Miraphone 1291 CC Tuba: Best All-Around or Best Period?

Ace · Post by **Ace** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:06 pm

I love my 1291. It is by far the best tuba that I have played and owned, except for a local pro's PT-6. I have not had the good fortune to try more expensive horns such as Rudy Meinl's; MW 2155, 2165, 2000; HB's; Willson's; etc.-----thus, I cannot comment about how the 1291 stacks up against the higher priced tubas. For the price, however, I don't think a person can go wrong with a 1291.

TubaTodd · Post by **TubaTodd** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:55 pm

Now that the 1291 fever appears to have subsided, I've been wondering what one plays like. I've heard and read nothing but good things about them. I'm interested in trying one out, BUT I don't know of anyone in the Birminham, AL area (or surrounding areas) that has one. I wonder where the closest place would be to try one out.

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 5:24 pm

It seems that the 1291 CC is not the "end-all" tuba -- the "best ever", as the professional player who (I heard) assisted in the design of it has now teamed up with Meinl Weston to design a 6/4 CC (see link). IF the 1291 were "best ever", then there would be no need to do so.

Steve concludes that there are several "best ever" tubas out there -- find the one that allows you to BE the "best ever" and use that one.

http://www.meinl-weston.com/6450.htm

6450 "Baer"
6/4 size
model Alan Baer
4 piston steel valves (big valve)
Bore: .748in (4th valve slide conical: .787in)
5th rotary valve (.846in, thumb activated, on the wide side of the tuning slide)
Height: 37.2in
Bell diameter: 18.89in

However, for the life of me, I can't imagine why the new MW horn is a "6/4", when you compare the specs (below). The 1291 and 1292 have larger bore, except for the 5th valve. Does an increase of .49" of bell diameter change a horn from "large 4/4" to 6/4? Hmmm.

1291 CC:
- Bell diameter 470 mm (18,504 inch)
- piston valves
- 5th valve = rotary valve
- front action
- Bore of valve section conical 19,6 - 21,2 mm (0,772 - 0,835 inch)
- Material of mouthpipe nickel silver
- Mouthpiece TU31

1292 CC:
- Model New Yorker
- Bell diameter 470 mm (18,504 inch)
- piston valves
- 5th valve = rotary valve
- front action
- Bore of valve section conical 19,6 - 21,2 mm (0,772 - 0,835 inch)
- nickel silver wreath
- Type of mouthpipe medium large
- Material of mouthpipe nickel silver
- Mouthpiece TU26

For your further ponderance ....

Cheers,

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:05 pm

i think the best way to determine how many x/4's a horn is is to ask"how much water would this thing hold?"...

Kevin Hendrick · Post by **Kevin Hendrick** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:19 pm

MikeMason wrote:i think the best way to determine how many x/4's a horn is is to ask "how much water would this thing hold?"...

... as in "how many quarts" (i.e., 4-quarter, 5-quarter, etc.)? Ah, but that would make sense (and we all know how that goes) ...

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:14 pm

Or, since this "system" of sizing tubas originated in Germany, and they now use the metric system with the rest of the EU, would that be a 4/4 litre tuba, a US gallon, a 5/4 litre tuba, or an imperial gallon? (Not to be confused with a B&H Imperial, of course, so no one is mislead by any claims of a "New Standard"!) As for me, It's late enough on Saturday I think I'll go find a 4/5 quart and enjoy 2 or 3 fingers. Now, where's that picture of the guy smiling at his "tuba bell" full of beer....

bort · Post by **bort** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 3:40 pm

cc_tuba_guy wrote:1291 best anything? Not in my opinion. Now, the new 1292, Miraphone is getting close.

And if there's ever a 1293, it'll be SUPER awesome!

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 5:03 pm

I'd take the "Pinta" -- as in, "I'd like a pint-a beer, please."

Please refer back to my specs up the thread -- Miraphone (alleged 4/4) vs. Meinl Weston (alleged 6/4).

Here's my logic: Both start at the end of the valve cluster with about the same bore. Both end at the bell with about the same diameter. I must assume the length between the end of the cluster and bell is also approximately the same (heh heh), THEN the taper will, by necessity, also be VERY CLOSE to the same as well. (We wouldn't want a tuba tapered like a python that had recently dined on a gazel ....) Hence I must assume that the VOLUME (i.e. how many quarts of your beverage of choice) of both horns must be virtually IDENTICAL.

So back to my ponderance du jour -- how can one of these horns be a "large 4/4" horn and the other a "6/4" horn? My answer: they can't. They are virtually the same horn. My conclusion is that we must categorize both as 5/4 and be done with it -- regardless of what the manufacturers or sales outlets call them.

So -- where am I going wrong with my thought process?

Cheers,