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I play Euphonium normally but I purchased this tuba from a friend of mine and i was wandering if anyone knew how to figure out the make model and year. Maybe even worth.

Its a Besson and think its a EEb tuba and appears to be compensating.
The serial is 377753.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h9iqu51ozcjnp ... 8.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kq7dx0wkgw071 ... 7.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

It is a Besson New Standard Eb 3+1P compensating tuba.

If you want the specs you may search for

Besson New Standard 1977 low brasses. The last catalogue before the 19” tuba bells were introduced as a standard option

in the index of my Yahoo-based brass gallery (link in my signature).

Klaus

otakuphill wrote:I play Euphonium normally but I purchased this tuba from a friend of mine and i was wandering if anyone knew how to figure out the make model and year. Maybe even worth.

Its a Besson and think its a EEb tuba and appears to be compensating.
The serial is 377753.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h9iqu51ozcjnp ... 8.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kq7dx0wkgw071 ... 7.jpg?dl=0" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Any idea of worth?
I wanna keep it but i feel it would be a pain learning the new fingering as i play a BBb in school and euphonium in the wind ensemble.
I only paid $150 for it and it plays well.

If you can play your euphonium from treble clef Bb parts, you very soon can learn playing this tuba from bass clef.

Klaus

imperialbari wrote:If you can play your euphonium from treble clef Bb parts, you very soon can learn playing this tuba from bass clef.

Klaus

what i looked up shows mossy people playing this in treble clef but when i looked up the bass clef fingering is was all crazy compared to baritone bc.

The comparison should be done between the fingerings of baritone reading treble clef Bb and of Eb tuba reading bass clef concert.

Klaus

Do you know anything about the British Brass Band tradition? If not, you need to learn about it. Yes, the fingerings are different from a euphonium. It's an Eb instrument. Tuba players learn all sorts of different finger schemes. The pattern is identical, just different starting points. Do some research and please report back here with what you find.

If the valves still have good compression ( simple test, pull each slide out without pressing a valve and you should hear a pop) then you have an excellent tuba worth keeping.

Another member has written a fingering practice program see the thread below.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64403" target="_blank

what's confusing me is when i look at treble clef fingering it looks similar to baritone tc with the exception on adding the 4th valve below E. is the music for this instrument normally written in treble or bass clef?

otakuphill wrote:what's confusing me is when i look at treble clef fingering it looks similar to baritone tc with the exception on adding the 4th valve below E. is the music for this instrument normally written in treble or bass clef?

That depends upon what "normal" is. If you are "normally" a British-style brass bander, you would use treble clef and finger the Eb tuba just the same as trumpet, treble clef baritone, etc. If you are playing in something other than that, say, American concert band or an orchestra, the Eb tuba would "normally" use bass clef. Same sequence of fingering, just starting on an Eb instead of a Bb: open, 1-3,1-2, 1, etc.

What is the tuba worth?

Never expect an honest answer to this question from an open forum.

so i noticed you can do the play with treble clef fingering trick when reading bass clef and go up three keys. if I'm reading a tuba part does that work if it's written for C or BBb?

Aside from the Brass Band tradition and a few other, lesser-used traditions, tuba music is tuba music. Play it on whatever tuba using fingerings for that tuba.
The British Brass Bands tradition does exactly what you asked. ..treble clef and use trumpet/baritone TC fingerings. That's why I asked if you know anything about that tradition.

I can't help on the value of the instrument.

As long as the part is written in bass clef concert and you are playing on an Eb tuba this trick will work.

Whether any given part was written with a CC or BBb tuba in mind only may be a problem for you in relation to range and to the weight of sound you are able to produce on your Eb tuba.

Klaus

otakuphill wrote:What is the tuba worth?

imperialbari wrote:Never expect an honest answer to this question from an open forum.

+1

____

Many can guestimate a price for you, looking on eBay will show you the lower end of the price range, and looking through old ads here you will get a better idea of the price.

If it were mine, (And it had been cleaned, new felts, inspected for leaks,made sure the valves and slides were all in great condition, etc) I would be think I could sell it for $1000, in some markets it might get $1500.... I've seen similar horns sell for a bit more, but most of them on eBay seem to go for around $1000.

Either way, you got a good deal and a great find.

thanks. i appreciate ask the info. I'm happy i got it. i always wanted a tuba and i couldn't ask for a better one at my skill level. and to get for $150 was just serendipitous.