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Posted: **Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:59 pm**

So I'm in the process of selling my Willson for a new horn, and I've seen a horn on Dillons Music. It's a Meinl Weston 2155-S. I'm curious if anyone has played one of these, and just wanted some overall information on these horns. I don't know anything about them, so any info would help.

Another horn I've yet to try, but have questions about is the BMB 6/4 CC 5 valve. Any info and background on this horn would be appreciated, too.

My budget for a new/used horn will be around $8000-$10000. Looking for used, if possible.

Or if you have a horn for sale that isn't on the board feel free to comment or PM me about it.

Thank for the help,
Zac

Posted: **Sun Mar 30, 2014 10:19 pm**

Bump to the top.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:27 am**

bloke wrote:I'm not the princess who slept on a pea (i.e. likely, other players are more sensitive to the subtle differences), but - to me - they play quite a bit (and look quite a bit) like a M-W 2000. I put a smaller mouthpipe on a 2155 a couple of years ago (detachable, so that the original mouthpipe could be A/B'ed against the smaller one).

With the smaller mouthpipe, it played much more like a really great 4/4 (with that nice 12th/24th partial ring in the sound that I really like to hear), rather than a somewhat hollow-sounding wannabe 5/4.

I agree with everything Bloke said. I had a 2155 for a number of years (which I bought new). At Dillon I was testing three 2155s and one of the very first 2000s. The folks who work there all agreed that for me, the VERY subtle difference in the sound I was getting from the 2000 did not justify the far-heftier price tag.

It was a great playing horn with mostly solid intonation, but I felt that the horn lacked color, especially when pressed. I've heard some others sound fantastic on a 2155 but for me there was a lack of character that eventually led me to sell it.

What are you expecting from a 2155 that your Willson is/was not doing for you?

Also, the 2155 and the BMB 6/4 are VERY different beasts... the 2155 is really a large-ish 4/4 tuba, while the BMB is, well, not.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:49 pm**

I know the owner of the 2155. After I sold my horn, he allowed me to borrow it for the next 5 months while I was looking for another horn, so I know the horn pretty well. The horn plays really well and has a good consistent sound throughout all registers. Plays easily in tune. I played it in several different sizes of ensemble and never had a problem in balance. While it's not a big horn, it'll still get the job done. He's selling the horn because he bought a PT6P that he liked better. He didn't want to deal with selling it himself, so he placed it on consignment at Dillon's. It plays better than most 1255's and the previous owner kept it in very good condition.

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:02 am**

Hello!

Since you mentioned the Big Mouth Brass 6/4 CC, I just want to give my recommendation for that horn. Fantastic horn with good intonation for a 6/4. Great focus (high register is easy, low register is great). Great big colorful sound: I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from my trombone section, especially in a big hall (I play regularly in Davies Symphony Hall in SF).

It is BIG. A Nirschl seems a lot more compact than the Big Mouth Brass 6/4 (this isn't saying anything about size or bore, but rather commenting on the wrap).

5th valve is dependent. You lose the 523 combo for Db's and F#'s and 513 for low F's. Some people don't like that, and that's fine. I'm okay with it.
Here's what Mr. Barth says about the dependent 5th valve:

Chapter 5, Description: INSTRUMENT SPCIFICS
5th VALVE
The dependent fifth valve was decided on for two reasons. First, placement. Putting it before the pistons does not appeal for acoustic reasons. It is a low register valve and should be in a bigger part of the taper so it can be larger tubing. Putting it after the pistons makes for a very short tuning slide unless the conical taper is postponed. Putting it on the big side of the tuning slide is problematic because the F tuba is quite large there, much larger than the CC, .866”. The angles of such a large rotor and the size of the rotor itself are not desirable. Secondly it has been demonstrated that more valves, especially rotor valves, make for more resistance. Early testing of the CC tuba showed that the instrument played almost ‘too good’ for one particular player without the rotor. An axial flow or other modern valve of that bore would be enormous.
And so the dependent rotor seemed logical. Positioning where I did allowed for a very simple mechanism without levers; and it is adjustable in several ways. The size of the post can be changed, the rotation of the post can be changed, and if the rubber band option is employed, the tension of the return can be changed. I have posted on my blog a link to fingering suggestions for the dependent fifth valve.

