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Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:39 am
by BrassKicksArse
Looking at a horn for college. I'm not too partial to CC or BBb, just wondering what everyone is thinking is a good all around tuba. I've been playing on a B&S 3103.

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:41 am
by Sousaswag
I've got a 5 valve piston VMI in your price range.. it's a great tuba. Model 3302. Check it out in the for sale forum!

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=89846" target="_blank

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 8:27 pm
by Steginkt
If you own the 3103, I'd keep it until after freshman year, save like mad, then sell it and get something with the help of your professor.
If not, I'd borrow whatever horn your new college will have for a year and save like mad, then get a horn with the help of your professor.
Barring that, the FB Tuba/Euphonium Marketplace page tends to have a better offering of instruments in your price range.

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:48 pm
by Dan Schultz
I have a Marzan (Bohm & Meinl) CC for well within your price range.

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:00 am
by tclements
There are many used Mirafone, B&S, Meinl-Weston 4/4 tubas in your price range. This would be a good place to start.

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 8:27 am
by swillafew
There are many used Mirafone, B&S, Meinl-Weston 4/4 tubas in your price range. This would be a good place to start.
In the spirit of agreement with the quote, there is the price of buying it vs. the cost of owning it. I had one horn that changed hands both times at the exact price, which amounted to me having the free use of it while owned it. It was a fantastic horn too, I only sold it because I didn't practice it enough. I think it was about 30 years old, still looked and played great.

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2018 7:40 pm
by michaelrmurrin
Wessex tubas are worth checking out. In 2012 at ITEC I tried a Wessex 5/4 CC tuba priced at 2000 Euros (which I think was around $2500 at the time) and it was a very very good horn. While they have a few options to choose from (including 4/4 horns), it looks like they are currently sold out of their CC tubas under $4000: https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/cc-tubas" target="_blank

And they have BBb tubas available as well but it looks like they're currently sold out of their 4/4 BBb's as well: https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/bbb-tubas" target="_blank

They're worth keeping on your radar - I'm only recommending them because I've tried out 2 of their tubas (a 5/4 CC and a 6/4 CC) and to me they're very good, professional-level horns for a pretty good price.

I also agree with the statements above that looking for used Miraphone, B&S, and Meinl Weston horns is also a very good place to start.

And for any horn, trying out the horn before you buy it is, of course, ideal if that's a possibility.

Re: Best tuba for around 4k~

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:44 am
by greenbean
tclements wrote:There are many used Mirafone, B&S, Meinl-Weston 4/4 tubas in your price range. This would be a good place to start.
This is your best advice, right here.