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Just tried the revised prototype of the Kanstul Grand CC and BBb tubas!
These are really large tubas with large throat large bell (Sorry, did not have time to measure the bell, but it looks 19" or larger.) surprisingly agile for such a large instrument! It will take me a while to figure out how to post pictures here, but you can look me up on my Facebook page and see the picture and a short video. My name is Howard Miyata. Do note that the bell "collar" that was on the earlier prototypes is now gone, Zig just made a new mandrel with a a monster throat inspired by The Jacobs York. Hope you can Facebook me and see it!

Wow, that looks like a 13/8 horn to me.

Looks cool. Thanks for posting.

Anyone have a link (for this of us without FB)?

What an odd placement of the main tuning slide.

I forgot to mention that both 5/4 Grand tubas BBb and CC will be on display at the NAMM show in January, along with all the other Kanstul York 4/4 tubas in CC, BBb, and EEb and the new 3/4 F tuba.
Also note that on the 5/4 tubas, the York Alloy is around the entire body! Other notes: the BBb prototype has the fifth valve slide up by the first valve slide, while the CC fifth valve slide is down below like the 4/4 tubas are! Which wrap will prevail? Anything can happen between now and January! Kanstul pays attention to input at the trade shows thus improving the products, so the entire line of tubas continues to evolve. Oh, a little plug, John Van Houghton plays the prototype Grand CC on the Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol movie sound track.

One correction,just noticed that the Grand CC fifth valve slide is also on the top just next to the first valve slide, which puts the main tuning slide to the bottom left of the picture. The BBb main tuning slide is in a more traditional placement at the bottom center. I suspect the CC wrap lowers the center of gravity.

I've always suspected that the Wurlitzer was a stenciled York! In BBb!

Does this version have the larger .750 valve set or the smaller .689 valves the first proto-type had? I got a chance to play a Grand CC last week and I didn't like the feel down in the low range, too tight for my tastes. But the upper register just sang and play extremely well. When I test play horns, and even among the many horns I own, I tend to like the response and feel I get from the larger bore valve sets.

As substantial in size as the photo make the Grand CC/BBb appear, does the label "5/4" imply that there is yet to be a 6/4 Kanstul?

UncleBeer wrote:What an odd placement of the main tuning slide.

Probably to clear the bottom fourth valve tuning slide?
I have encountered the same issue in the tuba I am rebuilding, and decided that to maintain reasonable ergonomics I might only have a top 4th tuning slide and have the bottom be a fixed crook.

Thanks for the post, Howard. This is the first time in a VERY LONG time that I really want to try (and possibly purchase) a new tuba. BTW - would you describe it as a 5/4 or 6/4 in terms of size, sound and response?

I think I have to mop the drool off my keyboard! A new, 5/4-6/4, American-made pro CC . . . a dream come true~!

I shall confirm bore sizes this morning, will get back to you soon!

Please bear in mind that 4/4 --5/4 sizes are relative to that manufacture's line of tubas. Think Holton 345 for comparable size. CC has great agility and broad tone, BBb has a huge sonority dark smooth and buttery. In the factory the acoustics are not ideal, but based on playing the rest of the tuba line in that room, and playing my 4/4 in good conditions, these tubas are wonderful!

Tubacube wrote:Please bear in mind that 4/4 --5/4 sizes are relative to that manufacture's line of tubas. Think Holton 345 for comparable size.

Thanks, Howard. Understood that the x/4 designation is subjective and up the the manufacturer. Just to be clear, you're saying the Holton 345 is a comparable size?

I can't imagine Kanstul building a tuba bigger than the 5/4 Grand, if they did they would need a chair disclaimer for structural robustness.

Anybody else notice that about a month or two ago, Kanstul's facebook page disappeared and all references to the 5/4 CC and BBb where gone from the Kanstul website? I'm just kind of curious as to why.

EDIT: Well, either I'm loosing my mind or the facebook page was down and is now back up, either is equally possible.

Tubacube wrote:Please bear in mind that 4/4 --5/4 sizes are relative to that manufacture's line of tubas. Think Holton 345 for comparable size.

345???? Not hardly! The one I played last week had the two piece bell and was sitting right next to my 345 during the rehearsal. I had just set down my Holton when I picked the Kanstul to give a test play. It is not as big as my Holton! The branches and bell are more in line size wise to my York-Master or the York model 712.

Bandmaster wrote:Does this version have the larger .750 valve set or the smaller .689 valves the first proto-type had? I got a chance to play a Grand CC last week and I didn't like the feel down in the low range, too tight for my tastes. But the upper register just sang and play extremely well. When I test play horns, and even among the many horns I own, I tend to like the response and feel I get from the larger bore valve sets.

One of the prototypes had the smaller bore but they are being built with the bigger bore. Played the first production one at Ferguson's and it was awesome! Thick tuba. Not quite 6/4 size. For sure will compete with tubas in the thor/pt6 size area and IMHO is way better than those two tubas.