Please try to not throw up! (FAQ inside) Miraphone related.

[scottw]

I'm not too sure exactly what you're asking. Do you want to buy a new or a used Mirafone? Know that every horn is different, but Mirafones are well-known for their level of quality throughout the line. You really need to go to one of the tuba shops known to this board and try out either new or older horns and let your new tuba find you. Where are you located? That answer will help us direct you to a quality seller. Alternatively, you might try the "for sale" lists on this site, but trying a horn is sometimes tough to work out.

[Steve Inman]

I have played a 3/4 Rudy CC at Brasswind several years back. I seem to remember it playing similarly (not exactly the same) as the Miraphone 186 CC I used to own. These horns have similar shape, and the Miraphone bore size is a bit larger (.770 vs .728, I think). I don't know anything about leadpipe taper.

Some folks feel the Miraphone 186's feel a little stuffy. I never noticed this, but I grew up on a 186 BBb, so that's my standard of comparison. I know the Meinl Weston BBb I switched to in high school took more air, but this could easily have been a function of the mpc that came with the school-provided tubas.

My (previous) 186CC was a fine quintet horn, with the capability of handling community band, brass choir, pit orchestra duties as well. I suspect it would be a reasonable dixie horn also. You will probably have to push in the 1st valve slide an inch for the D in the staff, and may have to finger the Eb and E directly above as 2-3 and 1-2. These seem to be the "typical" Miraphone quirks that I'm aware of.

HTH,