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Your favorites?

Call me old fashioned but there was a MW 6450 that BBC had that was pretty incredible.

Andreas Eastman had two prototype Eb compensating tubas that were great. I cant wait for them to come out on the market later this year. these had forward facing valves ala the Besson 983, but the horn was lighter and a little more agile.

kk

Miraphone Hagen 496. Absolutely amazing tuba!

The 17000$ Yorkbrunner at BBC, the B&S Fanny F, the Rudy F and HB21 at Lee Stofer, the Mr. P. F from BBC, the souped up PT6S + the Yamaha 621F at Dillon, and the Wessex Travel Tuba.

Baltimore Brass had a silver Miraphone 186 that I really liked on consignment. I played 2 Eastman BBb's I liked too, one was 3/4 size with 4 piston valves, and the other was more of a Miraphone 186 copy. All nice horns. I also liked the Wessex Travel Tuba!! Incredible for its size!!

Rebel wrote: I played 2 Eastman BBb's I liked too, one was 3/4 size with 4 piston valves, and the other was more of a Miraphone 186 copy. All nice horns. I also liked the Wessex Travel Tuba!! Incredible for its size!!

Agreed.

The big bore Eastman EBB623 was killer, and if size didn't matter, I'd love it.

I could not make up my mind between a Jupiter 482 and the Eastman EBB226 3/4.

The Jupiter has a larger bore and more heft.

My favorite horn with no price consideration??

A MW2011 Hojo at Baltimore Brass.



Every year I play the Wessex Travel Tuba and convince myself I don't need it.

One year I will lose the argument!!

Tuono, Elektra; Rick's old Symphonie; Lee's Prototype CC; Eastman CC; and the Wyvern deserves a nod for surprising me. I didn't play on any BATS, because I'm not looking for one at this point in my life, but there were a few very nice ones there

"Tuono" might not qualify as a BAT, but isn't it THE largest rotary CC on the market now? . . . it's got to be up there.

That's OK.

Next week we can do "Army Tuba Conference 2017 favorite horns you would have played if you were there!!"

barry grrr-ero wrote:"Tuono" might not qualify as a BAT, but isn't it THE largest rotary CC on the market now? . . . it's got to be up there.

It is big . . . but I love it because it's everything I love about the Thor, but so much more comfortable to hold and play. Definitely something I'd buy if I ever get a gig, or start being a good contender.

barry grrr-ero wrote:"Tuono" might not qualify as a BAT, but isn't it THE largest rotary CC on the market now? . . . it's got to be up there.

There aren't too many large rotary CC tubas commonly available, but there are some other off-the-shelf and made-to-order options for new tubas:
PT-6
MRP-CC
Miraphone 190
Alexander 164
Cerveny kaiser
Rudy Meinl 5/4 (which is HUGE!)
Willson 3050RZ

I hope it's only a matter of time before Miraphone starts making CC "versions" of their new BBb lineup!

My favorite horns were BBb Marzan and the XO euphonium at Baltimore Brass and the Eastman compensating euphonium. The Wessex Dolce almost had me, but the low range on the XO and Eastman were so easy to play I just couldn't pull the trigger. Maybe with a different mouthpiece I could have made it better, but that's a road I'm not sure I want to go down.

Dillon had a custom Conn MOnster with Meinl Weston/MAW valves done by Martin Wilk.

it was easy to play but very heavy. and not a bad price.

http://www.dillonmusic.com/p-25316-conn ... m-bbb.aspx" target="_blank

kk

Just played some Eb's, and my favorite was the Eastman, hands down. Didn't get a chance to try the Kanstul, and was disappointed that Wessex had sold out of the Gnagey before the show.

I didn't play any Euphs this year, but am pretty sure my favorite was the Adams, as usual.

The BMB Eb was nice too. It was a bit larger than the Eastman Eb, and non-compensating.
They actually had two Eastman E flats there, one with a Yamaha 621 style 15" bell and one with a more traditional flared 16" bell. The rep said they were planning on bringing out two models; one with the 15" bell and second one with a 17" bell. Should be out this summer. I am anxious to try them when they come out since I am looking to switch from my 3+1 style horn to a valves in front style.

kk

I actually also bought a used ST. Petersburg BBb from Baltimore Brass. great player for a great price. finally got my BBb piggy....
kk

Three Valves wrote:That's OK.

Next week we can do "Army Tuba Conference 2017 favorite horns you would have played if you were there!!"

LOL!!!

bloke wrote:

Three Valves wrote:That's OK.

Next week we can do "Army Tuba Conference 2017 favorite horns you would have played if you were there!!"

Thank-you.
It should prove therapeutic for my lugubrium.

...and do wonders for torpor and dyspepsia!!

ken k wrote:Dillon had a custom Conn MOnster with Meinl Weston/MAW valves done by Martin Wilk.

it was easy to play but very heavy. and not a bad price.

http://www.dillonmusic.com/p-25316-conn ... m-bbb.aspx" target="_blank" target="_blank

kk

That was a beautiful instrument. But I found the inexpensive Cerveny 601 that was a few feet away from it to be more open-sounding and responsive. That may say more about me than the instruments.

I like the Marzan at the BB booth, though it was a bit tight (which is a feature for some and a detriment for others). I played my old Symphonie F (which I sold after having bought the 6-valve version) and the only flaw on that instrument is the too-short fifth valve. That would be easy to fix--maybe even as easy as buying the current fifth-valve slide, which they correct by making with much longer ferrules. I tried that experiment and it worked, but such a replacement slide would need some hand-fitting.

I played both of the CB-50 revival instruments that Lee made. One (in lacquer, and I think already owned) had the Getzen valves, except for the fifth, which was a downstream Willson Rotax. The new silver example had MAW valves and the regular Getzen upstream fifth valve and narrow loop, similar to what we routinely see in Rusk conversions. I thought the lacquer version was more flexible, but I'm thinking the Willson valve downstream might be more likely to explain that than the valves. Both were fun to play, like all tubas of that design. Lee has made some key improvements, mostly to solidify bracing and improve fit and finish.

The Miraphone Hagen was simply superb. And the Elektra is an excellent current F tuba that I would consider with lottery winnings, but I'm still happy with my true graduated-bore B&S.

I played the Bb BAT's from BMB and Wessex, and I still think BMB has a strong edge there, though it has all the ergonomic annoyances of the Yorks and Holtons from which its design is generally derived.

And, since I mentioned Holton, BB had a very interesting and very old Holton that must substantially pre-date the 345. Front-action and with a 22" bell, and very fun to play. I don't know about intonation--too hard to tell in the Elephant Room during that first hour when I tried it. The first hour of the exhibits this year was the loudest I've ever heard in the Elephant Room. Even I had to retreat to the bowling alley for some (relative) quiet.

Here's the Ride Coefficient: Heard 14 times by me. Meistersinger was also quite popular this year. I asked one booth operator if the Wagner playing was more this year, and his response was "I only notice it when it is either really good or really bad." Maybe that's why I was keeping count.

Rick "" Denney