A question for the masses...

theanalogkid · Post by **theanalogkid** » Tue May 29, 2007 6:36 pm

Has anyone here played a Willson 3050S? I euphonium player friend of mine said that they sound REALLY good. I've never heard much talk of Willson tubas, so I was just curious.

theanalogkid · Post by **theanalogkid** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:53 pm

Doc wrote:A 6/4 sized BAT.

Forgive my ignorance, but what's a BAT?

theanalogkid · Post by **theanalogkid** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:05 pm

Figures as much. I should've known.

Gosh, I wish I didn't live in freakin' Oklahoma. There aren't any good tuba places nearby... unless I don't know of any. (Nearby = A state or so)

UTTuba_09 · Post by **UTTuba_09** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:31 pm

I would recommend the Kalison Daryl Smith CC horn from the Tuba Exchange. It was my transitional CC horn, and it is the perfect size horn to switch with without getting a BAT. Some people stay away from these horns due to the metal that was used during production, it tends to be a bit thin, but if it's well taken care of, it'll last you years. My 2 cents...

theanalogkid · Post by **theanalogkid** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:04 pm

Hahaha, our convention is.. well... lacking. It's a great thing, don't get my wrong, but there aren't the level of vendors you find at, like, Texas' convention.

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:05 pm

A few suggestions -- there are others:

Miraphone 186
Miraphone 188
Miraphons 1292
MW2155
Rudy Meinl 4/4 (455?)
Conn 54J

Look for a pre-owned one, as it will most likely hold its value well.

Regards,

Lee Stofer · Post by **Lee Stofer** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:32 pm

I'd recommend that you plan to attend the TBA or TMEA in Texas - whenever I was in attendance, they always seemed to have plenty of tuba vendors there.

For one's first tuba, going conservative and middle-of-the-road is always a good idea. A standard, 4/4 size CC tuba with 5 valves will provide years of good use and will retain its value if well-cared-for. Likewise, a good, standard 4/4 4-valve BBb BBb tuba will do the same.

If you have funds readily available to buy a Hirsbrunner, Rudolf Meinl, Gronitz or Willson, they are all excellent investments. Yamaha, Mirafone, B & S and Meinl-Weston make world-class instruments that may be a little more affordable, and Kanstul makes world-class tubas that are even more affordable.

If you cannot afford to buy a new tuba, then I'd suggest finding a used model of a good American, European or Yamaha tuba. If you have to travel to do play-testing, so be it. I traveled and played everything I could get my hands on before buying my first tuba, so as to know what worked for me, and what didn't. Some companies will send out tubas on approval, so the tuba does the traveling, not you. However, I still recommend that you do the traveling, because when you do, you can get to play a number of tubas back-to-back. A trip to Baltimore Brass or Dillon Music would be quite an education for you, as well as Custom Music in Detroit. If you made it into a circuit, playing as many horns as possible at each location, you would come away with a much better idea about what horn fits you, your abilities and needs.