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What were your favorite horns at TMEA?

I have an e1 Adams .6 and silver plated for sale if you are interested. Mint condition- not a scratch on it. Comes with Marcus bonna case. Unfortunately I was painting this summer and some grey overspray got on my case. Selling it for 6 grand. Comes with regular caps and heavy caps too.

Of the horns I played


Loved the B&S 56 aft. I wanted to take that home!

I couldn't really say how I felt about the Ursus, the lead pipe was in such a strange angle that I hardly was able to play it and definitely not comfortably.

I can't say anything at miraphone really wowed me. The elektra was nice but the B&S 56aft completely outshined it imo.

The 6/4 BBb BMB tuba was a phenomenal instrument with a huge thick sound a little wide for me to hold but definitely worth the money.

The PT6 there was great, slightly darker sound than my Tuono nice big low register.

BESSON- Sorry Mark- We were completely out of stock for all Besson euphoniums and received a huge order the Monday before Tmea, most or all sold already. Not a bad problem to have but you are right we should have had some there. WWBW did have a Prestige 2052 however.

I couldn't really get anything to pick up on my tuner. I instead used a drone playing through a single earbud to pseudo-check several tubas that I was interested in. It was interesting to see how several horns stacked up before and after that... I also can't see the appeal of playing excerpts there. Standing at every booth, usually staring at me, is at least one tuba player who can, has, and will play them much better than me. I found out everything I needed to know playing scales, long tones, and lip slurs.

With that being said, I was really impressed at the Miraphone booth. If I had the money and the car space, I would have left with a Bruckner and a Petroushka. The Eastman and JP CCs were nice also. I would've liked to try them again in a smaller room all alone. I was very impressed by all of the BMB tubas. Not a single one I didn't love. And if one of those first two don't pan out, I may see one in my future...

bloke wrote:I can't help but wonder how much most are actually "testing" vs. how much most are "displaying"...

It's comical. At the army workshop I was examining a vendor's wares a few minutes after the elephant room opened on Friday, and a young man behind me started playing the Ride. The vendor I was shopping with said, "Some of us make bets on how long it will take to hear that for the first time."

(I play scales, Remington exercises, and one simple tune - always the same one - that anyone can play.)

Michael Bush wrote:

bloke wrote:I can't help but wonder how much most are actually "testing" vs. how much most are "displaying"...

It's comical. At the army workshop I was examining a vendor's wares a few minutes after the elephant room opened on Friday, and a young man behind me started playing the Ride. The vendor I was shopping with said, "Some of us make bets on how long it will take to hear that for the first time."

(I play scales, Remington exercises, and one simple tune - always the same one - that anyone can play.)

It's the Stairway to Heaven of tuba music!!