Dillon DBB-641 review
Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:20 pm
I recently purchased a Dillon DBB-641 4/4+ BBb, and I am very pleased.
Here is the review I posted on their site:
"This is a very nice tuba for the money. I have played on a couple of Yamaha YBB-641 tubas that this model is based on, and the Dillon DBB-641 compares favorably with them.
Yes it plays just like the Yamaha, as far as I can tell. it's been a few years since I played the "real" one, but I like the way this tuba sounds.
The scale/intonation is as good as the Yamaha to my ear.
It's much better cosmetically that I was expecting. I have received several compliments. The photos on the Dillon site do not do this horn justice - it has very nice lacquer finish with nickel silver outer slides and a nice fancy engraved Dillon logo.
The nice wheeled hard case with real latches was a pleasant surprise. Most Asian-made tubas at this price point have fabric covered styrofoam hard/soft hybrid cases, but the wheels on those cases do tend to be larger than traditional hard cases and more able to go over rougher surfaces, like parking lots. The wheels on the Dillon case are smaller and hard and only suitable for interior floors and smooth outdoor surfaces. I plan on getting a gig bag and just using the hard case for home storage anyway.
The included mouthpiece is a copy of the stock Yamaha 67C4 mouthpiece, but not very well made. Plan on upgrading soon.
The fit and finish are better than some horns I have paid several times the price for, including mass-produced American tubas from a large Midwestern conglomerate. It is not German or Japanese quality, but you are paying 1/3 or 1/4 the price.
Compare this tuba not only to the Yamaha YBB-641, but also to similar larger 4/4 size tubas like the Meinl-Weston 25 or the Miraphone 187. You can play this tuba loud without breaking the sound due to the large bore and large bell throat.
As always Matt Walters, the Dillon tuba specialist, "under-promised and over-delivered". He is great to work with, and will truly make sure you are getting what you need and want.
Anyone who has any questions about this tuba can message me on the TubeNet site under my username "WakinAZ".
Regards,
Eric L., a happy community band tuba player and former music student in Tucson, AZ"
Here is the review I posted on their site:
"This is a very nice tuba for the money. I have played on a couple of Yamaha YBB-641 tubas that this model is based on, and the Dillon DBB-641 compares favorably with them.
Yes it plays just like the Yamaha, as far as I can tell. it's been a few years since I played the "real" one, but I like the way this tuba sounds.
The scale/intonation is as good as the Yamaha to my ear.
It's much better cosmetically that I was expecting. I have received several compliments. The photos on the Dillon site do not do this horn justice - it has very nice lacquer finish with nickel silver outer slides and a nice fancy engraved Dillon logo.
The nice wheeled hard case with real latches was a pleasant surprise. Most Asian-made tubas at this price point have fabric covered styrofoam hard/soft hybrid cases, but the wheels on those cases do tend to be larger than traditional hard cases and more able to go over rougher surfaces, like parking lots. The wheels on the Dillon case are smaller and hard and only suitable for interior floors and smooth outdoor surfaces. I plan on getting a gig bag and just using the hard case for home storage anyway.
The included mouthpiece is a copy of the stock Yamaha 67C4 mouthpiece, but not very well made. Plan on upgrading soon.
The fit and finish are better than some horns I have paid several times the price for, including mass-produced American tubas from a large Midwestern conglomerate. It is not German or Japanese quality, but you are paying 1/3 or 1/4 the price.
Compare this tuba not only to the Yamaha YBB-641, but also to similar larger 4/4 size tubas like the Meinl-Weston 25 or the Miraphone 187. You can play this tuba loud without breaking the sound due to the large bore and large bell throat.
As always Matt Walters, the Dillon tuba specialist, "under-promised and over-delivered". He is great to work with, and will truly make sure you are getting what you need and want.
Anyone who has any questions about this tuba can message me on the TubeNet site under my username "WakinAZ".
Regards,
Eric L., a happy community band tuba player and former music student in Tucson, AZ"