King Eb/CC at Baltimore Brass

[Dan Schultz]

Ok,

I'm not interested in a CC tuba at all, but this thing looks strange to me. Anyone have any ideas about it? I have a King Eb at the house, was curious if it may be worth having someone do this conversion to it.

It's my opinion that one of those Kings would be better off left an Eb... unless of course you play a CC... happen to own one of these in Eb... have no money to buy a CC.... and have lots of time to do the work yourself...

[Billy M.]

Well, I've known Dave Fedderly to be VERY honest, so when he says it's a very nice horn, it's a very good possibility that's what it is. He says it's in tune also, which is a plus.

Maybe someone will find this to be a great deal.

[Dan Schultz]

Well, I've known Dave Fedderly to be VERY honest, so when he says it's a very nice horn, it's a very good possibility that's what it is. He says it's in tune also, which is a plus.

Yep, ditto here.

Hey Billy... Scoob... Yes, Dave Fedderly is a great guy and a square shooter. That has little to do with the original posters question, though.

[Chuck(G)]

Looking at the photo:



it looks as if the cylindrical portion of the tuba has been extended to lower the pitch a minor third. The resulting sound shouldn't be much different from the original Eb tuba. In other words, my take is that it'll still sound like a monster Eb, not a CC.

Not a bad price for it, just don't expect a contrabass tuba sound. It might be a great small ensemble tuba, however.

[MikeMason]

is this a monster Eb? the bell doesn't seem quite big enough.........

[Chuck(G)]

is this a monster Eb? the bell doesn't seem quite big enough.........

I bet not. I think it's the King Eb one size down from "Monster".

You're probably right. I was going on gut, not what my eyes told me. But my response still holds--it'll sound like an Eb, not a contrabass CC, small or otherwise. And it still might be a good horn for small ensemble.

[Peach]

But my response still holds--it'll sound like an Eb, not a contrabass CC, small or otherwise.

I don't understand this statement Chuck. How do you quantify an "Eb sound" compared with a "C sound"? Are you referring to the long straight tubing - ie: even played low it's going to sound like an Eb with a lot of valves down?

Surely it'll sound rather like a Yam621 or Mira 184 or any other small, tight C? That might be the same as a certain Eb sound but however it got that way the Holton IS a C-tuba, therefore it'll have a "C-sound" (which in this case might be unique, but it's still a C sound).

Not disagreeing, just wondering what you mean...

[Chuck(G)]

I don't understand this statement Chuck. How do you quantify an "Eb sound" compared with a "C sound"? Are you referring to the long straight tubing - ie: even played low it's going to sound like an Eb with a lot of valves down?

I've got two piston-valved tubas of roughly the same size and bore here--an Eb with about a 0.700" bore and 17" bell and a CC with an 0.720" bore and a 16" bell. Physically, the Eb is the larger instrument.

But the sound is very different, particularly in the low register. The CC is darker and more assertive down there; the Eb does a good job, but there's no confusing the sound of the two . The high register on the Eb also tends to be more brilliant and penetrating.

To borrow your example, I don't think anyone could confuse the sound of a 184 CC with a 183 Eb, even though they're almost the same size.

I believe that the proportion of tapered tubing that is a large determinant of sound quality.

Perhaps I could put it another way--what's the difference in sound between a baritone horn and a euphonium? What's the difference in construction?

I hope this makes sense. Fire away, if you think I'm shoveling smoke...

[Frank Ortega]

I'd like to know the history of it...

Who did the conversion?
When?
Why this size horn?

Frank Ortega

[Chuck(G)]

Yes, all of the addition is in the tuning slides. I've heard of this being done to Eb sousaphones to get a small light instrument, but I don't quite understand the motivation on a regular tuba.