History of the Martin Tuba

[Silver.tuba30]

Hello,

I have been looking at Martin tubas a little bit lately and I realized, I really don't know much about these horns. Origin, reason for production, types of tuba models, I really have no idea. I try doing my own research, but most of what I find is picture after picture of Martin tubas that I cannot identify.

Can anyone in the Tubenet community help me by shedding some light on the whole Martin tuba issue? When did they first come out, when were they popular, who played them? Any information is much appreciated!

[SousaWarrior9]

I'm an owner of two Martin Tubas and a bit of a Martin enthusiast, so perhaps I can provide some helpful info.

Martin, generally produced 4 kinds of tubas:
The Medium Eb, the Monster Eb, the Medium BBb, and the Mammoth BBb. I found examples if these in a catalog as far back as 1916

The Medium Eb had a 17" Bell and a .625" bore, and was available in either front or top action with 3 valves. I have also seen an example of one with a 3+1 valve configuration.

The Monster Eb has a 20" bell and I'm not sure of the exact bore. Probably around .685". Again, front or top action was available with 3 or 4 valves.

The Medium BBb Used the same bell and bottom bow as the Monster Eb, so the sizes of these horns are the same: 20" bell ans a ~.685" bore.

The Mammoth BBb (which was the most popular model) originally had a 22" Bell and a bore ranging from .710"- to .720" (reports/measurements vary) you could get the Mammoth with 3 or 4 valves in both front and top action.

Originally, these horns all had fixed bells and a shorter bell stack, but at some point (possibly in the 30's) the design changed and a taller recording bell was implemented on the mammoth and the mediums. Bell diameters varied. My mammoth has a 24" recording bell and a 19" upright. Uprights varied in diameter anywhere from 19 to 22". Although, horns with fixed upright bells could be made by special order even after the recording bells became standard. The Navy band, I believe, at one point was outfitted with mammoths with 4 top action pistons and fixed upright bells.

After RMC took over in 1961, I think the Eb models were phased out, and the Mammoth was only available with top valves. Also, the Medium BBb was now only made with fiberglass outer bows and marketed to schools. Sometimes these fiberglass horns bear the Reynolds name because of the merger.

After RMC went out of business around 1964, Martin tubas were no more.

Martin also made Helicons and sousaphones with the generally the same specs as the Tubas
I've seen Eb helicons ans sousas with the same bore as the Monster Eb, and I've seen both a Medium and Mammoth BBb helicons and sousas with the same respective bore size as the BBb medium and Mammoth tubas.

In addition, there have been a few custom Martin CC tubas (one, allegedly being factory-made) but they were never commonly available. I've also seen Medium and Mammoth BBb tubas with what appear to be European-made rotary valve sections, but again, I don't think these were mass produced.

[Ken Herrick]

I have a medium Eb 3+1 from about 1918 which is in the process of being rebuilt. Martin also made some very nice sousaphones. The "latest" Martin I saw was one of the fibreglass recording bell models which was "new" in 66 or 67.

I remember Bill Bell using a medium 3+1 Eb as his solo instrument for a concert with a high school band in about 66.

[opus37]

You need to expand your Google search. There are several histories of the Martin company available. Try Horn u copia for a start. Martin made instruments that were of the highest quality for the period in Elkhart IN. I had a 1912 Martin which I rebuilt with the help of Lee Stofer. A truly amazing horn. The new owner seems very happy with it. There are Martins, made by Martin and since the company was sold in the 30's, the name was put on other company's offerings.

[EdFirth]

Harvey Phillips had one. It appears on one of the two album covers of Bill Bell's solo album. Bell was a King artist at the time so they reshot the cover with him and his bell front rotary King. Don Butterfield had a three valve top banger which now lives in Central Florida and also passed through the Vaughn Monroe band.Jake had one in his basement like Don's but I understand it was something of a tax issue that he understood that you could write off mileage if you(as a pro tuba player) were transporting a tuba so it lived in the trunk of his car. Many of the big service bands had sections of Martins. The West Point Band still had five (although nobody played them) when I was there in the early seventies. The DC Army Band had top as well as front bangers and the Navy Band had that set with master tuners one of which also lives in Central Florida. One of the guys with Sauter Finnegan who's name escapes me just now had a rotary C. They were very popular though quite expensive and not produced in large numbers, well constructed, and made a beautiful distinctive sound. I am the proud owner of a three valve top banger Mammoth Handcraft. I always thought the top bangers were great for "page turner" jobs and maybe that's why you see mostly those horns today. In their heyday the work was concert band radio broadcasts(City Service Band of America and the like), circus bands, shows, rodeo bands, dance bands and military bands. Those jobs are mostly gone now so the market for the horns went too.Ed

[Silver.tuba30]

Wow!

This is all great information. It sounds like they were among the top of the line horns way back when. Thanks to everyone who chimed in. Y'all are a huge help!

LH

[SousaWarrior9]

Here are some good links for researching Martin horns:
You can search the database for both instrument and manufacturer here:
http://www.horn-u-copia.net/" target="_blank" target="_blank
Here is the Simonetti Tuba colection With all of the Martins pulled up. Even better if you can visit in person. It's awesome:
https://simonettitubacollection.com//?s ... &search=Go" target="_blank" target="_blank
Here's a great collection of Martin catalogs with info and specs on horns:
https://www.saxophone.org/museum/public ... cturer/55/" target="_blank" target="_blank
Here, there's some info on some more notable players of old Martins:
http://timmorrissey.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... ndeed.html" target="_blank" target="_blank
A cool clip of another notable Martin owner, Richard Maloof, playing the clarinet polka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WCMzRLov58" target="_blank" target="_blank

As far as some of your specific questions:
-Origin: Elkhart, Indiana
-Reason for production: as far as the most popular model, the Mammoth, just about every company at the time seemed to have their own version of a 6/4 Piston BAT. Holton, York, and Conn all had popular 6/4 BBb horns, so it makes sense that Martin would make one to compete as well.
They are harder to find because the Martins were more expensive than comparable offerings from competitors like Conn. That's why, for example, old Conn 20Js are more plentiful compared to Martin Mammoths. The Conns were produced in larger numbers, marketed better, and were less expensive, so they sold more.

Because of their smaller numbers, the Martin tuba design has a somewhat small cult following including myself, but it isn't as popular or as revered as some other designs like the famous and often-copied York designs, but I think if more people had the opportunity to try one, it likely would be more popular and more copied.

I'm currently working on a database of every Martin tuba, sousaphone, and helicon model produced, but it is a work in progress. Once I get further along on it, I'll post it here.