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Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:31 pm
by roweenie
Well, I'm no mathematician, but my rough ciphering says the difference in displacement between bore sizes of 19mm and 18mm of cylindrical tubing on a BBb tuba is 114.5 cubic centimeters....does that mean anything? I don't know, but having experimented with pasting different bore size valve sets onto the same horn, I have empirical evidence that bore size does make a difference in the final outcome, YMMV.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:38 pm
by iiipopes
Hmmm. How about measuring the effective bore? The same bore size block is going to play "smaller" if the leadpipe is longer, say like a typical rotary BBb with the long looping leadpipe, than a shorter straight-in leadpipe. Has anybody factored that into the equation? For example, the historical Besson bore was .730 for the BBb New Standards, but because the leadpipe was so short, it played much larger. And the Miraphone bore on the 186 was historically .770, but with the really long looping leadpipe played much smaller. And the Conn .734 for the 14K and similar souzys, well, as observed, plays just right (and we all wish Conn would develop a next generation 4/4 "Donatelli" or similar). I do agree on the Martin: some years ago I was in a music store that had an old Mammoth on display, and they let me play it. I was surprised at the response and intonation. But at the time I owned both the Besson I used to own and had just gotten the Miraphone, so I did not need another tuba!

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:21 am
by Donn
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Swapping different sized valve sets on the same tuba, there should be a difference. But comparing different tubas, which seems to be the point, the size of valve set relates to the overall outcome in unpredictable ways, depending for example on where the valve section is located in the bugle. If I had designed a tuba, with .748 valve bore, I'd be somewhat resistant to the idea the design could be improved by the simple expedient of reducing the bore size by .022 in, without changing anything else, so it would really mean going back to the drawing board for a new design altogether - and at that point, it's no longer just about the bore size.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:05 am
by cambrook
It would be great if there was more choice available to makers - unfortunately the options have shrunk. I think Willson still make their pistons in-house, Bauerfind is now owned by Adams, and MW have moved to use only using their "Big Valves" on their tubas for cost reasons.

As a result some tubas that used to have smaller valves are now a bit compromised in their design, and often the newer versions have a bit less character.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:09 am
by Donn
Trumpets aren't conical.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 4:43 pm
by toobagrowl
Whenever something becomes super common it becomes boring. So yeah, the super-common .748" valve bore and the widespread proliferation of York-a-phones and York-inspired tubas are boring to me.
I thinking at this point, both have just about been "maxed out".

Sure, I'd like to see more tubas with the .718", .728" and .734" valve bores. My old POS "practice tuba" YBB-201, and Selmer Signet sousa both have the same .728" valve bore; my Elkhart Conn 14k sousa has a .734" valve bore. They were all old instruments I rescued, got parts for and fixed up, and they all play very well for 3v BBb instruments.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:08 pm
by bttmbow
Joe, I agree with you. Bore sizes should be looked at in newer designs. If the bugle works, bore size could be smaller on some instruments, but not all. This is a point that many tuba makers should be thinking about, in my opinion. My old BBb York Master had the same bore on the fourth valve as the first three valves, and had a better low FF than most horns I have ever played. Go figure. Seacrest out.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:32 pm
by iiipopes
Donn wrote:Trumpets aren't conical.
Well, yes trumpets are. Just not to the extent of other brass instruments. But all brass instruments have to have a degree of conicity, or the overtone partials structure that we rely on to play more than one octave won't line up to anything near what we consider Western tonal music. But don't just take my word for it:

https://acousticstoday.org/wp-content/u ... /Brass.pdf" target="_blank

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:40 pm
by roweenie
Donn wrote:Trumpets aren't conical
Wow, I totally misread that - I thought he wrote, "trumpets aren't comical"....

(I was assuming he hasn't met some of the trumpet players I've worked with over the years.... :shock: )

