Frankfurt Music Fair: a few impressions

[hubert]

Yesterday I visited the Frankfurt Music Fair. A nice opportunity to play a bunch of tuba novelties.

Meinl-Weston/Melton: the new Baer tuba indeed produces a huge sound and is very,very easy to play. For me personnally the sound tends to break too soon, when playing fff. Finally I would prefer the 2165 for orchestral work, I am afraid. Prices: Baer: I forgot to write it down, must be somewhere about Euro 15.000; the 2165 costs the fortune of Euro 17.674; the Thor is a marvellous all purpose instrument; sound is less broad/orchestral than the Baer, but solid as a rock. Price Euro 14.226. A tuba for a lifetime.

B&S: in my opinion the new GR41 (copy of York 4/4) does not end very far behind the Thor. Also an impressive all purpose instrument. Price somewhat friendlier: Euro 11.500.

Very interesting is a new 5/4 Hirsbrunner (HB 550) for about Euro 12.000. Great orchestral sound and enormous projection; the instrument is heavier than earlier Hirsbrunners; this works out in the sound (I would say it resembles the dark vibrating character of early Holtons; tends to Bb). Price around Euro 12.000.

For me personnally the Rudi Meinl, a rather big 5/4, still is the winner of the Rolls Royces among CC tubas (as "cheap" as Euro 12.000).

The Miraphone Eb (Norvegian Star, Modell 283) indeed is a revelation. I feel Miraphone never produced an instrument with an open wrap like this one. It plays as easy as a recorder::)) Price Euro 7857.

An interesting novelty is the B-Tuba Z 3001 from MTP (Musiktreffpunkt Roland Ekle at Dettenhausen). This dealer has started to produce an own tubaline. This 4/4 rotary tuba (4 valves, traditional German modell) has a big sound (bore 21 mm!!), a totally new kind of (titanium) rotary valves that look like the Willson Rotax, but can be removed and cleaned by yourself in seconds and a removable machinery and mouthpipe (similar to Kalison). Price Euro 5200.

The cheapest tuba I saw on the fair was a Chinese Duolina DBB 626G. It is a 4 valve B-tuba, traditional German modell, bore 18,7 mm, bell 401,4 mm for the price of Euro 569, yes 569. Sound is very nice, pitch remarkably good, the machinery (still) makes far too much noise. But if I would have a classroom of kids who wanted to start playing the tuba, I would not hesitate to order a container of these.

Finally I spoke with a representative of Meinl Weston about Besson: it has been bought by Buffet Crampon, the French company which also owns Courtois. It is not yet clear, whether and how they will continue with the Besson brass products. Since a few years Gerhard Meinl produces the parts for Besson brass in his B&S factory in Markneukirchen. That contract seems still to be valid.

Hubert.

[chhite]

This was my first opportunity to play the B&S GR-41(PT606) and WOW! My two colleagues had stepped away for a moment before I started playing but hastily returned to find out what it was. I liked everything about it.

I also liked the MW 5450 "Thor," just a bit big for what I'm after now. The 6450 was nice as well, but I preferred the 2265 that was on display. Plenty of differences btw the 2165, 2265, and the 6450 and anyone in that market has more options now than they ever have.

The MW Howard Johnson models also impressed me. The four front piston version was agile, smooth, and deceptive. The valveset and tubing is smaller but the horn put out plenty of sound that was pleasing at all dynamics, even in the tiled and plate glass room.

I had played the Hirsbrunner 5/4 CC last year at the factory and I was not impressed. There are several other horns that I would pick before that one.

Overall, I was impressed by the new models and many of the old standards that are available. Just wasn't enough time in our day to see everything that I wanted.

[evan]

The cheapest tuba I saw on the fair was a Chinese Duolina DBB 626G. It is a 4 valve B-tuba, traditional German modell, bore 18,7 mm, bell 401,4 mm for the price of Euro 569, yes 569. Sound is very nice, pitch remarkably good, the machinery (still) makes far too much noise.

I wonder how long before some musical instrument maker takes a design and works with some good chinese machinists to make pro-quality horns. I suppose the demand for high end horns is so low (compared to student horns) that this might not happen for a while. I bet that a horn that costs 15k Euros to build in Germany might be 1/2 as much when made in China...maybe...?

[evan]

The reason the china horns are less expensive is super-low (near free by western standards) labor costs, this savings comes at a cost of labor skill (you get what you pay for, especially in an art such as instrument manufacture).

