Doubler4Hire wrote:You have around $5500 each to spend on two tubas for a high school band program - which make and model do you think gives you the most bang for your buck?
Alot of music stores have been pushing Accent horns, saying they are identical to the Miraphones. My experience with student line instruments is next to nil, so I would appreciate any and all advice you guys can throw at me.
Thanks!
The Accent tubas are not made by Miraphone, so they are not identical to a Miraphone. If I remember correctly, the Accent tubas are made by Meinl Weston.
If you have $5,500 each for two tubas, get Miraphones if that's what you want. Why not split the money up more though and use it for other things for your band program?
As a European I am not having a first hand experience of the US market. However, while I still expanded my collection, I navigated the US market reasonably, because I know whom to listen to for good advice, even it it is not given specifically to me.
My dislike for most rotary tubas is well known. I do not find their overtone pattern productive for the integration of ensemble intonation. Stellar players like Bob Tucci, Oystein Baadsvik, and Jobey from Triton have counter-proved me, but they are some levels above the average player. Just to apply a modest wording.
I much better like the US and UK piston basses, because they have a much more even and smooth overtone pattern, which makes it so easy for the rest of the band to line-up intonationwise.
$5500 would easily buy you the new compact King BBb with 4 front action pistons last I checked the price.
Competent players speak favourably about them. But for the sake of fairness I will have to mention two catches:
They are not even from sample to sample. The best ones are stellar, the others less so. If you are not close to a major dealer, then get in contact with one of the many fine players on this board and ask him/her to help with the selection process.
I do no not like the very vulnerable wrap of the 4th valve tubing. If I had to do exposed (that’s marching and school) jobs with that model I would cut a styrofoam (?) block to fit around the most vulnerable tubing, but still allowing for draining the slides.
The King 2341 would be great for your situation. Right at about $5000 and that's including nice hard cases to store them in. Miraphones are good too, but if I was a student in your band, I'd want to play the King.
If your budget will support quality instruments, and it sounds like yours does, you don't need to bother with other brands that are "just as good as" Mirahones or Kings (because they're not). Nice tubas are wise investments for your band program.
My perspective is that they should have a durable horn that plays well and allows their skills to grow. Talk to local good tuba players or people that have good reputations for being even handed in providing information. Baltimore Brass and Dillons Music are both spoken of very highly on this BBS.
I just returned from visiting my brother near Munich and had the wonderful opportunity to visit Bob Tucci at his Tuba store. Bob and Manfred were very helpful and didn't try pushing a tuba on me. I told them up front what I had, what sound I was trying to get with a 4/4 size and potentially getting a new horn was an option. While there, I only purchased a new mouthpiece. After I returned, I ended up ordering a new B&S 3103 Anniversary Edition from Bob because my VMI 3301 sold (the 3301 played much better with the new mouthpiece). We negotiated a good price (which would fit in your budget) and I think any dedicated tubist would appreciate a quality tuba like the 3103. Certainly not the most expensive in the market and not the cheapest, but does well what it is supposed to do in MHO.
My comparison for playing is my 1922 Holton Bat which makes a wonderful tonal center and is a measure that the people around me use for comparison.
John (who has ants in his pants waiting for the new tuba to arrive)
