Difference in all Meinl Weston 45 tubas

[Jim Andrus]

Hi guys, I'm looking for some clarification on something. I've read about 4 different tubas that all carry some sort of 45 as their number/name. There's the 45, the 45s, the 45slz, and the 45slp. I know about the piston slp, but what about the other 3? They are all rotary horns, but what are the other distinct differences in these models?

Thanks a bunch,

Jim

[arpthark]

I can speak a bit about the 45 and the 45SLZ.

The 45 is a small bore (.728") F tuba with a 15" bell. Body is about the same size as an Alexander F tuba... maybe a hair bigger. It's marketed in the MW literature as a 6/4 F tuba (whatever that means) but it's smaller than a B&S PT-10/15 or Miraphone 181. I played for a couple years on one model from the 1970s... all the valve circuits had a very tight wrap. Later, they redesigned the 4th valve wrap to open up the low range some and made it a graduated bore to .768". I've never played the redesigned version, only the original with the non-graduated bore. I think it has some playing characteristics that are similar to my Alex F, but without as beautiful a sound.

I am not sure about the 45S, as I have never spent any significant time on it. According to what I can find on TubeNet, it is a bit bigger in all dimensions than the 45, .768" - .846" graduated bore, 16.5" bell. About the same size as a PT-10/PT-15. Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

The 45SLZ has the same nominal bell and bore size as the 45S but it has a bigger bell throat and branches, as well as a graduated 4th valve slide (.807"-.846"). It is a pretty large F tuba.

[southtubist]

I own a 45k. It's got a dependent 5th valve. These are extremely rare from what I've been told- pretty much the only other one I've seen is the one Heiko Triebener plays. Mine might be the only one in the US.

I love how it plays- it's small and has great response. The sound is really sweet and pretty sounding.

[EMC]

I'm no expert on most of the 45 tubas, but there sure is a lot of variants. Even more than you listed. Maybe someone with that info will jump in. Most of them have been removed from the current MW website. I understand they can all still be produced via special order. I like the 45s and 45slp quite a bit.

It seems a great majority of B&S and MW tubas have been removed from thier current websites (i much prefered the old sites) but as far as i know the difference between the 45s comes down pistons vs rotors or if the rotors are all right hand or not and conical bores vs straight bores. They are great horns though similar in size to the alex F but certaintly about 10% bigger and with a bigger bell. Matt Walters recently sold his, but he wasnt "happy" to sell it if you get me.

[bort]

I own a 45k. It's got a dependent 5th valve. These are extremely rare from what I've been told- pretty much the only other one I've seen is the one Heiko Triebener plays. Mine might be the only one in the US.

I think I've seen about 5 of them in the past 10 years. Certainly not very many, but more than just yours.

My understanding is that there are two series of tubas: 45, and 45S.

The 45, 45k, 45H-S, etc. all have the same bell and bows, but different valve configurations, like the normal 5 valves, dependent 5th valve, or a quint valve. Lots of variations.

The 45S, 45SLP, and 45SLZ, etc. have a larger bell and bows than the 45 series.

And for both the 45 and 45S series, adding a 6th valve makes it a 46 or 46S.

Seems like most people like the S-series tubas better. The regular 45 has the F tuba low register "problems" that everyone hates.

[southtubist]

I think I've seen about 5 of them in the past 10 years. Certainly not very many, but more than just yours.

Interesting. . . I would like to play some other ones some day, just for curiosities sake.

Everyone that plays mine either hates it or is "meh". I haven't found an F tuba I like more than my 45k. Probably because it was my first F tuba, and I've played it for over 5 years. . . I just can't see myself getting used to a different horn.

If I remember correctly, it took me about two weeks of daily practice to master the low range, but now it's like riding a bike.

[joh_tuba]

Within the 'standard' rotor variants:
45 = original
45S = a bit bigger but still smaller than the a PT15
45SLZ = bigger bore.. basically the rotor version of the 45SLP

There was also a Mel Culbertson model with rotary valves that had a HUGE bell.

I owned a 45S and a PT15 simultaneously. The PT15 could produce more decibels with a larger warmer sound and a spoke more readily in the extra registers BUT the 45S had tremendous ease of clarity and a much more characteristic sound creating a final product that was often more pleasingly 'packaged'. I'm inclined to believe that the 45S is the Meinl Weston model that got the most things right. The valves on the 45S were spectacular and I have often thought that I should have sold the PT15 instead.

[bort]

From what I've heard, the Culbertson "Apollo" was a dud. Too large and not like an F tuba, and challenging intonation. Which is a shame, because they are really pretty to look at.