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Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:28 am
by Fry
I struggle to play most tubas sitting up straight (I'm 6'2) and I feel as if it affects my sound. I play school-owned tubas: King 2341 BBb, Yamaha YBB-641, and Miraphone 1291 BBb. I've been looking into buying a CC tuba but I'm worried it might be too short. Any advice?

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:36 am
by Heavy_Metal
I'd say go to an instrument dealer and try some different tubas. Where are you located?

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:40 am
by Fry
I'm located in South Texas.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:35 am
by besson900
If You want to buy new instrument try to talk with your dealer about putting you mouthpiepe(I wrote correct? ^^) higher.I had the same problem with 192cm tall and Melton put mouthpiepe higher like 1cm and it is working great now :)

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:11 pm
by olaness1
Moving the leadpipe higher, or getting a stand for the instrument would be two ways of dealing with it. Try a Besson 994 and see if you are tall enough...

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:41 pm
by fenne1ca
If modifications or a stand don't appeal, I've seen a lot of success among my colleagues with a tuba/euph "pillow." Best build I ever saw was made with a folded bundle of fleece from JoAnn Fabrics, encased in rubber shelf/drawer-liner that is sewn or glued together strongly. I've also seen folks use black hockey pucks stacked/glued together, if you're inclined to set the horn on your chair rather than your lap.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:41 pm
by fenne1ca
If modifications or a stand don't appeal, I've seen a lot of success among my colleagues with a tuba/euph "pillow." Best build I ever saw was made with a folded bundle of fleece from JoAnn Fabrics, encased in rubber shelf/drawer-liner that is sewn or glued together strongly. I've also seen folks use black hockey pucks stacked/glued together, if you're inclined to set the horn on your chair rather than your lap.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:48 pm
by bort
There are a few really tall guys here, Mark Finley is like 6' 8", and I think Schlepporello is almost 7 feet. Maybe they can help.

FWIW, I seem to recall that Mark used a Cerveny Piggy for a very long time. Not a big tuba at all.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:55 pm
by PMeuph
A Miraphone 188 is the perfect height for me and I'm also 6'2".

Folded towels make decent cushions to make tubas/euphoniums higher.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:03 pm
by GC
I have the opposite problem. My torso is very short for my height, and a typical tuba placed on a seat bottom hits me about the bridge of my nose. I have to hold almost any tuba off the front of the chair with my legs. Stands give me backaches. I'm currently looking for a new Eb with a lower than usual leadpipe, and I am aware of the Fletcher leadpipe, which seems to only be available on JinBao and rebranded lower-line compensating Eb's.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:23 pm
by jperry1466
GC wrote:I have the opposite problem. My torso is very short for my height, and a typical tuba placed on a seat bottom hits me about the bridge of my nose. I have to hold almost any tuba off the front of the chair with my legs. Stands give me backaches. I'm currently looking for a new Eb with a lower than usual leadpipe, and I am aware of the Fletcher leadpipe, which seems to only be available on JinBao and rebranded lower-line compensating Eb's.
In high school, many many many years ago, I played a compensating Besson with a ball on the bottom bow that made it too tall to play. I folded a thin sofa pillow in half and tied it that way. I sat in the back half of the chair and sat the tuba on the chair between my knees. Perfect fit, but I was also much thinner in those days.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 6:08 pm
by Mark
I am also 6'2" and it is a problem. I bought a Baltimore Brass stand and it has worked well for me.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:02 am
by JESimmons
I made a pad from a dense foam yoga block. Places like Academy Sports sell them in various thicknesses. I wrapped it in that medical tape that sticks mostly only to itself. It sticks just enough to my pants to keep the block from sliding.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:31 am
by Dylan King
Iā€™m 6ā€™3ā€ and have never had too much trouble with any tuba. One can find an ergonomic balance by spending a little time getting used to an instrument, and adjusting how they hold it depending on the placement of the lead-pipe, valves, etc.

You can always grow a nice, fat, tuba-player beer-belly. So many of us tubists know how much that helps.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:18 pm
by Ken Herrick
Buying a tuba should only be done when you are short!

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:23 pm
by TheGoyWonder
King 2341 definitely has a short receiver (good choice for manlets), and is also too heavy to just put up on your lap for hours.
bessons on the other hand favor the tall as mentioned, and i'd say also B&S.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 9:18 pm
by JCradler
Soap box time:
Get a tuba stand. Not one that displays the tuba, one that is for use while playing, sometimes billed as a "Tuba Rest". Baltimore Brass sells one, but it doesn't need to come from them. It allows any player to put the instrument, almost any instrument, exactly at the right height with any chair and sit up straight. I also allows the hips and legs to relax. The mouthpiece is always where it should be. You don't need to do anything to the tuba at a repair shop.
Yes, it's something else to carry, but it's worth the trade off in my opinion. I began using a BBC stand about 10 years ago and haven't looked back. In addition, there is the theory/belief that the stand carries extra vibration energy to the floor rather than into one's thighs. This, arguably, projects more sound to the audience. I don't care too much either way about that theory. I DO care about my comfort and posture when playing. In addition, my accuracy definitely improved when I began using a stand. I believe using a stand is the equivalent of an end pin on a cello or bass, we're just a bit late to the party since we play such a relatively young instrument.
To sum up- get a stand.
John Cradler

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:44 pm
by THE TUBA
JCradler wrote: To sum up- get a stand.
Second. Sit with good posture then bring the horn to you, not the other way around.

Re: Buying a tuba while being tall

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 6:42 am
by gwwilk
JCradler wrote:Soap box time:
Get a tuba stand. Not one that displays the tuba, one that is for use while playing, sometimes billed as a "Tuba Rest". Baltimore Brass sells one, but it doesn't need to come from them. It allows any player to put the instrument, almost any instrument, exactly at the right height with any chair and sit up straight. I also allows the hips and legs to relax. The mouthpiece is always where it should be. You don't need to do anything to the tuba at a repair shop.
Yes, it's something else to carry, but it's worth the trade off in my opinion. I began using a BBC stand about 10 years ago and haven't looked back. In addition, there is the theory/belief that the stand carries extra vibration energy to the floor rather than into one's thighs. This, arguably, projects more sound to the audience. I don't care too much either way about that theory. I DO care about my comfort and posture when playing. In addition, my accuracy definitely improved when I began using a stand. I believe using a stand is the equivalent of an end pin on a cello or bass, we're just a bit late to the party since we play such a relatively young instrument.
To sum up- get a stand.
John Cradler
Well said, and it reflects my experience exactly.Image Image Image