That's true, but I know there are world class machinists in china. I'm sure you couldn't afford one if you wanted a $750 horn, but if you wanted to build a $5000 horn it's a different story. I work with optical components (optical systems engineering type stuff) and I've bought great quality optics from China. They're not dirt cheap, but they might be 1/2 of what they cost at an American company. (These parts are manufactured to optical tolerances, which are far beyond what musical instruments need -- of course you don't make tubas from glass either)

[Cameron Gates]

What is the BBb rotor monster right below the cimbasso? To me it looks like a rudy but that silver bell band is making me wonder.

[UDELBR]

What is the BBb rotor monster right below the cimbasso? To me it looks like a rudy but that silver bell band is making me wonder.

Yup, it's the Rudy 6/4 (which seems more like an 8/4!)

[Cameron Gates]

Rudolf Meinl 6/4 BBb. The bell looks like silver in the picture but it isn't.

The bell looks brass on my monitor, I'm wondering about the bell wreath. I have never seen a Rudy with one before. Is this something new for Rudy or is it only for this model. That thing is big and beautiful. Also, what is the F with the round marking on the bell?

EDIT: Never mind, the F's are the same B&S. The flash for the picture distorted the markings on the bell.

[Pete Link]

Rudolf Meinl 6/4 BBb. The bell looks like silver in the picture but it isn't.

Also, what is the F with the round marking on the bell?

EDIT: Never mind, the F's are the same B&S. The flash for the picture distorted the markings on the bell.

That would be a Rudy F. I own one and it is fantastic! This one looks identical to mine with the exception of the new little emblem on the bell. Along with the 2nd and 5th valve slide kickers shown on this one mine also has a 1st kicker as well. All put on at the factory. Also mine is gold brass, not sure about the one shown in the picture. I also have interchangeble pipes, one large, one small, I use the small.
It is ashame that these horns cost so much now and are hard to come by because they truly are fantastic F tubas.
Mike Roylance uses one in BSO and he sounds great on that horn.

[chhite]

The emblem on the bell is just a sticker that Rudi places on display horns instead of stamping their logo on the bell. Most of the horns that they bring to the show are not lacquered and some get dinged during the trip from the shop. Once the horns return to the shop, the damage is fixed and the horns go back on display in their storefront.

[Cameron Gates]

The emblem on the bell is just a sticker that Rudi places on display horns instead of stamping their logo on the bell. Most of the horns that they bring to the show are not lacquered and some get dinged during the trip from the shop. Once the horns return to the shop, the damage is fixed and the horns go back on display in their storefront.

Aha. Thank you sir. I thought the round marking sort of looked like the B&S engraving. I still want to see one of those big Rudy BBb's up close. That thing must be fun to play.

[chhite]

The 6/4 is quite a horn to behold. They also had a 5/4 BBb with a vertical tuning slide that had a beautiful sound but not as broad as the 6/4. Still a full ensemble horn or one that could be massaged for quintet.

[UDELBR]

That thing must be fun to play.

"Unwieldy" is the first term that comes to mind. It's enormous. And quite a bit of work to play.

[hubert]

The Miraphone Eb (Norvegian Star, Modell 283) indeed is a revelation. I feel Miraphone never produced an instrument with an open wrap like this one. It plays as easy as a recorder::)) Price Euro 7857.

Out of interest, how did you find the Miraphone sounded - leaning darker towards a CC, or brighter towards an F?

I would say, that it sounds like an Ftuba in Eb::))
Hubert

[Cameron Gates]

Mauro,

Grazie per le fotografie e per l'invio loro su Tubenet.
Assomiglia voi si è divertito in Frankfort!

Riguardi migliori,

Scooby

What he said. Thanks for posting the pictures. It is nice to see the new MW creations up close along with that big Rudy.

[Cameron Gates]

Mauro,

Grazie per le fotografie e per l'invio loro su Tubenet.
Assomiglia voi si è divertito in Frankfort!

Riguardi migliori,

Scooby

What he said. Thanks for posting the pictures. It is nice to see the new MW creations up close along with that big Rudy.

Admit it Cam, this is the only one you looked at:



And BTW, who is this shiney new penny?

You have a point, I was drooling a little on that one. The whiner in the corner is Sawyer Crockett Gates smiling for his Christmas photo. He's now 5 months old and never cries. NOT. And yes, he does look like an alien.

[Leland]

An interesting novelty is the B-Tuba Z 3001 from MTP (Musiktreffpunkt Roland Ekle at Dettenhausen). This dealer has started to produce an own tubaline. This 4/4 rotary tuba (4 valves, traditional German modell) has a big sound (bore 21 mm!!), a totally new kind of (titanium) rotary valves that look like the Willson Rotax, but can be removed and cleaned by yourself in seconds and a removable machinery and mouthpipe (similar to Kalison). Price Euro 5200.

Is this the horn?
https://shop.ekle.de/musiktreffpunkt/sh ... PZ3001&S4=

(hope the link works)