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big marzan BBb at dillons
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 1:19 pm
by ken k
Howdy fellow tubenetters,
I saw a big 5/4 Marzan BBb tuba on the dillonmusic.com website.
Has anyone played it? What is it like? (Ya know what I mean, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.....)
I am on the lookout for a reasonably priced big ol' BBber and this looks vedddy interesting......
It might just be time for a roadtrip....
ken k
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 3:24 pm
by pedaljay
Hi Ken,
I am the former owner of this horn. Email me at
pedaljay@aol.com to discuss. Thanks.
Jason
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 5:27 am
by Stefan Kac
I tested this horn very briefly a couple of years ago and was VERY impressed. It played about as easily as any big horn I've ever tried. For what it's worth, I'd give it two thumbs up (albeit based on very limited experience).
Marzan
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:54 am
by Chuck W
I played the horn when it was in Minneapolis. I thought it was very nice.
Chuck
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:14 am
by ken k
Thanks all for replies.
What is the story on Marzan? I am not faniliar with this name. i have seen it around but know nothing about it.
ken k
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:02 am
by windshieldbug
You might want to check out:
The ITEA Oral History Of Dr. Marzan
It is pdf, but Google can provide an HTML translation.
I have a slant rotor CC Marzan, (with "squirrely" scale) and many of the people on this BBS were kind enough to give me some info about it when I first got on here.
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:12 pm
by Rick Denney
ken k wrote:Thanks all for replies.
What is the story on Marzan? I am not faniliar with this name. i have seen it around but know nothing about it.
ken k
Fred Marzan was an importer of instruments made with his particularly design ideas, including slanted rotors (for rotary tubas) and, particularly, main slides accessible to the left hand.
The larger piston Marzan instruments like the one at Dillon Music were made by Boehm and Meinl. Later B&M Symphonic instruments also had those features even without the Marzan label. The Dillon instrument's main slide is the one all the way to the left. As I understand it, Marzan's instruments also had a thinner bell than the early B&M instrument, and much thinner than my York Master, which was also made by B&M. The Bb B&M's and Marzans I've played have been great BBb tubas.
I'm not sure I would call the instrument a real 5/4, though. I would say it's on the small side of 5/4, if it's the same as my York Master.
In case you didn't know it, Walter Nirschl bought the B&M factory in 1991, and all subsequent Nirschl models were made there, many of which use parts and patterns already there.
Rick "thinking highly of the B&M valves, too" Denney
Re: big marzan BBb at dillons
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:08 pm
by Charlie Goodman
ken k wrote:Howdy fellow tubenetters,
Has anyone played it? What is it like? (Ya know what I mean, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.....)
ken k
Nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat, eh? Eh?
I hear it's a bit of a goah. Say no MORE!
Re: big marzan BBb at dillons
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:51 pm
by ken k
Charlie Goodman wrote:ken k wrote:Howdy fellow tubenetters,
Has anyone played it? What is it like? (Ya know what I mean, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.....)
ken k
Nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat, eh? Eh?
I hear it's a bit of a goah. Say no MORE!
Thanks Charlie I am glad someone caught the reference....