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So I'm graduating from high school next month and I have 2 choices for tubas I could play over the summer. I have the tuba I use at my high school which is a Yamaha ybb-641 that I've played for the last 4 years Pros: Don't have to check out the tuba from college yet, I'm familiar with it. Cons: I'm familiar with it, I have to bring it back in July, I don't like rotors. The other tuba at the college i'm attending is a Conn J series tuba (not sure which) Pros: I played one of them on my college visit last November, I like piston valve tubas, I get it early, I just have to bring it back when I move in, its something new. Cons: I have to go through a process to be able to get it early, I've been told by one of the students they aren't great, I have to haul it home after my orientation. Thanks guys.

Not that it helps with your decision, but just as information, all Conn tubas since Mr Conn sold the company in 1915 have a J at the end of the model number. The J just means the instrument in question is a tuba. FWIW.

If the Conn is what you will have in the fall, you might as well get started with it...

Grab the horn from the college you will be attending in the fall.

Why?

1.) This is the horn you will be auditioning on for chair placements (band/orch), so get used to it.

2.) Having time to get used to the horn and finding the best mouthpiece for it and your face is very helpful in sounding your best.

3.) This is the horn you will be using until you buy one; finding out the things you do and don't like about it should help narrow down the choices when you do buy a horn.

4.) In most schools, upperclassmen have '1st dibs' on signing out university-owned instruments; but if you get there first you can play whatever the school has sitting there and select the one you like.

5.) Bring cash or your checkbook when going to your college, signing out instruments usually requires a fee; but it is ultra cheap compared to buying one!

I owned a YBB 641 once, don't base your feelings about rotors on that instrument alone. Sounds like you should take advantage of the Conn, though.

Jon gave you some really good advice. Such that it is something you're likely to play in the fall-and all tubas have intonation issues-if you use it now you'll either learn and overcome the ones on the horn you'll be using or at the very least have improved since you forced yourself to try a new horn. At some point it comes down to having a good sound on a decent horn, not being able to find the perfect horn that gives you the good sound; at least until you can afford to buy yourself into thinking otherwise.

Good luck!

Thanks guys. And I MIGHT still have the yamaha when I check out the Conn because my orientation is before my school year is over. If I do I'll compare them. Since Jon also mentioned mouthpieces, I've used a Perantucci PT-50 on the yamaha for a year and a half and I've thought about changing to a Marty Erickson 5 because it has given me better tone and intonation across a few different horns(yamaha, st. pete, willson, miraphone, kalison, etc.) So if the perantucci doesn't do it, I think I might pick up one of those.