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This topic is pretty simple. Out of all the horns that you have accumulated over the years which out of all of them was the overall best. I will start. The best overall tuba I have ever owned so far has to either be my York CC that Tabor Fisher built or my PT18P MRP F tuba. My favorite to play and most versatile would probably be the 18, so I'll go with the 18P.

The pre1900 King I purchased for $50.00 in 1970; intonation is great and the low end is fantastic. By the way, I saw one on EBay yesterday with a much lower serial number than mine; mine is 8094 and this one was 5368.

There was a Conn Eb from about that period on E-bay yesterday, too. It looked restorable and the seller said it played as it was.

That's a really easy question to ask, but a very difficult one to answer for me.

Overall, I think the Rudy 4/4 CC, Willson 3050 RZ, and Neptune all the highest quality instruments I've owned. All are built incredibly well, sound amazing, and are truly top-of-the-line instruments. I've been spoiled with some really awesome equipment over the years.

My favorite tuba though is the Miraphone 188, particularly the gold brass one I used to own. I sold it though, because as the only tuba player (or only strong tuba player) in a large band, it was simply too much work to put out the kind of sound that was necessary. I don't regret selling it, but if Mr. Current Tuba Owner ever decided to sell it, I'd jump at the opportunity.

I also liked the Miraphone 1291 a lot, and I like the 1292 even more. Yes, it's a piston horn (gasp!), but I liked the sound, it was VERY easy to play, and it all around just worked really, really well for me. It sounded great on recordings, too. Jeez, now I've got the itch to try one of those again...

Both the 188 and 1291 are excellent instruments. It's hard to not call them "the best" because I like them so much, but I guess the list just gets really crowded at the top. Who's the #1 best NFL QB of all time? Yeah, good luck getting 1 answer out of people.

With all that said, when I'm done messing around with big tubas, I'd guess that I'll probably settle down with a 188 or 1292 for the rest of my tuba playing days.

Every instrument I played was the best instrument I owned when I played it, otherwise, I'd be playing something else.

I own four instruments that have claim to that title, and they are indeed the best instruments I have ever owned for what they do. That includes a Yamaha 621 F tuba (which is superb as the inner voice for a tuba quartet, and for standing gigs), a B&S Symphonie-style PT-9 with six valves, which is the best bass tuba I own for everything else requiring a bass tuba. And then there's the Holton 345, which is the best tuba I've ever owned for putting a big, wide floor under the band (but still with some zip to the sound), and the Hirsbrunner HBS-193, which is the best power-sound tuba I have ever owned, though it's big enough to still slide a floor under the group.

In terms of construction quality, the Hirsbrunner is by far the best tuba I've ever owned. In terms of aesthetic beauty from the audience, the Hirsbrunner takes it there, too. In terms of being heard over a large band that is playing too loudly, the Hirsbrunner is the king of that castle. But it doesn't make the round, present tone of the Holton. In terms of being forgiving, the Yamaha is probably the best of the bass tubas, and the Holton of the big tubas. In terms of versatility, my York Master edges out my former Miraphone 186 because of its interchangeable bells and bigger tone. But I own a number of instruments and don't really need an instrument that can do everything pretty well.

Rick "who tends not to sell tubas that are the best at things likely to ever be asked to do" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:In terms of being heard over a large band that is playing too loudly, the Hirsbrunner is the king of that castle.

That sounds like something that would (unfortunately) be extremely useful.

Conn 25J. I'd still have it if the weight hadn't gotten to me and if I hadn't decided to switch to Eb.

The question begs the second question "for what?" If I fill that in with "generally for everything", then it would be my Kanstul 66. Easy playing, good tone, at home in almost any situation. (I wouldn't march with it).

Conn 25J

1) York 712

2) York 91 (converted to 5 valve side-action, remaining in BBb)

Boosey & Hawkes 19" Imperial EEb. Built around 1980.

roweenie wrote:York 91 (converted to 5 valve side-action, remaining in BBb)

Ooh... I'd like to see that! What did the valve section come from?

4/4 Rudy. Never should have sold it.

B&S Symphonie F. Never should have sold it, but I had to buy the Rudy...

E. Dotzauer, Karlstadt, Germany 6/4 Kaiserbass.