6/4 tuba

[iiipopes]

6"4' blondes

Uh, don't you mean 6' 4"? I kind of like 6" 4' blondes, especially the ones with flat heads and large ears

[Wyvern]

I think it is myth that you need to be big yourself to play a 6/4 tuba. I find my B&S Neptune requires less air and effort to make a big sound than any of my Eb tubas. In fact I was amazed when I got it to find I can sustain a longer phrase on a breath playing the 6/4 - I can only think the big tuba is more efficient.

However, I don't think this is necessarily the case with all 6/4 tubas - I trialed a Rudolf Meinl 5/4 BBb for two weeks, but found that really sucked the air out, although it had a great sound.

Going back to the original question, I would highly recommend the B&S Mel Culbertson Neptune. It is a tuba with an awe inspiring big sound (I have lost count of the compliments I have received since I got mine), easy to blow and reasonably priced. Intonation requires more care than my Eb's, but is quite workable once the slides are suitably pulled (it is worth taking time to find the optimal set-up).

I would not now be without my Neptune - those of you who have never played a 6/4, don't know what you are missing. I just wish I had got one years earlier (I want to play Mahler 2 again)!

[sousaphatubaguy]

well i am 6'5 and i weigh 225 pounds so being big is not a problem for me lol

[Tubaguy56]

I think there was a loss in translation there, it wasn't so much being big, but having proper lung capacity. If you get a chance, read roger bobo's article on filling and containing (found on rogerbobo.com) and you will see why a REALLY big tuba might cause problems for humans of average lung capacity. As for neptunes....pretty much I stay away from the planet named tubas, neptune, jupiter...etc etc. Too many times have I heard that these instruments sound like a garbage can, and for every time I have heard one, I would have to agree. Generally, my rule of thumb is, you get what you pay for, if you want a really realy solid pro level tuba, you will end up dropping 8-11k (well...17 if you're going for the yorkbrunner....), and in the words of my old teacher, pay as much as you can afford. We are just here for reference too (the people of the forumn) the only way you can figure out the tuba you need, is to go out and try them, and bring a good set of ears with you.

[Tubaguy56]

oh and neptune is completely correct, physical size doesn't matter. you have a greater chance of having a large lung capacity if you are, but I mean, guys like jeff anderson, sam pilafian, dan perantoni, these are not big guys (I would know I've met all of them) but they are still all great tuba players.

[quinterbourne]

You're correct about "Jupiter" being low in quality... but the Neptune tuba is made by B&S/VMI and is of very, very high quality.

[iiipopes]

And if you put Saturn waterkeys on it, be careful so there are no Mars when you are done.

And with all the Planets rolling around, I wonder why nobody has introduced a tuba that sounds like Uranus?

[Wyvern]

I would suggest you try different models and see what suits you. More expensive, does not necessarily mean a better tuba. Remember that labor costs have a large effect on the price, so tubas made in the former Eastern Europe are generally less expensive. Rotary tubas are also generally less expensive than the equivalent piston tuba - these two factors explain why the Neptune is a reasonable price compared to most other 6/4.

If you are looking for a really inexpensive big CC, then it may also be worth checking out the Cerveny CCB601. I have never tried one, but am quite satisfied with the sound, build quality and valves on my recently acquired CBB701 Kaiser BBb, although it does suck the air a lot more than the Neptune.

[joshwirt]

If you've got the bread, then the MW 6450 Baer CC is the way to go. I've played on the handmade and the production models and they are both VERY good. I also go to hear both of them in hands of their respective owners and WOW.

Haven't played the 6/4 Yamaha, but supposedly very good.

Have played a few Nirschls that were quite good.

Have played many (and owned one really good) Yorkbrunners....loved mine until I played my currrent horn....a MW 2165.

Was never a huge fan of the 2165's, but really like mine.

Either way you go, no one really needs a 6/4 CC unless they have a job that requires one. Also, with prices being the way they are now, I would think long and hard about just how much you really 'need' this instrument. Mine gets used less and less each year and has become more of a luxury than a necessity.

-Josh

[Wyvern]

Either way you go, no one really needs a 6/4 CC unless they have a job that requires one. Also, with prices being the way they are now, I would think long and hard about just how much you really 'need' this instrument. Mine gets used less and less each year and has become more of a luxury than a necessity.

It is strange how different personal experiences change perspective. I originally got a 6/4 after playing Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, finding my Besson EEb at the time not having suffient weight in the low register. I therefore got a Neptune in a moment of extravagance for such low register playing, wondering at the time if I would really use it enough to justify the cost.

However, what I have found is that I am using my 6/4 more and more for works which I would not have considered its use when purchased (e.g. Elgar Symphony No.1 earlier this year) - not to satisfy my ego for a bigger sound, but due the the comments I have received, such as after a recent concert the Director of Music saying "Hope to see you next time with your big tuba"! Surprisingly, I have detected disappointment when I have turned up with one of my smaller tubas, because I have thought them more appropriate for the music. Only one gig in three years, have I been asked to play a smaller tuba (and then very apologetically).

Of course what tubas any of us 'need' depends on our playing situation, but my experience (playing largely with community orchestras and bands) is that a 6/4 CC can be a lot more useful and welcome than might at first be thought.

[MartyNeilan]

I think an interesting trend is seeing horns that are on the smaller end of the 6/4 designation, like the PCK and the 6450 (and maybe even the 2265), instead of continually pushing the envelope for larger and larger horns (aka Holton and 2165).