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Howdy,

At one time, there was much activity on the topic of travel tubas. And some makers have really worked hard to fill an apparent niche in the market. But the topic has died down a bit. Maybe, everyone who wanted one and had the dollars has already bought one. Or maybe, there is a glut of unmet demand waiting for the next innovation that makes these a purchase that fulfills expectations.

Re-reading some posts, it got me thinking, is the travel tuba a solution in search of a problem? A true niche product or a novelty that caught our attention?

I think we've seen people exclaim great for travel, as designed or with a mute, in a pinch okay for a small ensemble, small and light for someone who needs a smaller instrument...and it goes on. I have to laugh at comparisons to tenor tubas and cimbassos, good for jazzing, etc...sounds like rationalization after the fact. But some honestly say, "Hey, it's just fun!"

What are some of the alternatives? And what are the costs? (in no particular order)

For the one who actually travels and needs to stay in shape:

• * Drive, if you can.

• * Buzz on a mouthpiece, and leave the tubas at home. FREE! And probably good for us!

• * Use your time for listening, score study with recordings. FREE!

• * Buy a real flight case and insure the instrument for reals. $400-$1000

• * Buy a cheapo horn you don't care so much about and check it. $500-$2000 + baggage fees.

• * Make TubeNet friends, and set up a jam session at your destination. AirT&E! FREE!

For the one who just needs a smaller horn:

• * Buy a Piggy or other smallish 3/4 or even 1/2 size model. $1000-$3000

• * Switch to F or Eb. $2K-$5K. I see old 3 valve Fs for cheap from time to time.

• * Consider a switch to Euphonium for band stuff, if you can be spared from the bass role.

For other reasons, I'd ask myself, "What is the actual problem you're trying to solve?" And maybe a travel tuba is the solution, or maybe not.

I suppose if someone is just itching, a travel tuba fits the bill. Yet there are other ways to spend cash.

• * Take a few lessons with your idols. (Though a lesson with Mr. Jacobs might be a higher cost than you're willing to incur.)

• * Buy an instrument that ADDS to your pallet, which you can employ in actual performance: cimbasso, tenor tuba, euph, bass bone...

• * Take up an electronic wind instrument.

All that being said, I've got my eye the new crop of helicons (and growing regrets I sold my 1911 years ago). I still do stand up gigs like Dixieland. So I drool thinking that a helicon might sit better than my sousaphone, more open, a 4th valve option, shiny. **gasp** But am I just in the same spinning dreamworld of new horn "opportunities"?

What's your current thinking on travel tubas or other hot horn topics?

I bought a travel tuba a year ago. My rationale was that I wanted to give my aging back a break, and I'd heard/seen a few of these being played quite well online. The sound seemed pretty full and solid for jazz and small combo playing.

I kept it for the two-week trial and sent it back. It was beyond my capacity to make it sound anything at all like a tuba.

Oh, the Irony...

BrassedOn wrote:"Do less, better."
2001 King 2341UB BBb
1977 Fender P Bass
1970s King 3b Silver Sonic
1987 Bach 42BO
1990 Getzen 1062 Bass Trombone (Stacked, Dependent)
19xx? Blessing Sousaphone BBb

I'm sort of considering one for the right price. When I flew to Tuba Christmas in Chicago it was cheaper to buy a seat for the horn than pay oversized luggage fees and take a risk that it would be damaged. Now that I'm retiring, a travel tuba to put in the overhead bin might be the ticket. Plus I could strap it to the back of my scooter when I go to band camp. Mucho cool factor.

The 'original' modern travel tuba (and I'm thinking Meinl Weston, to be clear) was made for a very specific person with a very specific need. There are probably less than a dozen people worldwide that have the same professional circumstances, but I suspect that MW figured that they'd tooled the thing up, so they'd might as well offer it to the public for a price and see what happens. They sold some, though I don't think they ever were sold in huge numbers.

Inevitably there were plenty of people that thought they "needed" to own one and other companies that came along and thought they could copy the idea in different and/or less expensive ways. As they became cheaper and more available, my feeling is that they got viewed more as toys and novelty instruments rather than tools to address a specific situation (because those buyers didn't have that situation). And I'll go ahead and say it...most of them were absolutely dreadful instruments.

But, back to what I said about the specific need: they were intended for orchestral tuba players to use while their orchestras were touring and their primary instruments were inaccessible. It was designed to be compact so that the musician themselves could carry it vs. having the instrument packed in a truck and handled by the stagehands.

Bottom line, in my opinion, is that the dozen people that needed them probably already got them, the rest of us seem to have gotten over it.

vespa50sp wrote:Oh, the Irony...

BrassedOn wrote:"Do less, better."
2001 King 2341UB BBb
1977 Fender P Bass
1970s King 3b Silver Sonic
1987 Bach 42BO
1990 Getzen 1062 Bass Trombone (Stacked, Dependent)
19xx? Blessing Sousaphone BBb

I'm sort of considering one for the right price. When I flew to Tuba Christmas in Chicago it was cheaper to buy a seat for the horn than pay oversized luggage fees and take a risk that it would be damaged. Now that I'm retiring, a travel tuba to put in the overhead bin might be the ticket. Plus I could strap it to the back of my scooter when I go to band camp. Mucho cool factor.

