TubeNet

Title says it all. I'm looking to try someone's Alex 164 CC in Europe. I live in Germany and could pretty much make any day work if one is in Germany. If outside of Germany ill most likely have to make the trip on a weekend. If you have one and are kind enough to let me play on it please send me a message here.

Thanks in advance

Sembach is not very far from Mainz (factory location for Alexander).
Have you checked with them to see if they have a factory showroom there with a sample horn?
I remember hearing that they only build Tubas like the 164CC to order.
I will be a bit surprised if they say yes that they have one you can try, but it's still worth asking.

I'm writing mostly out of curiosity. I don't know if they even have a factory showroom or if you'll have to find a dealer.

I have been there many times and am good friends with a few of the builders/workers. They have a showroom, but it's mainly French horns. I do though pretty much get to play all the brand new tubas there before they finish them. I have played two 164 BBb tubas there, one 163 BBb, the 3/4 BBb that is made with the F tuba bell, and six f tubas there but never a CC at the factory. I liked the 164 BBb a lot but want to compare it to the CC model before I make an order for one.

How big is the 164 BBb Alex tuba ? compared to say a Mirafone or big 6/4 Rudy ? im interested if you have played any of these others and can let me know about them as well , compared to the big Alex 164 , thank you !

I have played one of the newer model 164 CC and they are huge. I almost bought one for a great price but it was the biggest air hog and very out of tune tuba I have ever played. The main problem was the amount of air it took and I returned it the next day. Not sure if there have been improvements to the model or if the older models are like that but I would be very curious as to how they play today.

Keep us posted.

bububassboner wrote:...3/4 BBb that is made with the F tuba bell, and six f tubas...

bububassboner, how did the 3/4 BBb and the new Alex F's play? I occasionally regret selling that funky (albeit, very good) 3+3 Alex F...

BrassBandBass wrote:How big is the 164 BBb Alex tuba ? compared to say a Mirafone or big 6/4 Rudy ? im interested if you have played any of these others and can let me know about them as well , compared to the big Alex 164 , thank you !

Well I have played all those models but not back to back. The miraphone 190 was kinda tight down low. The alexander did not in any way have this problem. The alexander isn't as big as the Rudy 6/4 but again the low end was better on the alexander.

I did however compare the alexander 164 BBb to my Nirschl CC. Pitch was easy on both. Maybe it's because I play a big tuba all the time but I didn't find the Alex hard to steer at all. The Alex wasn't as agile as my Nirschl but the low range on the Alex made my Nirschl sound like a toy down low. For those how have played my Nirschl or heard me on it you know that my Nirschl is, after a lot of modification, one of the easiest low range 6/4 CC tubas out there, and the alexander put it in its place. My wife preferred the thick, colorful sound of the alexander to the wider sound of the nirschl.

That's why I'm looking into the 164 CC. I always find CC tubas to be more agile than BBb tubas. If I can get that sound in a CC and not have terrible pitch that would be amazing. If the CC lacks that sound of the BBb than ill get a BBb.

TheHatTuba wrote:

bububassboner wrote:...3/4 BBb that is made with the F tuba bell, and six f tubas...

bububassboner, how did the 3/4 BBb and the new Alex F's play? I occasionally regret selling that funky (albeit, very good) 3+3 Alex F...

Well the 3/4 BBb was like a miraphone 184 but with a better sound. It was only a three valve horn and was going to a school. It would have been cooler as a CC tuba.

All six F tubas were outstanding horns. I played pretty much every configuration one could get. 5 valves, 6 valves, 5 valve double F/CC, yellow brass, gold brass, and even one with a main tuning slide kicker. Pitch on all of them was about the same for me as my B&S symphonie F tuba. They are a little on the smaller side compared to the B&S but they have a more focused, and compact sound. If I was searching for a brand new f tuba these would be on my short list.

The older 164 BBb is a great horn, even the 163 BBb is a great horn with good pitch. When I was a Hartt they had a 164 BBb and I Had a hirshbrunner 5/4, when I set them side by side, they were almost the same exact horn from the bell to the third branch. The Hirshbrunner sucked for intonation but had a great sound. The newer 164 CC was a pig. Iowned a 163 BBb and it was great, if you can find one get it.

Bump. There has got to be at least one of these beasts in Europe.

bububassboner wrote:Bump. There has got to be at least one of these beasts in Europe.

Hmm, not sure, they make these probably for the American CC - oriented market only ...
(Who wants a CC kaiser tuba anyway ?)

Wim

There SHOULD be a silver 164CC AT Alexander.

tclements wrote:There SHOULD be a silver 164CC AT Alexander.

I know of what horn you speak. That horn was converted to BBb and sold.

Bump back to the top

For me, I have owned four Alex's and have played on dozens as well. My favorite weapon of choice without a doubt. In general, Alex tubas are known for having very distinct individual personalities. If you sit down and play four 163's, they are usually four completely different animals.

The one constant in my journeys has been this:

163 B flats - AWESOME
163 CC - Either Awesome or a dog...
164 B flats - Awesome but not as awesome as the 163's unless you get a good one.
164 CC - 90% dogs - 5% COOL - 5% UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

I have played on about 6-7 164 CC's. Only one stands out and it was the dream of all Alex freaks. if you can find that one, I am jealous.

And I agree, Alex F's are just God's F. We are always told of horns that 'sing' in the mid-higher register. I have been lucky not to come across a dog F.

After having a confab with a fellow netter, I am compelled to ask one thing about Alex's. Does anyone know if they have ever built models of CC that were not the 163 but were bigger? A couple of the bigger Alexs the owner did not know the model so I'm not going to swear they werer 164's, but were definitely bigger than the 163's....

BUMP. Just played a brand new 163 CC at the Alexander factory and it was amazing. Still looking for a 164 CC.