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:42 pm
by Conn 2J CC
There seems to be considerable interest within this thread in tubas with a bore size around .726” - .734”. I recently went looking through websites of current manufactures specifically for BBb horns in this range, which is the same as my Conn 32J BBb (.734”). The one I found of interest to me is Jupiter’s JTU1110, their four-pistons-in-front horn. Woodwind and Brasswind says it has a .732” bore, but Jupiter’s website says it’s .732” - .788”. Cascio Music says the same thing of Jupiter’s XO CC tuba, with four pistons and a rotary (.732” - .788”). This leads me to wonder if all four pistons on both horns are actually .732”, and the rotary of the CC horn is .788”. I should have the opportunity to find out the first weekend in February – I’ll be going to a rehearsal at a high school, and their band has a set of JTU1110s. Their director has already agreed to let me try them, since I may be interested in finding one on the used market. My 32J has many good qualities, but I’m wondering if would be more satisfied with a comparable sized horn that isn’t so mammoth.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 9:20 am
by iiipopes
Conn 2J CC wrote:There seems to be considerable interest within this thread in tubas with a bore size around .726” - .734”. I recently went looking through websites of current manufactures specifically for BBb horns in this range, which is the same as my Conn 32J BBb (.734”). The one I found of interest to me is Jupiter’s JTU1110, their four-pistons-in-front horn. Woodwind and Brasswind says it has a .732” bore, but Jupiter’s website says it’s .732” - .788”. Cascio Music says the same thing of Jupiter’s XO CC tuba, with four pistons and a rotary (.732” - .788”). This leads me to wonder if all four pistons on both horns are actually .732”, and the rotary of the CC horn is .788”. I should have the opportunity to find out the first weekend in February – I’ll be going to a rehearsal at a high school, and their band has a set of JTU1110s. Their director has already agreed to let me try them, since I may be interested in finding one on the used market. My 32J has many good qualities, but I’m wondering if would be more satisfied with a comparable sized horn that isn’t so mammoth.
Having played one when visiting a friend of mine at his school, yes, the regular 4 pistons are .732, at least on the BBb. The European version of the web site has listed 18.6mm.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:38 pm
by TubaKen
iiipopes wrote
Well, yes they are
Come on guys, you know Donn meant trumpets are "mostly" not conical. Sure, there's a flared bell, but probably 80% of the instrument is cylindrical (if you include the valves.)
What most struck me in the linked article about brass acoustics was this
Professional brass players may have from 3 to 10 different mouthpieces. As a general rule, the better the player is, the fewer the number of mouthpieces used, but most players
have at least two or three that are regularly used.
This was referencing the trumpet specifically. Multiply that number by 10 or 20, and you might be getting close! :lol:

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:29 pm
by Donn
TubaKen wrote: Come on guys, you know Donn meant trumpets are "mostly" not conical. Sure, there's a flared bell, but probably 80% of the instrument is cylindrical (if you include the valves.)
Well, to be precise, the trumpet belongs to an acoustically distinct branch of the brass family, along with trombones, which is generally considered to be "cylindrical", where the tuba belongs to the "conical" family. If there's any dispute about that, it's news to me.

The question of exactly how cylindrical, is perhaps more interesting for brass instruments that don't fall directly into those two categories - or where it's a matter of dispute. Cornet and French horn might be examples of the former; I'd put British baritone in the latter. I know there are those who insist that it's "cylindrical", but it looks to me to be essentially the tenor member of the saxhorn family, below the alto horn. Here I think we return to the question of the importance of valve bore: the baritone's bugle gradual expands along its length, as can easily be seen on casual examination, even if it doesn't expand anywhere near as much as the euphonium, so the valves are invariably small relative to the average diameter and have to be installed near the small end, at a location where the bugle diameter is smaller. A valve trombone's valves on the other hand are, like the trumpet's, routinely installed at about the midpoint, and valve diameter is definitional for these instruments.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 10:06 pm
by Dan Schultz
gionvil wrote:This is a very interesting thread. After many years playing .728, .689 and .750 tubas I really feel that now the best for me is the .728 or possibly .734 bore. Which piston CC tubas are available on the market new or used with the latter bore size? Are the Bohm & Meinl - Marzans .734?
The Bohm & Meinl-built Marzans in CC and BBb... both piston and rotary models were .748" bore.

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 2:13 pm
by iiipopes
Here you go: the specs for a Rudy Meinl "3/4" BBb tuba (which is what everybody else would call a "4/4" tuba): 17" bell; .730 bore.
Link to catalog: http://www.rudolf-meinl.de/fileadmin/te ... ospekt.pdf" target="_blank
3-4_B_Tuba_4_Zylinder_Ventile.jpg

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 1:47 pm
by MaryAnn
gionvil wrote:This is a very interesting thread. After many years playing .728, .689 and .750 tubas I really feel that now the best for me is the .728 or possibly .734 bore. Which piston CC tubas are available on the market new or used with the latter bore size? Are the Bohm & Meinl - Marzans .734?
I find it interesting for a different reason....my NStar has bore from .772 to .835 but it does not suck the air out of my lungs like a longer bugle with a smaller bore. (same mouthpiece.)

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 2:00 pm
by gionvil
MaryAnn wrote:
gionvil wrote:This is a very interesting thread. After many years playing .728, .689 and .750 tubas I really feel that now the best for me is the .728 or possibly .734 bore. Which piston CC tubas are available on the market new or used with the latter bore size? Are the Bohm & Meinl - Marzans .734?
I find it interesting for a different reason....my NStar has bore from .772 to .835 but it does not suck the air out of my lungs like a longer bugle with a smaller bore. (same mouthpiece.)

That can be another solution, I never thought about going "shorter"...

Re: .748" bore is boring

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:26 am
by joh_tuba
Just buy a rotary tuba. Much more modular. You can go up and down in size willy-nilly and put the valves anywhere you like in the bugle as long as you come up with a paddle system to match.

Look at the million variations on bore that have have been offered on MW F tubas.