Get out your measuring tape!

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Ken Crawford
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Get out your measuring tape!

Post by Ken Crawford »

I love living in Montana, but I don't get to see a lot of tubas, at conferences, or with other players etc etc...So in an effort to know the sizes of tubas lets measure and post. The measurements that interest me the most, and seem to determine a tubas classification 4, 5 or 6/4 would be around both bottom bow connection points, so from the bugle, and at the bottom of the bell section. Measure above each connection point, so above the ring where each end of the bottom bow connects. I'm really curious about these...So list the model and measurements. Go!

PT-600/GR55 5/4 BBb: 11" and 17"
Heavy_Metal
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Re: Get out your measuring tape!

Post by Heavy_Metal »

Given the measurements you posted, I assume you mean the circumference at those points?
Principal tuba, Bel Air Community Band
Old (early 1900s?) Alexander BBb proto-163
1976 Sonora (B&S 101) 4-rotor BBb
1964 Conn 20J/21J BBb (one body, both bells)
~1904 York 3P BBb Helicon
Old Alex Comp.F, in shop
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Ken Crawford
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Re: Get out your measuring tape!

Post by Ken Crawford »

Correct
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Wyvern
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Re: Get out your measuring tape!

Post by Wyvern »

I checked on this before and found that in general for contrabass tubas

6/4 = 19"
5/4 = 17"
4/4 = 15"

This is where the bell connects to the bottom bow and approximate measurement - they may vary up to 1" and still be that category.

My Neptune is 19" at that point while the Wessex Mahler CC is 15" (4/4). The Wessex Luzern BBb is 17" which is why we call it 5/4.

A 4/4 bass tuba (Eb/F) tends to be around 12"
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