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I'm interested in getting a travel F tuba, but I've noticed that they seem to come with just four valves. Is that because the low notes are near impossible? Or, is it because 'who cares!' about intonation on a travel tuba? Also, which travel F would you recommend. Obviously, I want something that plays well yet doesn't cost like a cimbasso.

If you want to open the conversation to F vs. Bb or C travel tuba, that's fine too. It's all new to me.

Barry 'thanks in advance' Guerrero

Can you even buy the Chinese ones (new) anymore?

I used to own a Bubbie travel F/Eb I would only recommend that style of tuba if you need to practice while traveling.
Either of the two tournister tubas may be of more use.

I own a Wessex travel tuba in F/Eb. I play it regularly in a concert band on the French horn parts. It does a nice job. They do have a lot of back pressure so it is exercise for your lungs. They are not loud so don't plan on supporting a large group. They are great for practicing and are easy to transport. Kind of a concealed carry tuba. I don't think that a 5 or 6 valves version would make much sense. You likely wouldn't need the intonation help and you would want the back pressure or weight gain. You can still buy a Schiller version of these horns. But Mac Brass and Wessex no long sell them. They do come up for sale on the used market from time to time.

The low range is tough because of the back pressure. It can be done but you have to work a bit.

Hi, I have a Meinl Weston "Trolley" F tuba (great name). It is a superbly made instrument, well thought out. The sound and pitch are very good, and the low register is just fine, considering it's size. Yes, a fifth valve might be handy, but it's original purpose (as patiently explained by the company) is to allow a performer to stay in playing condition while travelling. Overall cost and weight were considerations in the production. When I have the opportunity I will have a right thumb 1st valve (vented) trigger installed. I have played this instrument on very rare occasions in concert - Gabrieli and the odd bass trombone part - that is the extent to which the sound can blend into a standard ensemble. It has allowed me to play discreetly in all sorts of strange places, the mute supplied being quite satisfactory. This instrument is very high quality and one pays for this.

kathott wrote:Hi, I have a Meinl Weston "Trolley" F tuba (great name). It is a superbly made instrument, well thought out. The sound and pitch are very good, and the low register is just fine, considering it's size. Yes, a fifth valve might be handy, but it's original purpose (as patiently explained by the company) is to allow a performer to stay in playing condition while travelling. Overall cost and weight were considerations in the production. I have played it on rare occasions in concerts - for Gabrieli and the odd bass trombone part - but it is really mostly useful while on the road. It has allowed me to practice discreetly in all sorts of strange places, the mute supplied being quite satisfactory. This instrument is very high quality and one pays for this.

There is a used one for sale at Dillon Music-FYI..
Mark

barry grrr-ero wrote:I'm interested in getting a travel F tuba, but I've noticed that they seem to come with just four valves. Is that because the low notes are near impossible? Or, is it because 'who cares!' about intonation on a travel tuba? Also, which travel F would you recommend. Obviously, I want something that plays well yet doesn't cost like a cimbasso.

If you want to open the conversation to F vs. Bb or C travel tuba, that's fine too. It's all new to me.

Barry 'thanks in advance' Guerrero

When Wessex sold the Bubbie F/Eb travel tuba, five-valves were much requested and I did look into this option, but the factory who made (NOT Jinbao) refused to even try to make a five valve version, and seeing the small, French horn size bore, it probably would not have worked anyway. When Jim Laabs started selling them at uneconomical low price, Wessex ceased selling.

The BBb Mighty Midget and CC Mighty Gnome tornistertuba are very different tubas with nearer euphonium bore and blow and sound a lot more like a real tuba (they amaze people when they try them), while still being small enough to take on aircraft as cabin luggage travelling using the available gig bag.

Wessex has not given up on the F travel tuba and learning from previous experience are busy developing a completely new, much better larger bore version which will have 5-valves. That, the 'Bubbie 5' is already on the drawing board and I expect to have out in 2016

Jonathan, would a screw bell send the price too much higher?

eupher61 wrote:Jonathan, would a screw bell send the price too much higher?

Are you talking about Mighty Midget? Do contact me direct and I will investigate. In fact as I am currently at factory do quality assurance checking, will discuss with production manager if time.

I find the Bubbie excellent for practice, but useless for anything else.

I use it a lot for practice - yes a fifth valve would be handy.

I've got a tornister too now, but the Bubbie is much smaller and easier to take on the road.

Jonathan, for whichever. I'm thinking about the MW with the screw bell that leaves no problem with carry on baggage. With arilines getting more and more skittish about things, especially after the carry-on agreement in the US, the less they have to argue about the better. A screw bell would make the Bubbie or the Midget a lot better for that.

I don't like to speak ill of equipment - almost everything has a "time and place."
I had the opportunity to briefly try a Bubbie travel tuba, and found it to be an instrument I would not want to play under almost any circumstances. Is it better than nothing? Probably. But buzzing a mouthpiece, with and without added resistance, may be more effective than developing the bad habits extended attempts at playing that miniature tuba could cause. If the Bubbie was redeveloped with a more appropriate bore, that could make a substantial difference and put it in a league closer to the Meinl Weston travel tuba.

MartyNeilan wrote:I don't like to speak ill of equipment - almost everything has a "time and place."
I had the opportunity to briefly try a Bubbie travel tuba, and found it to be an instrument I would not want to play under almost any circumstances. Is it better than nothing? Probably. But buzzing a mouthpiece, with and without added resistance, may be more effective than developing the bad habits extended attempts at playing that miniature tuba could cause. If the Bubbie was redeveloped with a more appropriate bore, that could make a substantial difference and put it in a league closer to the Meinl Weston travel tuba.

I bought mine with the intention of just using it as a practice instrument and for travel. Initially, my impression was the same as your's, this has a lot of back pressure and the sound isn't so good. Then I practiced with it for a while. The sound improved dramatically within a week of practice and the back pressure became unnoticeable in about the same time period. (My real tuba sound and endurance has improved too.) I've played it now for a couple of years and found it to be very useful. I play french horn parts in one band (we needed french horns not tubas), in church when they wanted a more trombone sound, band practice when the snow and ice made it easier to carry into practice, some euphonium parts, and to serenade the loons from the dock. A brief try will give you one impression of these horns, but they grow on you. They are not a "carry the band" horn but they do have their places. I want to see what Wessex comes up with, a little large bore might be nice, we'll see......... If it's just a small F that is one thing, having the Eb option has been very useful for me.

For me, these things play -much- better with a very small mouthpiece; something contrabone/cimbasso-ish.