Hornish Pornish

[bill]

I took delivery of this M-W 182 today and am surprised by two things: 1) The size of the sound and 2) the remarkably good intonation. I arranged for it to be built for me before the real damage was done to the dollar so the whole package was not terribly out of sight. It has a 440 and 445 main tuning slides and a 2-3 fifth valve.

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... 182001.jpg

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... 182004.jpg

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... 182008.jpg

[Seems like a really nice horn. I am surprised there are not more made and they are not more readily available for sale.

[scottw]

That has to be the oddest 5th [?] valve slide I have ever seen. Those 2 horns sticking up look like they would both get in the way and set themselves up for some damage. Otherwise a pretty horn. Congratulations!

[OldsRecording]

That has to be the oddest 5th [?] valve slide I have ever seen. Those 2 horns sticking up look like they would both get in the way and set themselves up for some damage. Otherwise a pretty horn. Congratulations!

The fifth valve is not "odd" per se...There simply isn't any "instrument" behind which the 5th tubing can be put.

It just looks like the typical MW 5th valve setup, only slightly more oddly shaped.

[jonesbrass]

SWEET!!

What a beautiful F. I'm a big fan of the F tuba, and sometimes the little ones are definitely a suprise when it comes to sound volume and quality.

[chhite]

Wow, Bill! That's two horns in a short time frame, and in two keys that you haven't been known for. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Have you had any bouts of cross-fingering contamination syndrome yet? Have fun with the new horns.

Chris

[Tubainsauga]

Nice horn and nice photobucket username

[imperialbari]

Congratulations!

Interesting to see this compact rotary F wrap (which might lead one of our “experts“ to tell you that it is in Eb).

Is the 5th valve of the dual purpose type, where another arrangement of the slides gives a long whole step?

As for you having it built for you: that scheme may be more common than most think. When I bought my Besson 981, a not very rare tuba model, back in 1999, there was a wait of over 3 months. My sample wasn’t set into production until I gave a firm order. I was told that very few makers could afford building a stock of tubas.

From the photos I may assume that we are not too distant in age. I like to see the inherent optimism expressed in buying tubas. My interest also is about older playable tubas, so within the last 3 months I have greated the arrival of a 1923 piston F and a pre-WWI rotary BBb.

Congratulations!

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

[bill]

Klaus,

I have a spare slide (the horn came with both A=440 and A=445 slides) so I may experiment to see if the extra one can bridge the double ringed slides if both of those two slides are removed. I can see how it might be done, making the two slides in to one serial slide instead of two parallel slides.

I was born in 1940 so, yes, I am getting on in years. I am, however in pretty good health and I am also basically an optimist. I go shopping once each week, on Thursday, for food and I still buy green bananas.

Good to hear from you.

[bill]

A Miraphone 184 CC 5U I goto from a "pre-estate Sale." It is from 1974, according to the serial number and in remarkably wonderful condition. It looks like this:
http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... ntview.jpg
and this:
http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... ckview.jpg
and this:
http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... 276-02.jpg

[jeopardymaster]

Serial number is?

Mine is 9275, and sure doesn't look like that!

[bill]

Gee, ours are twins, Jep. It is one different from yours. What a coincidence! Should we submit them for DNA testing?

The horn was very well cared for and was really almost a steal so, considering the shape, I snapped it up. It had a lot of the accessories with it and several mouthpieces - how could I resist it? I had already ordered the M-W 182 but this is a nice companion to it.

[MaryAnn]

Congrats! You now own the two tubas I own...a 182 and a 184 5U CC. I wish my 182 had the 2+3 5th valve though, like my CC does. I find it much more useful than the flat whole step.

And you are right that the 182, despite its diminuative size, sounds like a tuba.

MA

[J.c. Sherman]

Congrats on your horn - The 182's are great. They are true to themselves and what I think an F is - halfway between a CC and a Euph. It is what it is and perfectly so. I love them as much as my YFB-621. My 621 just came up first, or I probably would've bought one.

Best high G# I've ever played was on a 182 - and in tune on the 5th valve (flat step)!

Best,

J.c.S.