Ahh, you read well grasshopper. As someone who studied Euphonium in college, and actually made money on that horn, I'll add my "main" instrument as a further irony. As a eupher, I of course was a doubler to survive. And now no euphoniums! For the rest of my stable, I can at least defend that each of my axes has paid for itself many times over. It took a little longer on the King tuba. The bass bone paid for itself almost over night. I bought the horn from the number one contractor in the area, and two weeks later he called me to play a touring Broadway production for a six week run.

I purchased a Meinl Weston Trolley F when they first came out - a wonderful design and a well made instrument. It plays in tune and is very even. The supplied mouthpiece is just fine and a Mirafone TU13 also works great. The practice mute is good, and the entire kit can be carried on board most aircraft. I ordered a plug and play 5th valve from Klingspor - superb craftsmanship. I use it for the intended purpose: to have something acceptable to blow on while travelling. It’s not a “cimbasso” or a “bass trombone”, it’s just what it is - a bit of a luxury item with which to stay in shape. That being said, tuba players managed for years on world tours, vacations etc. without this instrument, and making do with old fashioned mouthpiece work.

I strongly considered one while living for years in about 110 sq foot travel trailer. Because it would fit. But I didn't actually buy one, and thought of it mainly as a toy anyway.

I used mine quite a lot a few years ago when I was doing different types of work on different instruments in different parts of the country.

As I said in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxnzYPNPZbk" target="_blank they are definitely not concert instruments. That being said, at a particular time in my life/career it was exactly what I needed. I know several pros who take them on family vacations and it makes the travel much easier.

My life has had some seismic shifts since I made that video; I'm no longer essentially maintaining two careers/lives in two cities 1500+ miles apart. At present I would like to have one of these but I would really only use it a couple of weekends every year, so I sold mine and bought a cheap-o spare C tuba to keep at home, in order to save my back the hassle of carrying a C, F and euphonium back and forth from home to work daily.

They are definitely not particularly useful to everyone all the time, but back in the day my travel tuba made the myriad elements of my life/career a whole lot easier to juggle.

I bought the original Wessex Bubbie and then sold it and purchased a Bubbie 5. I play Eb tuba (and baritone when necessary). I find myself playing the Bubbie when I practice most of the time. It does have a bit more resistance so I feel it helps my lung strength (like wearing weights on your ankles when you run). I use it for quintet practice when travel is difficult (aka lots of snow and cold). I have used it for band practice too. I originally purchased it for travel in the car (less space needs). I never really traveled that much. I have found it one of the few horns worth keeping for me. I do use it, but not as I originally thought.

Wow, interesting range of experiences. Sounds like use as intended for travel makes it worthwhile. But others still find it handy, 'round town, and in a pinch.

So what does all this foretell for the Kanstul Flying Tuba, 904? https://www.kanstul.com/instruments/tub ... lying-tuba

BrassedOn wrote:Wow, interesting range of experiences. Sounds like use as intended for travel makes it worthwhile. But others still find it handy, 'round town, and in a pinch.

So what does all this foretell for the Kanstul Flying Tuba, 904? https://www.kanstul.com/instruments/tub ... lying-tuba

I think the flying tuba concept is different than the "travel tubas" previously discussed. Those tubas are more like a 1/2 or 1/3 size. The flying tuba is 3/4 size. A lot of older guys are going to a 3/4 size horn because of weight and handling issues. The flying tuba would fit in that market as well as someone who needs a more compact size horn for portability. The Miraphone Star Light that Oystein Baadsvik plays (a one of a kind version specifically made for him) is a similar concept to the flying tuba. He travels the world with his horn (it has been lost and then found a few times). It and all of his clothes fit in 2 suitcases. For someone like him, who is on the road and needs their performance horn with them, this is the thing. There is a fellow on this net who works and plays on a cruise line. He would be an example of someone who might want a flying tuba. The previously discussed "travel tubas" would not be large enough to play with an orchestra or band of any size without amplification.

I took a bunch of photos Tuesday:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... e34c39d35d" target="_blank" target="_blank

BrassedOn wrote:

• * Take a few lessons with your idols. (Though a lesson with Mr. Jacobs might be a higher cost than you're willing to incur.)

Read the books.
Listen to the CD's
Listen to the MP3 masterclass files under the Tips section.

or, just take a lesson from one of his students

I would bet on market saturation. Not for all time or anything like that. But how many different brands of travel tuba does the world need? It is a different situation compared to a "normal" tuba. I'm guessing players will be a LOT more particular about their main horn that a product they are buying for convenient carrying, so the market for full-size horns can support a larger number of brands.

I wish for more new tubas with removable bells.

I’d love a decent 4/4 CC tuba (like a mw3450) with two bells- front facing and upwards.

Easier to travel with and very flexible in use.

KiltieTuba wrote:Original “travel tuba” is the Cerveny tornister used by the Swiss.

Just to get the records straight, the tornistertuba, which literally means back-pack tuba was originally made for Austro-Hungarian military bands as can be seen in this picture from I believe 1908.



The hype about travel tubas may have passed as these are not the latest thing, but I can say as one of the main sellers of such, that people do still buy, although obviously not as many as when they first came out, but that is only to be expected. They are very popular for Jazz in that the tuba player still has eye contact with their audience, and with a mic, the diminutive size of a tornister tuba is not a problem. My favourite video of one is this showing how good they can sound, if played well without over-blowing...



For the orchestral tubist, I personally think, a better travel tuba would be a French C tuba. Little bigger than a tornister, and smaller than a euphonium, but a ‘real’ symphonic tuba that can also be played with the orchestra - and of course the correct tuba for any French orchestral repertoire.