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Good day all,
Without going into a lot of detail I'm looking at back surgery bad enough to possibly med board me from the army. So I think my days of playing really big but mainly heavy tubas are over. I'd like to compile a list of tubas with their weight. If you could weigh your horn and post it here I'd really appreciate it. Any key and vintage.

Thanks

Here's what I remember... all weights are without cases:

Marzan (large piston CC): 24 lbs
Cerveny 653: 14 lbs
Miraphone 1291 CC: 22 lbs
Neptune (rotary): 25 lbs
Miraphone 188 (gold brass): ~22 lbs?
VMI/MW 30: ~20 lbs
Rudy Meinl 4/4 CC: low 20s
Willson 3050RZ: 25.3 lbs

Horns around 20 pounds feel "normal", horns around 25 pounds feel "heavy" and the Cerveny felt like a toy.

Good luck!

bort wrote: Willson 3050RZ: 25.3 lbs

So, you got yourself a Willson rotary. Nice.

Go ahead and put it in your signature...it's ok.

If you need to figure out how much they weigh, you should probably switch to euph on tbone.

bububassboner wrote: So I think my days of playing really big but mainly heavy tubas are over.

Sorry to hear that you've got back trouble.

Just a thought...

Both Gronitz and Alexander make large tubas that are quite lightweight. As I recall you are stationed in Germany (or elsewhere in Western Europe) so you may be very familiar with these - if not, they may be worthy of consideration in light of your back trouble.

Hi-
So sorry about your back problems....being in Germany, I think an Alex, a Gronitz, a 1960's Mirafone, or a Cerveny in the Czech Republic are probably your best bets for a light weight CC.
Best of luck!!
Mark

My 3/4 size Meinl-Weston BBb weighs around 16 lbs.

Probably not within your budget, but the Yamayork I tried was pretty lightweight ...
Gronitz are lightweight tubas indeed.
I would not only look at the weight alone, but also look at ergonomics and consider a tuba stand while playing.

My Mirafone 186-4 valve [note the spelling] from 1972 weighs in around 15-17lbs.
As a fellow back sufferer, use the BB stand!
As a military musician, though, don't you need to worry more about carrying and playing a Sousaphone? Sit-down stuff is manageable with a stand, but I have long-since stopped marching.

Thank you all for the encouraging words and for the weights. Keep the weights coming. I have a stand that I have to use for playing but sousaphone is now out of the question for me. I have a lot of nerve damage now so until I have surgery I don't carry anything over 10 pounds. Lucky I have some outstanding soldiers who help me to my tuba to and from jobs.

I haven't been able to play my nirschl 6/4 for months now. Just too big and heavy for me. Plus the angle that it sits is making life harder for me. I do have a vintage 186 5 valver that's okay for me. I've been playing my big horn daily for years so the 186 feels a little small and barky for me. So I'm looking for a light horn that still plays like a big horn. Does anyone have weight for the Alex 163 or the gronitz pck?

bububassboner wrote:Does anyone have weight for the Alex 163 or the gronitz pck?

Alex 163 is about 20 or 21 pounds. I don't own one, but asked an owner about this years ago.

Steel trap memory over here...

Not sure of the exact weight but my new (less than 1 year old) Rudy 3/4 CC is lighter than my B&S JBL F.

My 5 year old 5V Alex 163CC (sheet brass 16 1/2" bell) is a little bit lighter and much better balanced than the new 186 5V tubas when compared back-to-back. The Alex's higher leadpipe position requires that you sit more upright

In addition to what Mark said about the subject: Czech and German tuba's have always had a lot of light weights, even in the bigger ranges 5/4 and 6/4. Cerveny still offers a compact 6/4 of 10 kg. I have a 4/4 Bohland and Fuchs that weighs 7,5 kg. I am certain that the beautiful 5/4 Hess on the website of Tubashop.de will be no more than 9 to 10 kg.
Hubert

bububassboner wrote:So I think my days of playing really big but mainly heavy tubas are over.

Not all BIG tubas are heavy tubas. I was told by Walter Nirschl that his 6/4 York copies weigh less than his 4/4 tubas, and I'd believe it, having played both.

UncleBeer wrote:

bububassboner wrote:So I think my days of playing really big but mainly heavy tubas are over.

Not all BIG tubas are heavy tubas. I was told by Walter Nirschl that his 6/4 York copies weigh less than his 4/4 tubas, and I'd believe it, having played both.

I actually own his 6/4 tuba. It still weighs in at 25 pounds. Plus the 45 degree angle to hold it is pretty painful even with a stand. I think I need something that weighs no more than 20 pounds and sits flat to the body. Of course if I'm really lucky the surgery will go well but I'd rather prepare for the worst so if it happens it's not a shock. I definitely won't be selling my nirschl until after surgery and when I know for a fact that I'm not going to be able to play it without lots of pain.

Bububassboner, I am so sorry to hear about your problem and hope all goes well. For about the lightest tuba available, you could play our Wessex BBb Mighty Midget which is about 12 lb, or CC Mighty Gnome at about 11 lb. I know they will not provide the full tone of the tubas you are accustomed, but may at least enable you to keep playing - and think you will be surprise how tuba like in tone they are for their small size.

The Wessex Mosel BBb tuba, or new Bombino Eb - both at around 16 lb are also good options

I will be in Germany 24-27 July if you would like to try any, although the Mosel is currently out of stock

My 1924 Buescher Eb (17" bell) weighs 14 lbs. and is very easy to play and handle. Some consideration might be given to finding an old Conn, Buescher, King, or whatever that has good intonation and is relatively small. Either Eb or BBb (which would probably weight a pound or two more).

The American horns like mine (and some larger BBb Kings I've seen) seem to make use of brass that's not very thick, but is quite hard (and hardy). My horn also has double, or maybe triple, silver plating -- which were factory options that Buescher offered at the time. It's a bit shocking to see how long it takes just to get through the plating when you put a hacksaw to it. But the horn's really not heavy.

Rudolf Meinl 4/4 BBb 4-valve = 9,5kg (80's? vintage)
Miraphone Norwegian Star EEb 5-valve = 8,7 kg

Both are very comfortable in my lap without a stand, with a piece of drawer liner to keep it in place.

Best of luck.