tone of an Alex a run for it's money. WOW.

J.c.S.

I case you were wondering what it looks like here's a picture of my 4460.
Norm

Hey, Tony/Norm, how does it compare to the rotax Willson 3200?

<besides being much lighter!>

I have never been able to play the Willson. I was VERY interested in the Willson. Try as I might, I couldn't get a sample to play. So I got the 4460.

Is this based off the Kodiak (minus the 5th and 6th valve set up)?

The way I understand it.. the 4460 is the Kodiak design tweaked to suit the tastes of the German market and the folks that build them. In other words, it's the tuba MW wants to build and is most proud of. My time comparing the two models was extremely limited but I'm inclined to think the 4460 is the better tuba.

Most of the above statement is conjecture based on a few minutes of tooting, listening, and observing body language.

tclements wrote:I have never been able to play the Willson. I was VERY interested in the Willson. Try as I might, I couldn't get a sample to play. So I got the 4460.

Wow. That's a real shame. I have the piston version and LOVE IT. I've heard the rotary version is even better.

Does the 4460 have 5 valves for the right hand and a flat half step and second valve trigger for the left hand? Could one of you guys that has one post a picture of the back of the tuba? There appears to be quite a bit of interesting linkage and plumbing.

They are a 4+2 set up (which is MY preference), with the 6th (on top) and 5th (middle finger). Even with the long rods, the LH valves are fast & smooth. I tried to post a photo, but It didn't look good and it was a HUGE file. I can email you one, if you like. I am so loving this horn!

I just happened to have a photo of Tony's 4460 sent to me from Steve Ferguson at Horn Guys.

Tony's tuba is a 4+2 set up. The third trigger on the left hand is a 2nd slide kicker.

My 4460 is a 5+1 with a left hand 2nd slide kicker. I also had them make me an extra 5th slide (2-3 tuning) since I am one of the 1% who prefers that set up.

I'll try to get a photo of the back side of the tuba posted soon.

Norm Pearson

Here are a few pictures that Tony emailed me.

Looking good! How are the valves on this horn?

The valve cluster on this tuba is very interesting. the 1st valve, looks like a normal 5th. The leadpipe goes into the bottom of the valve and the air flow makes a sharp jog UP when the valve is engaged. Also the 1st pipe is a 'smooth flow' type, like many main slides are designed. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th valve look like the 'normal 1,2,& 3. The 6th valve is where a 4th valve would be ordinarily, only with a short valve grafted on upside down. The 5th valve is where a normal 'after-cluster design' (like the Gronitz FZ-125) 5th valve would be. Wonderful instrument.

What nobody has ever discussed is the possibility of a midstream F tuba. Upstream, downstream, yes, but nothing about midstream.

tclements wrote:The valve cluster on this tuba is very interesting. the 1st valve, looks like a normal 5th. The leadpipe goes into the bottom of the valve and the air flow makes a sharp jog UP when the valve is engaged. . .

The Cerveny 653 makes the same entry into the valve cluster, as do the B&S rotary F tubas, JBL Classic F, Willson 3200 F and the Rudi Meinl model 43 F. I always thought that right-angle turn into the valve block would make the horn play stuffy, but to me they definitely don't and the aforementioned F tubas are some of my favorites. As a matter of fact, I always thought my old MW 45 was a stuffy F, and the leadpipe makes it's entry into the valve block the "normal" route.

**Edit: noticed the MW Tuono leadpipe makes the same entry into the valve block**

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Finally, Swiss Army has started to make tubas!

I would have LOVED to try a Willson: http://willson.ch/instr_e/tuba/ftuba3200rz-5-e.html" target="_blank - but I couldn't get one to try. The older I get, the more I realize for me ONE f tuba doesn't do all that I need to do. What works in quintet, may not be the sound I want for a solo, or in the orchestra. Each horn has it's own voice and sonic capapilities.