Comparisons

[theanalogkid]

Hey guys!! I've been trying to compare tubas lately, and wanted to get your all's input. I'm looking at something like the following:

B&S Perantucci PT-6
Meinl Weston 2145
Miraphone 1292 New Yorker Pro
Meinl Weston THOR
Kalison DS

and etc. Something along those lines. What do you all think of those horns specifically, and with those types of horns in mind, what other options might I consider. (Also, there's a $10,000 MAX, something else to keep in mind!)

Thanks for help!
--
aaron campbell

[theanalogkid]

I've talked with my profs alot about this decision, and have a pretty good idea what they think. I just like getting lots of people's opinions on stuff like this. The horn I've been playing on is pretty nice (PT1), but I kind of want to get something of my own and of a more professional level, especially if I decide that grad school is my next stop.

Thanks for the info thus far!

[theanalogkid]

I suppose I should've mentioned I'm looking specifically for a CC. Not that the BBb I play now is bad, but ya know. And I'm also looking more at used than new. I've seen a couple PT-6s for under 10,000.

You take from Don Little? The guy I take from now took from him when we as at UNT.

[Blake Dowling]

I've been in love with the PT-6 for a long time.
The thor is amazing.
skip the 2145 if you're looking for an all around horn.
The kalison is a decent horn if you try before you buy. I like mine, but if it is feesable (spelling) I will be upgrading before grad school. The horn dosen't "break up" (in my experience) but is a little stuffy in the lowest register. low F (octave below the staff) comes out nice but below that i have to significantly change air flow to make the rest come out clean.

[ZNC Dandy]

I would take the Thor in a heartbeat. I play what is roughly a rotary version of the Thor in my 2155R. I have spent quite a bit of time on the piston version however. The sound is wonderful, huge, clear, clean, and the low register speaks wonderfully. The low range is only edgy if you make it that way. Its a very responsive instrument. Very mouthpiece friendly. You can get all kinds of tone colours just by changing the piece you're using. As for the others, the PT-6 is the only one that is close to a worthy competitor IMHO. The Miraphones don't do it for me. Check out a used Alexander too. You won't be sorry.

[Casey Tucker]

first off, to give the situation the advice that is needed we need to know your situation? I'm assuming (don't be offended) that you're in HS but you're graduating and going off to school. with $10,000 budget you have a few good options. a PT6 for a starter CC (for me) was too much horn not to mention that it'll be hard to find one for 10k or less. the 2145 is a good choice that most college/first time CC owner's usually get. i've played on a few and they're fairly consistent and you can find them used for less than 10k. I've never played a 1292 NEW YORKER. i played the 1292 at TMEA 2 years ago and preferred it over the 1291 due to the slide layout for the left hand. the thor is my favorite out of the bunch. i fell in love with the horn the first time i picked it up. i'll be selling my pt20 for to help pay for it. it is a 5/4 though and comes with a pretty hefty price tag. they're also hard to find used. the kalison DS is a horn i was interested in but never had a chance to play. i've heard people play them and talk about them and they've always said they were hit or miss. i also don't know much about the price tag on this one. anyone?

some advice, i'd recommend a 4/4 over a 5/4 until you get real familiar with it. that way, the 4/4 can do everything from solos, to quintets and (depending on the horn) large ensembles. this is why i fell in love with my PT20-PS. it's my favorite 4/4 i've ever played. if you're looking for a 5/4 go for it but be prepared to face some problems in a smaller settings.

here are some horns you should try before you stick solely to your list:
PT20
PT4
Mira 188, 186
conn 56J

you can usually find all of these horns used (some on the for sale page including a 2145 for half of your budget) with reasonable price tags. hope this helps!

[theanalogkid]

Actually, haha, I'm a senior in college, looking for something of my own as I prepare for grad school. I'm glad you mentioned TMEA. I think I might head down there with some friends from up here in Oklahoma and check out some of the horns.

