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I'm a high school student about to purchase a tuba for college. Talking to some of the local professors and they say that Rudolf Meinl and Hirsbrunner are the best brands, but can't agree on which they think is the best, just trying to get some info. I will note I am a rotary valve player not a piston. I also can't seem to find the time it takes for Rudolf Meinl make an instrument.

Haven't really checked into much looking for recommendations, Hirsbrunner and Rudolf Meinl are just what the professors recommended. And the lag time on a new Hirsbrunner is 1 year. 44k is a little out of my price range unfortunately.

Too many good choices, those tubas are fine, but so are Miraphone, Meinl Weston, and Perantucci.

But what justifies their significantly higher prices

Whose higher prices? Unless I'm so far out the loop, Miraphones are still less expensive than RMs or HBs. I'm thinking both new and used. MW seems to have developed into a boutique brand of sorts, but the 3450 CC isn't too outrageous for what most other tubas are going for these days. How many tubas have you played on yet? I wouldn't get so hung up on the piston vs rotor deal, buy what's the easiest tuba you can play in tune with a good sound in your price range.

Sorry wasn't specific I meant justifies Hirsbrunner and Rudy Meinl's high prices

Maximum_Tuba wrote:Sorry wasn't specific I meant justifies Hirsbrunner and Rudy Meinl's high prices

IMO, it would not be worth the time and expense for a high school student to buy either of the horns new. You're preferences/needs will change, and new horns can take HUGE dips in resale value.
That being said, I own a Rudy piston CC and have owned an HB rotary CC. They are both very nice horns, but the Meinls, Miras, etc are also nice, just in different ways. Make a trip to Baltimore Brass, Dillon Music, Ferguson, etc and test a few out.

It isn't always the company charging a high amount because they can. The cost of doing business in Europe continues to skyrocket, just as it is over here. And sales aren't off the chart either. The EU has so many restrictions and regulations on manufacturing and anything new makes the costs even higher.

In the case of Rudolf Meinl tubas, they are a small family-run business that hand-makes almost everything that goes out the door. The exception is the piston valve sets they get from another manufacturer in Germany. The man hours involved to complete one tuba hasn't really changed over the years there, but all the associated costs have gone up and that has to be passed on to the customer in order to stay in business.

Lead time on a new horn from RM is about three months and a new 4/4 CC will set you back about $20K.

There is a healthy used market and one can find good deals. Don't know anything about this particular horn but it's worth a look. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=54811" target="_blank

I feel someone should say something here, but I don't know where to start... Hoping its a troll( federally insured student loans paid for by us)...

bloke wrote:...so... What's the lag time on a new Hb...??

Peter says 60 days. And he has a 5/4 piston CC in stock.

-Ferguson

Mike Mason said:

I feel someone should say something here, but I don't know where to start...

Well, I'll take a stab at it. I think it's nuts for a prospective college freshman to spend ~$20K on a new tuba which is going to be used and worth $15K or less at the end of the first semester. College is going to lead to lots of new experiences and there is no guarantee that the student is going to be playing the same tuba in a year or two, or even still in music as a major. I see lots of ads for tubas being sold by students who are leaving their music major.

I would suggest that the student have a serious talk with one or more prospective professors about what they could live with as the student's first tuba. I won't mention the Chinese clones, but they are there, and I just bought a BBb from someone who used it through his BM and is now changing to CC for grad school. There are plenty of fine used tubas out there which will work well for a college student. Many pros in orchestras buy used tubas, so they ought to be good enough for a student.

If someone is asking this question with a straight face, it tells me they have not done the numbers on what their degree is going to cost and whether those costs are going to be justified by the jobs available, etc., etc. There are several recent threads on these issues, so I won't go any further.

Let's see: price of a new Rudy or Hirsbrunner compared to the price of, if ever reinstated, a trip on the Concorde: about the time I have the $$ to purchase a new one of either, It will be far enough in the future that I'll also be able to purchase a round trip ticket on the Concorde or its successor to go pick it up in person.

Maximum_Tuba wrote:I'm a high school student about to purchase a tuba for college. Talking to some of the local professors and they say that Rudolf Meinl and Hirsbrunner are the best brands, but can't agree on which they think is the best, just trying to get some info. I will note I am a rotary valve player not a piston. I also can't seem to find the time it takes for Rudolf Meinl make an instrument.

Welcome to the forum!

You've gotten a mixture of some good advice and some sarcastic comments, which is typical. Take it all with a grain of salt.

I'll add two pieces of advice:

1. Don't be in a hurry to buy a horn. Play as many different horns as you can. Enjoy it in the meantime - the process can be fun.

2. I'd hesitate to say something like "I will note I am a rotary valve player not a piston." I tend to agree with my former college tuba professor: If I find a horn I like, I can make the valves work.

(Having said all that, though, I'll echo what's already been said: strongly consider a used Miraphone, as you play-test and as you get closer to a decision.)

Uncle Buck wrote:(Having said all that, though, I'll echo what's already been said: strongly consider a used Miraphone, as you play-test and as you get closer to a decision.)

As mentioned, there are many fine, and varied, tubas available. The fact remains that it is difficult to go wrong with a Miraphone. I happen to own two of them(CC & Eb). The CC is my all-around axe. It will take on a large variety of usages.

(The Miraphone Eb, and a Conn Monster Eb that I own, aren't getting much playing time, these days. I should probably sell them, since they are only taking up space in my home.)

I should have mentioned that I also own a 5/4 Rudy. It is a great horn. I use it for an occasional orchestra gig, and as I play in the San Antonio Wind Symphony. The Miraphone 186 is more versatile. The Rudy is more powerful.

I play a used horn and love it. My suggestion is to find one on the for sale on TubeNet and maybe try to take it for a test drive. Whoever owns it might ship it to you or might let you swing by for a test drive. Also, I agree with everyone else that Miraphone, Meinl, B&S, Besson, and many others have great options, so don't forget about them.

jtuba wrote:Whose higher prices? Unless I'm so far out the loop, Miraphones are still less expensive than RMs or HBs. I'm thinking both new and used. MW seems to have developed into a boutique brand of sorts, but the 3450 CC isn't too outrageous for what most other tubas are going for these days. How many tubas have you played on yet? I wouldn't get so hung up on the piston vs rotor deal, buy what's the easiest tuba you can play in tune with a good sound in your price range.

Words of wisedom. Price oftern does not justify a far superior horn. My Willson 3100 was $9500 and was at a steal price. The Nirschl 6/4 BBb was amazing but at $24000 it was reaching the point of deminishing return. Was a difference of $15000 worth the extra 10% of a better horn. Not really.... IMHO 15 grand was not a sane move to get something that was just a little bit better. I agree with jtuba. Dont get hung up on rotors vs pistons, thats apples to oranges. Or that a Hirsbrunner will be the answer just because it has a high pricepoint. Miras, Yamies, Meinls, Willys, are all good horns. Get out to somewhere that has horns to try and put some air through some horns. It may cost a little extra but you will be glad that you did and may decide Rudys or Hirsbrunners are not what you wanted after all.