Just bought a used Marzan !

The bulk of the musical talk
Post Reply
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

She is the the same as the Wilson BBb that is at Dillion's. Not quite as nice as the lead pipe and most of the crooks are brass. But as ugly as I am, she will shine in comparison. She is the first tuba with four front piston valves that I can reach, being on the short and fat side. It is mostly my short arms. And she has a very different sound then my Mariphone 186. Plus she is smaller and lighter, and with me hitting the 70 mark this coming month, I may need to leave the York Bat at home soon. Assuming we get to play with others someday. So now I am back up to seven tuba. Came with a real nice bag as well.


Happy Birthday to Me!

CCC
Michael Grant
bugler
bugler
Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:33 am
Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Michael Grant »

Congrates! That’s the kind of horn I’ve been looking for. Can you post some photos? I looked on the Dillon site and did not see a Willson BBb.
Michael Grant
Wessex HB24 BBb Helicon
King 2341
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

My mistake. Mine is a BBb that looks like the CC at Dillon. Maybe that is why I did not spend so much money.

CCC
User avatar
saktoons
bugler
bugler
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:58 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by saktoons »

I have two BBb piston Marzans. (Well, my daughter took one, so I have one left...and I would not begrudge her having her own Marzan). I love that horn! I played in a wind ensemble and, for one season, we had three Marzans in the bass section.

Once you set the slides, every note is in tune! And if you go out of tune, for some reason, the main tuning slide is right up top where you can push and pull with your left hand to your heart's content. It is the most free-blowing horn I have ever played. I have played it with a Helleberg, a Bach Megatone 12, and a PT-50. I like the PT-50 the best. It just seems to fit me. (The Megatone was just too much for that horn, IMHO)

My daughter stepped up from a VMI 2103 to a Marzan. Her tuba teacher at university (who was also a major city symphony player) would take the horn after her lesson was over and play it for a long time. He said that if she ever wanted to sell it, he was interested. (She doesn't...and neither do I!)

Congratulations on your horn. I am huge fan of the Marzan.

SAK
Yamaha YSH-411S
Conn 20J
B-M Small Sousa
B-M Marzan piston BBb
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

Man, I am such a screw up in my first post. My Marzan BBb looks like the Wilson CC at Baltimore Brass... Not Dillon's. As I have not been to either, they are just web sites to me.
I will ad pictures when I figure out how. She was pretty dark having not been cleaned for a while. So I used bloke's method of spraying Tarn'x to start the cleaning. To my surprise, the Marzan and the Miraphone weight the same. 18.8 Lbs. The York is 32 Lbs.

CCC
Mcordon1
bugler
bugler
Posts: 164
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:30 am
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Mcordon1 »

Was this the one I saw on Portland's Facebook marketplace for 3K? Looked like a deal!
~Oregon~
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

I do not know. I don't do FB. The lead pipe and most of the bends in the slides are brass. And it was very tarnished. Came with a nice soft side load bag. It was at Wally's. I got it for for haft the price that was in the Face book ad.

CCC
Mcordon1
bugler
bugler
Posts: 164
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:30 am
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Mcordon1 »

Charlie C Chowder wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 10:55 am I do not know. I don't do FB. The lead pipe and most of the bends in the slides are brass. And it was very tarnished. Came with a nice soft side load bag. It was at Wally's. I got it for for haft the price that was in the Face book ad.

CCC
Wally's techs are great, glad to hear they're getting more business. Lots of great horns there for low prices. They have my CC right now, doing a few improvements. They made my chinese bass trumpet valve's play better than when it was new from factory :mrgreen:
~Oregon~
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

Yep. I have had Robert fix one of my saxes and move the lead pipe of the Marzan back to it original placement. A previous owner was much taller then me. I have been happy with their work there over the years.

CCC
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

After playing my BAT for so long, I feel like I am playing a trombone in reference to the build up of liquid. I need to clear the Marzan more offend. At least it seems to collect only in the main tuning slide which has the only spit valve. I am assuming that the smaller diameter tubing is the cause.

CCC
Michael Grant
bugler
bugler
Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:33 am
Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Michael Grant »

The only Marzan soloists I’ve seen was a piston horn. Smaller horn. Is yours a piston as well? Would love to see some photos of it.
Michael Grant
Wessex HB24 BBb Helicon
King 2341
Charlie C Chowder
bugler
bugler
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Charlie C Chowder »

I am not computer savvy. I just learned how to get my pictures off of my phone and into my deck top. When I figure out how to display them here, or link them to here, I will. But as said in my previous post, It looks like the Willson CC at the Baltimore Brass web site. Not as pretty and way cheaper as it is a BBb.

CCC
Michael Grant
bugler
bugler
Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:33 am
Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by Michael Grant »

Sorry for the confusion. I was typing in Baltimore Brass and it took me to Baltimore Brass Company which, oddly enough, sells tubas. I couldn’t find the Willson you were speaking of. I finally found the Baltimore Brass you keep mentioning and voila, there is the Willson you spoke of. No I get what it looks like. Nice looking horn.
Michael Grant
Wessex HB24 BBb Helicon
King 2341
User avatar
saktoons
bugler
bugler
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:58 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: Just bought a used Marzan !

Post by saktoons »

Charlie C Chowder wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:19 pm After playing my BAT for so long, I feel like I am playing a trombone in reference to the build up of liquid. I need to clear the Marzan more offend. At least it seems to collect only in the main tuning slide which has the only spit valve. I am assuming that the smaller diameter tubing is the cause.

CCC
I agree that, for the most part, the water collects in the main tuning slide. Both of my Marzans also have a water valve on the fourth valve’s slide, although water doesn’t build up much there, if at all. I don’t think I have to clear the Marzan any more than I do with any of my other horns. And, the Marzan clears easily and quickly (unlike my 20J, where I have to do the “pull all slides and dump” maneuver often).

SAK
Yamaha YSH-411S
Conn 20J
B-M Small Sousa
B-M Marzan piston BBb
Post Reply