[MartyNeilan]

FWIW, many people are going to recommend a good all-around 4/4 CC (2145, 186, 52j, etc).
HOWEVER, since you are already a college senior and planning on grad school, I might actually suggest a different path:
Get a 5/4 CC and then save up for an F. If you are going to get an F in the near future, you may find too great an overlap with a smaller CC. This would strike the 2145 and Kalison DS from your list. However, you could add the 2155 (and 2000) to make up for it. There are plenty of other horns in the 5/4 size range to consider as well. Just because it is not the flavor-of-the-month does not mean it isn't a good instrument - Rudy Meinl being a perfect example (although their 4/4 is almost a 5/4, and their 5/4 is nearly a 6/4). A Gronitz PCK wouldn't be a bad choice either, paired with an eventual F tuba.

[Casey Tucker]

oh shoot, ok well i would recommend the best sounding 5/4 for your buck. i've heard good things about the 2155 and the tag for a used one shouldn't be bad. actually, take a look at the for sale forum. there's a nice 2145 for 5k and a mira 180 5v F for 2k. you could take the extra 3k and get cases and alterations.

[Rick Denney]

Travel to a store that has a range of instruments in stock, or to a conference where they are on display. Play them. Then draw your own conclusions.

If your budget is $10,000, then a trip to a store is a reasonable expense.

You should be advanced enough to judge yourself on each instrument, which is vastly more important than the opinions of Tubenet readers, none of whom have heard you play.

Some of the instruments on your list have nasty reputations for intonation. Some of them are much more than your budget. Some are small, and some are large, and the size choice is a function of how they fulfill your requirements, not the opinions of others (which are based on their requirements). All of them have done duty in professional situations to the apparent satisfaction of the professionals playing them.

But a trip to Baltimore Brass, TubaDome, Dillon Music, or a major conference (such as the Army Conference in January) is a no-brainer. Please, no whining about the cost.

Rick "who just drove from northern Virginia to Memphis and back over a long weekend to pick up the Holton" Denney

[WakinAZ]

just drove from northern Virginia to Memphis and back over a long weekend to pick up the Holton

Any chance of an update on what you had done and/or some pics? Maybe I missed it, but it seems like that thread dropped off somewhere. We all like to keep tabs on the most talked about horn on TubeNet.

Eric "BAT coveter" L.

[Rick Denney]

just drove from northern Virginia to Memphis and back over a long weekend to pick up the Holton

Any chance of an update on what you had done and/or some pics? Maybe I missed it, but it seems like that thread dropped off somewhere. We all like to keep tabs on the most talked about horn on TubeNet.

Eric "BAT coveter" L.

Yes, at some point. But I was on the road all last week and over the weekend, and have been hammered at work since and behind on everything else.

Let's just summarize at this point by saying that was should be parallel is now parallel, the valves are now perfect, and there are no remaining dents. That's about all I had in the budget to do. We also mixed a darkly tinted lacquer to blend the freshly buffed parts into the aged look of the remaining lacquer. It was not in the budget to make the horn look new. For the most part, sandpaper was not used--parts of the instrument were already thin and I'd rather have thicker brass than a mirror finish.

One thing learned that is no real surprise: The chief tool used by Holton to make these instruments was the belt sander.

Rick "catching up" Denney

[cjk]

FWIW, many people are going to recommend a good all-around 4/4 CC (2145, 186, 52j, etc).
HOWEVER, since you are already a college senior and planning on grad school, I might actually suggest a different path:
Get a 5/4 CC and then save up for an F. If you are going to get an F in the near future, you may find too great an overlap with a smaller CC. This would strike the 2145 and Kalison DS from your list. However, you could add the 2155 (and 2000) to make up for it....

I know MW calls the 2155 and 2000 "5/4" but those horns are really no larger than a Mira 188 or 4/4 HB. I think the 2000 isn't much larger than a 186.

I vote for the Thor.

[keegan watson]

I know the 1291 is a nice horn. I think that the 2145 couldn't be that bad but I am basing this opinion on a 2165 that I played. I would stay away from a DS if possible (I haven't played a good one yet.) I play a Conn 56J and I think they are comparable to the 1291 and you can find good deals on them. With both the 56 and the 1291 they are smallish horns but they play big.

[bort]

Oh ya, 10,000 max, forget the PT 6.

Baltimore Brass has a used one for $7k.