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My 11 year old daughter and I bought a large tuba and it plays great (I play and I am teaching her). She loves it but we don't know the make or model.

The only clues we have are that it has a 22" bell, 4 rotary valves that someone converted to ball and socket, it was silver (before being spray painted gold to give it a consistent look rather than the very tired silver) and apparently the word "Rutgers" was engraved on it prior to the paint.

Looking for any clues,
Jack

Cerveny?

Not a bad rattle can finish!!

Fantastic info! I've now emailed Cerveny asking if they can proved a little more history.

The lower range produces lovely room filling tones even by my daughter.
And you are correct, this was on Craig's list for Los Angeles.

The valves and tuning slides work beautifully. The gold paint is great for a can for certain.

Some of the blue from the old finish is poking through. When I am rich and famous maybe I will refinish but until then we love it.

Jack

KiltieTuba wrote:It could also be an older Meinl Weston

Why do you say that?

The gentleman I bought it from said he could not find any distinguishing marks other the the engraving of "Rutgers" on the horn prior to his brother painting it.

I'm eager to see if Cerveny responds. I will also check out the other suggestion.

Having fun,
Jack

This is very likely a Cerveny dating from time of Scott Whitener's tenure as Rutgers Band Director of Bands. He was friendly with Walter Sear, and Walter imported Cerveny tubas for several years pretty much exclusively - back during the days of Yugoslavia, etc. when these horns sold for comparatively cheaper prices. The "Walter E. Sear" rotary valve tubas - later sold as "Amati" and other names went out the door for around $550 - or less. Plus Amati/Cerveny hung onto clockspring valves long after Meinl, Mirafone, and Alexander had abandoned them for wire springs. Plus Rutgers is a 1-hour train ride from Manhattan. Plus in the 1960s Universities like Rutgers were still into the bell-front horns.
The Rutgers engraving/markings is a pretty good giveaway.

That is a fantastic bit of sleuthing. I absolutely love the narrative. Keep those tidbits coming because I research every one.

Fascinated Jack

Interesting post on these tubas.
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