How good is good enough?

[MaryAnn]

I'd change that to "more than is needed" rather than "too good." And if the price is right, i see nothing wrong with getting more than is needed. I do it a lot myself; I appreciate not having to fight to play in tune or get a decent tone.

[Three Valves]

The law of diminishing returns...

Would I pay 200% more if it made me sound 50% better??

Maybe...

400% more??

NO!!

[bort]

"Better" is the enemy of "Good enough"

[Donn]

I'd change that to "more than is needed" rather than "too good." And if the price is right, i see nothing wrong with getting more than is needed. I do it a lot myself; I appreciate not having to fight to play in tune or get a decent tone.

If the "too good" idea is the one I brought up, that isn't what it's about. My own anecdotal example might be a good one, if you subscribe to the common belief that my old BBb Miraphone 190 was no great shakes at playing in tune. I don't know - I sure wasn't experienced enough to notice. I just had got me a great big orchestral Kaiser - that probably for me really wasn't as "good" as my 3V Olds "student model", though it would have been much more "good" than the Olds in the hands of a more accomplished player. I suppose the same comparison would apply to my current BBb tubas, a King 1240 or 2340 or whatever it is and a big old Holton 109: the King is easier to play, in tune and everything, so is it better? No, but it would be better for, uh, someone else.

This isn't as obvious with tubas as it is with some other choices. Bloke's example with flutes was a good one, if you sift out the usual digression into Chinese bla bla - open hole is "better", but it isn't something they give you to make it easier to play. Saxophone mouthpieces.

[Jerryleejr]

I guess my question is when the 4K instruments are playing 95% as well as the 14K instruments will we see a market shift in price? I doubt the High end will come down but we are seeing the low end increase....

JJ

[MaryAnn]

I'd change that to "more than is needed" rather than "too good." And if the price is right, i see nothing wrong with getting more than is needed. I do it a lot myself; I appreciate not having to fight to play in tune or get a decent tone.

If the "too good" idea is the one I brought up, that isn't what it's about. My own anecdotal example might be a good one, if you subscribe to the common belief that my old BBb Miraphone 190 was no great shakes at playing in tune. I don't know - I sure wasn't experienced enough to notice. I just had got me a great big orchestral Kaiser - that probably for me really wasn't as "good" as my 3V Olds "student model", though it would have been much more "good" than the Olds in the hands of a more accomplished player. I suppose the same comparison would apply to my current BBb tubas, a King 1240 or 2340 or whatever it is and a big old Holton 109: the King is easier to play, in tune and everything, so is it better? No, but it would be better for, uh, someone else.

This isn't as obvious with tubas as it is with some other choices. Bloke's example with flutes was a good one, if you sift out the usual digression into Chinese bla bla - open hole is "better", but it isn't something they give you to make it easier to play. Saxophone mouthpieces.

Well, I'd say that my violin matched my talent at the time, which was easily in the first violin section of a regional orchestra. I never had to "learn" intonation. It was there to start with, and with a violin you're not stuck with what the tubing will allow.
Since my change to brass....I have bought pro level instruments because I can tell the difference. That doesn't mean I can't play reasonably well on a student tuba, or a student horn, but it means that I prefer the ease of the pro level. I can't get out of my NStar what a high level player can, but I can get more out of it than I can a lesser instrument. I rejected several pro level (French) horns because they were either ergonomically difficult or not in tune with themselves. I have a pro level oboe because why not? I got a great one used for less than I would have paid for a new student level one, and it has a much nicer tone and easier reach for my small hands. So I don't think I'm arguing with you but just extending my own POV. On a different point, those of us who can't get the most out of that level of instrument may be a valuable source of income for the makers of those instruments.

[iiipopes]

To tie two previous posts together, a Miraphone 186 C tuba with a Bb main tuning slide extender is not 'too good'.

Or to say it more bluntly: it is bad.

[Jerryleejr]

The law of diminishing returns...

Would I pay 200% more if it made me sound 50% better??

Maybe...

400% more??

NO!!

I think that is the point. Will a $40k tuba make anyone play 10x better than a $4k tuba? No. When I watched that video, it made me really question my desire for a top tier horn. A great horn may make me sound somewhat better, it may have somewhat better intonation, and it may be somewhat easier to play. How much better? 15%? 20%? Maybe. Is an $1800 Miraclone good enough for me and what I do? Probably so.

Fortunately I have my top tier horn, I did not pay top tier price for it. But Im looking for a 2nd horn and wrestling with that top tier price lol...

JJ

[Alex C]

How many full time performers play Chinese made tubas? The only one I know is Porkorny who plays a BMB sometimes. There are a few others, I think. Is the run-of-the-mill Chinese tuba good enough for professionals? Based on what professionals play I would say no.

If your standard is lower than a professional, by all means, play what feels good to you. But understand, the highest goals in music require the highest quality professional gear. Most of us never reach our goals, so the lower you set your goals, the lower your results will be. not everybody wants the same results.

[Dan Tuba]

intonation/response/valves/slides - in that order...regardless of price, country of origin, or pitchman, or motivation for posting

I own a BMB J765 BBb tuba. It's a very nice tuba, and it's not too much work to play. However, my employer provided me with a MW 195P to use on jobs. All of the above attributes that Bloke mentioned above are better on the MW 195P. Do I ever choose to use my BMB J765 BBb tuba at work, no...because it requires more work to perform. Could I use the BMB J765 BBb tuba at work...yes, and I could "probably" perform reasonably well. However, why would I want to work harder if I don't have to. After many years of "learning" to overcome "quirks" on different tubas, I really think that you you should pick an instrument that affords you the opportunity to focus on the music. All tubas have "quirks," however some have fewer quirks than others to overcome. You should try as many tubas, regardless of the key, or country of origin, in order to find what works for you. Perhaps if you are going to play "professionally," the question shouldn't be "Can I get by playing on such and such?" Perhaps the question you should ask yourself is " Should I play on such and such if it inhibits my ability to perform my best and offer the best possible musical product while I have the means to do otherwise ?"

[Three Valves]

I played a Miraphone 186 BBb recently for the first time.

That was good enough.