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Perhaps a Yamaha YBB 621?

Mirafone 184 BB-flat.

These are nice smaller horns that can put out some big sound when needed. The focus and tone color are great for quintet. Same horn that Roger Bobo used in an orchestral setting and for some solo playing.

Joe Sellmansberger of Mid-South Music in Memphis might have a used one for sale. (Send a PM to Bloke)

He rebuilt a 184 CC for me that plays very well. Some of the work he did included rebuilding the valves to close tolerances. Perfectly silent and fast.

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Charlie has a good point. The only way a "smaller" BBb makes sense is if the first horn were a big honkin' 6/4. The 186 is a good quintet horn. But, if I were in the same situation with the means to purchase, I would go with a Besson 983 Eb. It's small enough to offer a real difference in feel and timbre. If you're looking for a bit more agility in the upper range it also makes more sense. I'm not a Yamaha fan by any means, but for a small BBb or CC, I would consider the YBB & YCB 621's for a quintet horn, but only if my only other horn were a VMI Neptune or a Yorkbrunner or other similar behemoth.

I too was recently in the market for a smaller BBb horn that wouldn't overwhelm my quintet and that would be more comfortable for a 5'8" guy to play, but I also wanted one with enough presence to handle bigger jobs so I could reduce my tuba inventory. Like Tom, I thought a YBB621 might fit the bill, but new ones start at about $6500 and used ones seem unavailable. My compromise is the Cerveny 683 Arion ("piggy"). A new one's half the price of a Yamaha. I've played a slightly used one I got from Dave Fedderly twice with my quintet now, and nobody else has even noticed it's not my Yamaha F.

For a while, I used a Mirafone 1261 Eb--the 3-up, one-side compensating piston model--and that worked OK. Similar in concept to Yamaha 632 or Besson 981. I find the upright configuration uncomfortable for extended playing, but that's just me.

Given a choice, I would opt for an Eb or F for chamber work. Partly for lightness and clarity of tone, but also to reflect the general range of written parts. Although the tuba is still the bass of the group - it is not the contra, and the smaller instrument should make easy work of extended higher solo passages.

If you are looking for an allround instrument for orchestral , band and solo work thats a different matter................

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Hey there,

If your friend is leaning more toward something like the Yamaha 621, I'd HIGHLY suggest he try out a Weril 680 first. It is essentially the same horn, but at a quarter (or less) the price.

FWIW