5/4 or 6/4 tuba Inquiry

[thetubawizard]

Unfortunately, early last year I was forced to sell my PT20 due to a financial need. Luckily, I still have my F. I'm finally getting back stable enough to start saving for a new CC! I know it will be about a year or so before I have the money to get a new horn but I wanted to get some opinions so that I can get an idea of what I want to try.

I know that I want a large 5/4 or 6/4 horn. I have been thinking about the Meinl Weston 5450 "thor" a lot and really want to test one out (if anyone is in the Houston Tx area wouldn't mind ). I've also heard some nice and bad things about the VMI Neptune?

I have on multiple occasions been told to try the B&S PT6 but after trying 3 different ones and multiple mouthpieces, I just cannot get what I want out of them. They are nice horns but I just don't "click" with them, if that makes sense?

I would love any advice and tips my wonderful TubeNet family has to share!

Thanks!

[Ken Crawford]

Just spend the next year trying horns. There are enough opinions about different tubas in existing threads to make your eyes bleed. Go to a few conferences this year.

[thetubawizard]

I Plan on it! I really just want to get an idea of what others tend to like so I can add them to my list of horns to check out. I've never really looked at big horns before so my knowledge on/of them is lacking...

[thevillagetuba]

You'll find people who love, like, dislike, and absolutely hate every model out there on here. I usually spend a year shopping and testing everything I can get my hands on before I buy something and that's what I recommend. You'll play differently than all of us so our problems with a model might not apply and what you might like about one we might hate.

Grab everything in sight and give it a toot!

[michael_glenn]

If you have a chance to try a Hirsbrunner, do it. They are awesome.

[opus37]

There is a great Rudy on Lee Stofer's site: tubameister.com

[jeopardymaster]

I love the Neptune rotary horn, hate the piston model. YMMV. Chronolith (?) has a 6/4 BMB CC posted on tubenet's for sale page. In Chicago. I've never tried one, but it sure looks good.

[PaulMaybery]

Thumbs up for the BMB 6/4 BAT. Not perfect, but what is!? Had mine now almost 2 years and am very pleased. Intonation is good. (5th partial is of course low) Sound is solid, top to bottom. Flexible with regard to tone color and responsive to various MPs. It does have presence. Oh does it have presence. If you are interested in that American/Chicago/York sound, this is a good one for you. If you are more inclined to BS PT/VMI/Neptune, MW Baer/Thor/Suono, it may not suit your tastes. It does have a dependent 5th valve (attached to the 4th valve) This arguably keeps the horn blowing like a 4 valver, that is with a huge and open low register. I think I would ideally prefer an independent 5th for the extra fingering possibilities. But to be honest, I have not had the need. The biggest draw back I believe is the 5th valve rotor. Its design is an attempt at simplicity. It simply has a spindle on the stop arm, and a rubber band used for the valves return.(there are some photos on another post) I works fine, but then I have refitted mine a bit and eventually will install a mechanical linkage thumb lever. I would probably lower the lead pipe a bit. It does pretty much require a stand.
All in all I am very happy with my investment. It works well for me in that it translates my musical ideas very efficiently.

[swillafew]

The Bruckner model by Miraphone is a wonderful instrument.

[Heavy_Metal]

http://www.gebr-alexander.de/en/instrum ... a-mod-164/" target="_blank

Available in CC or BBb.