The 5th valve mechanism can be rotated, the nylon lever can be tightened down by shortening the screw, the nylon can be removed to use only the rod, it can be moved inward or outward for increased or decreased leverage and the nylon can be covered with tubing to make it larger or softer. The valve can be operated with a clock spring or with a rubber band. The tension can be increased or decreased by the rubber band. Thus this, the simplest mechanism I could devise, may be the most adjustable and customizable 5th valve mechanism on the market.

I'd let you test the horn, but I'm all the way in CA. Richard Barth has sales reps all over the place, so perhaps you might want to email him to see if you can test one.

bigmouthbrass@gmail.com" target="_blank

That's also the way to order the horn, directly from him. Not sure of the pricing now, but it should fit your $8-10k range quite nicely (I got mine when it was around $7k; haven't heard of any price increase yet). Comes with a hardcase and mouthpiece as well (ask him about a softcase). His website has a lot more info: http://www.barthsbrassblog.com/" target="_blank

If you have any questions, feel free to PM or email me.

Best!

Posted: **Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:48 am**

My opinion probably isn't great because I played one for about an hour, but here it goes. I went to Baltimore brass a little over a year ago and play tested a 2155 that they had there. For me, the placement of the 5th valve was awkward for my tastes. I thought the horn was quite easy to play, but there was a certain color to the tone that I was missing. The sound was very small and thin for the size of the horn for me. I personally think this horn is more of a 4/4. Now then, as far as a comparison with a 2000, I hear that you can turn a 2155 into a MW 2000 for just a few hundred bucks. That and the 2155's have better quality control because they aren't handmade. I would say that's better than spending $12,000+ on a horn that doesn't meet it's price as far as playability.

Now, for the BMB 6/4, I've heard very mixed things about these horns. They have a 6/4 that they bring to conferences and things of that sort that plays EXTREMELY well. Here's the catch, that horn was made in California and was professionally put together to play amazingly. I've heard of multiple people that played that horn, thought it was amazing, and then they buy the real Asian made horn. In result, they don't like it for whatever reason. Then again, I've heard of other people that have bought those horns and absolutely love them. I can't really say anything about that horn, because I've never played one, but I'm just relaying what I've heard. I might be dead wrong.

Posted: **Mon Apr 07, 2014 12:00 pm**

Will Hammer wrote:I hear that you can turn a 2155 into a MW 2000 for just a few hundred bucks.

Sure, just throw on some hand-hammering and you're all set...?

Will Hammer wrote:That and the 2155's have better quality control because they aren't handmade.

Handmade tubas have more variation, which is different from quality control.

Will Hammer wrote:Now, for the BMB 6/4, I've heard very mixed things about these horns. They have a 6/4 that they bring to conferences and things of that sort that plays EXTREMELY well. Here's the catch, that horn was made in California and was professionally put together to play amazingly. I've heard of multiple people that played that horn, thought it was amazing, and then they buy the real Asian made horn. In result, they don't like it for whatever reason. Then again, I've heard of other people that have bought those horns and absolutely love them. I can't really say anything about that horn, because I've never played one, but I'm just relaying what I've heard. I might be dead wrong.

Interesting! Here's a thought -- if it's a matter of fit and finish, would it still be economical to buy an Asian one, and have it disassembled/reassembled to be better? I've heard of that with some other Asian instruments, but usually by repairmen who have the know-how to do it themselves.

Posted: **Mon Apr 07, 2014 12:22 pm**

Yea, sorry for any vagueness in my post. I was in class taking notes and typing that post at the same time.

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