Hello! ...and a horn question (well, mostly a horn question)

[MikeMason]

Get a 5/4 CC and a functional f.This is the combination that the vast majority of pro's use.Don't buck the trend.Pay your dues and then if you want to play BBb or Eb,you'll be able to decide for yourself.Free advice,worth the price....

[jon112780]

I did my time in a few Nat'l Guard units (infantry, MP and a couple bands), and looked back to see the time well spent. if you have a good big horn (Hirshy BBb), and you sound good on it, sell you St. Pete and get an F or Eb. It sounds like you have already 'signed out' the Hirsbrunner, so spent your new bonus on a horn which will be more versitile (can cover the stuff you don't want to do on your big horn). it seems odd to be constantly using both BBb and CC if you don't NEED to on a regular basis. Why bother? I did the same thing and after awhile I thought "I don't play my CC enough to justify having it, so why keep it?" I eventually sold it (it was an HB2 5 rotary CC) and am much happier having the $$$ than the horn which I rarely used. I actually found my 983 Eb was better suited to the military band repitore than the HB2 CC, and it balanced out the section. Also, the Eb is my primary horn so CC or BBb were used much less, but I still could go back and forth between them easily.

Try a couple bass tubas (F or Eb) and get the one that makes you sound the best. If you don't mind spending most of your bonus, try the Hirsbrunner 3/4 F. Best horn I ever played of any key. I didn't get it because I: 1) didn't have the $10,000 (w/case) and 2)I play Eb. I would like to play the Hirsbrunner front action Eb, but they are special order only What horn will you play your Jr. and Sr. recitals on? Probably an F or Eb, so find one you like and get used to it

So, to make a long story short (too late) buy the horn that will help you be a better player. You already have access to a great Hirsbrunner BBb (be a shame not to use it just because it's a BBb), so sell your St. Pete and find an F or Eb for high stuff and solos. Then maybe you might mess around with the CC's.

Just my $0.02

[Captain Sousie]

Personally, I would go for a 4/4 or 5/4 CC and an F or EEb. The CC will be great for all around and the F or the EEb will be great for solo, quintet and anything else you want to do.

On the other hand, you could go for a large shank large bore euph and a 4/4 or 5/4 CC (or BBb, whichever one you try that sounds better). Gives you even more options later.

Main thing to watch for is that you don't dismiss anything that soulds great or sounds 'right' for you. Play a lot of stuff and make your final decision with a lot of info.

Sou

[Uncle Buck]

Have you narrowed down your choices for graduate school? If so, you ought to talk to the professors where you might be studying.

[porkchopsisgood]

A $15,000 bonus should help you to get both a good F and CC. It could require you to buy used, but at 8K used for a CC and 7K for an F (that might even get you a new one), you should be doing pretty OK.

Even if you don't spend the entire wad on horns, you should have a good amount to get both horns, IMHO.

AVC

[windshieldbug]

If you're set on a CC, you might consider getting that first. It seems that there are always decent used F/Eb's available from former tuba performance majors available (which oughta tell you something, besides... )