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I have a 5 valve Satin Silver King 2341 with a 5th rotory valve on the thumb listed below.

It seems to meet your specs well under your price.

Email me if interested.

More options: Miraphone 186 or 188, M-W 25, Rudy Meinl used, PT-1, VMI 330X, used Yamaha 8XX, possibly a used Gronitz, several of the forum members who have shops, several on-line places that can be contacted that are referenced here in the forum.

Any reason the horn has to be silver? I test-drove silver horns when I was buying my 1291, and they all played very bright for me. So don't rule out lacquer! I would also recommend switching to CC tuba. If you're going to be entering college and are buying your own horn, it sounds like you're pretty serious about playing, and possibly making it a career. Granted you can do whatever you want on any horn, but I think your life will be a lot easier if you switched to CC. There are also many more CC horns with the specs you listed than there are BB-flat.

As for your instructor in college, as long as you have a good horn in good working order, they should be more than happy to teach you. It seems more likely, though, that a teacher would try to convert you from BB-flat to CC, rather than telling you to switch back if you show up with a CC.

With all that in mind, my recommendation for you that fits all your specs is the Miraphone 1291 in BB-flat (though it may be tricky to find in silver). If you switch to CC, there are many, many more possibilities.

Happy Hunting, and remember to always test-drive before you buy!

with that budget, you could find your way to almost any tuba (minus a Yamayork or MW 2000 or HB-50) if I were so i'd take some of that budget to pay for a roadtrip to dillon's or BBC etc. play eveything, in both keys. but to go with your specs there, i would suggest a Miraphone 1291 (or the CC 1292, very nice horn) or the aforementioned King 2341 custom job on sale here and bass clef brass (nota bene, i have not played nor actually seen this horn, but it does fit all your requirements) happy shopping!

While I was looking for a horn with simmilar specs, only in CC, and happy with a 4/4 horn, and under 5,000, I found a 4 valve OLD Miraphone (old being 35 for a tuba) and it plays better than any of the other horns that I tried...and it was only $2800 So, if you can find a OLD miraphone, when wanting a CC, with a $10,000 limit, you could buy the Miraphone, get a fifth valve installed, and get it silver plated for that money...
Just my five cents worth...

Oh, and by the way, I think most college tuba instructors prefer a CC over BBb.

I would have to agree that the Fafner, although not piston, is a wonderful horn. If I had my pick of any large horn to play, it would probably be in my top three (I'm a CC player, btw). Just a wonderful sound.

you should be able to get a fine CC or BBb and a fine F for your budget.Shop hard............

There are many fine BBb horn in the size and price range you want, and most have been recommended already.

dejaime wrote:I am under the impression that whether or not you need a CC tuba in college is decided by the instructor. Is this true?

Sometimes, but I would think it depends more on whether you are a performance or an education major. Performance majors should really think about switching, but education majors will most likely be teaching BBb tuba to their students when they get a job teaching school. So I don't see the big need to switch if you are planning to be a teacher. Don't let anyone "force" you to change if you really don't want to.

dejaime wrote:MUST cost under $10,000 if it includes a case, or $9,000 if not.

http://www.dillonmusic.com/HeleoCart/Pr ... d96zEsU%3d

With a $10,000 budget, this would leave you with more than $6,000 to get a case (and an Eb or F tuba too).

If I were in your situation, I would buy a new King 2341 and with the leftover money buy a an Eb or F tuba.