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After a bit of struggle with my 5/4 Rott/Cerveny, I had the opportunity to try a JP379CC horn, for sale with my local dealership in Bergen.

This is a 4/4 John Packer/Sterling tuba, inspired by the Hirsbrunner HB-21/392, with 4 front piston valves and a thumb operated rotary 5th valve.

The horn has a bit less of the big, monstrous ooomph from the 5/4 tuba, but is still more than adequate in a large wind band along with one Bb and one Eb tuba. It is also more nimble and easy-blowing, and apart from a flat D#, the intonation is more or less in place all through the register, albeit with some alternate fingerings here and there. (1st valve slide might be converted to a pullable one.)

I know that Joe "The bloke" Sellmansberger has been selling these instruments, he has described the quality as very high, with the metal being a 80:20 copper/zinc alloy, and I concur. It is also a heavy swine, and bystanders (or the pesky bass trombone) can easily be maimed or maybe lethally wounded if you swing the horn around too fast.

The sound is sweet and round, and the piston movement is nice and quick - I have been playing rotary for the last 3-4 years, but the piston operated tuba was a pleasant surprise with its fast and firm movements.

So - I went xlarge, and now I'm going large/medium - so far, it works for me.

I own one too. I have had mine 9 months. Build quality is great, and really enjoy the size. Like you say I play in a wind ensemble and often have to support it by myself.

Pitch- I would love it if you PM'd me on what compromises you have come up with. But the D# is terrible, and for me the rest of the 3rd partial (E,F,F#,G bottom/just below the staff). I currently have my 3 slide very loose and push all the way and lip up for D#. I am looking at venting valves and lapping 1&3 to trombone slide-ish territory.

I also find a tuba stand a necessity for me.

Great horn and great sounds. Not point and shoot pitch like a lot of people are saying about other horns.

cctubaneeds wrote:
Great horn and great sounds. Not point and shoot pitch like a lot of people are saying about other horns.

No. But then again - can you find a point and shoot pitched CC horn within a reasonable price range? I played a Yamaha tuba for some months last year, price tag 15.000 USD, unfortunately not mine, and that was fairly good IMHO, but as an amateur player, this is a bit above my price range.

Also keep sensei Alan Baers famous posting to Tubenet from 2004 in mind, in which he writes:

"...NO tuba plays in tune.... I don't care how much you pay for the horn No horn plays perfectly in tune. I am saddened to think that tubist are believing that one can play the instrument without pushing and pulling slides. EVERY tuba has intonation tendencies and how those tendencies work or don't work within a specific key will determine if we are pushing and pulling."

See viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3733&p=27565#p27565" target="_blank for the entire post.

I don't recognize all the intonation issues you describe with your JP379CC, apart from the annoying flat D# of course, but I will PM you with the details and my suggested fixes. A pullable 1st valve will solve most of my own issues, and maybe you also should consider your mouthpiece? I use a Geib-styled Denis Wick (AT4U), originally acquired for the 5/4 monster, but surprisingly good for the JP as well. Joe Sellmannsberger has suggested a Schilke SH-II as a good mouthpiece for this tuba, maybe I will give it a spin.

Regards from Norway