Mini Travel F Tuba

[Roger Lewis]

the plan is to offer the horn as a "kit". That would be: the horn; a flight style briefcase; a practice mute. The horn with the bell detached would fit into a briefcase that is custom made to accomodate this instrument and has a cut-out for a practice mute as well.

This way, if you should fly through one of the British airports with your lap top and find out at the gate that you are only allowed ONE carry-on, and that one of your two bags MUST go under the plane (for a hefty fee), the horn would be in a case that can withstand the rigors of being handled by the airport gorillas.

The horn plays great and I can see some wise-a$$ dragging it our for Mahler I and giving the bassoon player fits by actually being able to play it softer than they can. This is truly a remarkable instrument and it plays wery well.

Peace.
Roger

[cambrook]

Hi Roger,

Any idea on pricing at this stage, and when it will be available?
I like your thought of spooking the bassoonist in Mahler 1, how would it actually go on Bydlo?

[Roger Lewis]

there's no pricing as yet, but the factory is working on the tooling for the instrument. Right now, with the US dollar having the crap beat out of it by the Euro, pricing has not been determined. I would expect it to sell for around the price of a good compensating euphonium or thereabouts. On this though, time will tell.

For Mahler I, yes - for Bydlo, I don't know about that one.

Peace.
Roger

[circusboy]

Roger,

I'd really love to hear more from you about how it sounds. Does it have a big sound at all? How's the low end? Does it serve a purpose beyond travel/practice? Can this be a soloist's horn? Could this thing stand up to some jazz in a quartet/quintet?

Any chance of them making a similar horn in a contrabass version?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Thanks.

[MaryAnn]

Well, FINALLY a tuba that is small enough for me to play!



MA

[k001k47]

photo of me playing the instrument under discussion. Since the photo on Mr. Baer's web site they have modified it with a screw bell ala French horn.

I didn't think it was that small.

Maybe it's fundamental is F3

[The Big Ben]

In the interests of jumping in, here's a link to a photo of a 1900 Cerveny 'Tournister' tuba in BBb. 18" tall, 8" bell. It was used as a backpack tuba by Austrian troops. The owner says it plays well even down low. Cerveny also made a Tournister baritone....

http://www.rugs-n-relics.com/Brass/tuba ... rtuba.html

I want one really bad. One of these F horns might be a fun item, also.

[k001k47]

photo of me playing the instrument under discussion. Since the photo on Mr. Baer's web site they have modified it with a screw bell ala French horn.

I didn't think it was that small.

Maybe it's fundamental is F3

Misleading photo. Roger has been 11' 7" since 3rd grade.

[Tubaing]

Twins?

[BriceT]

Twins?

[joh_tuba]

Any word on when this will hit the shelves?

I can imagine multiple uses I could put this to right away.

[KHHS]

There is another very small F-tuba available. I don't think its the same make as Mr. Baers.
The website of the maker of the so called "Tübchen" (maybe that could be translated as "tubelet"??) is:
http://www.jestaedt-instrumente.de
There look at "Produkte" in the sidemenu, then down in the list at "Tübchen in F" choose: "Modell 80"
or
Choose "Galerie", then "Musikmesse Frankfurt 2008".

Maybe this has been mentioned here before, or there is actually someone around here, who got to try it at the Musikmesse?

[The Jackson]

Man that is TINY!

Must........ resist........

You and me both... You and me both...

[Tubadork]

Hey,
got to toot on it at ITEC and didn't think it was useable for performance (except for a joke). It would be a better practice tool than just buzzing alone, but it doesn't really respond like my f does. If it were the right price (around $2,000 ish maybe), I'd pick one up, more than that I just couldn't justify it for myself.
Bill

[Elliot Dushman]

for your viewing pleasure i have put a video of a brief sample of its playing online. The bell unscrews, and actually my teacher and I agree, it sounds maybe a bit better without the bell attached. this thing is fun to play, but the resistance is terrible, making the low register sound like a cimbasso, and with only 4 valves, the low fis (F#) is a struggle. However, if you put a water bottle in the bell as a mute, you can practice all day in a hotel room, and no one will ever complain about the noise.
enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrcsnrHbTk4" target="_blank" target="_blank

[Nick Pierce]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkqqMPPg2VI&NR=1

[UDELBR]

for your viewing pleasure i have put a video of a brief sample of its playing online. The bell unscrews, and actually my teacher and I agree, it sounds maybe a bit better without the bell attached.

Too bad the video was made without the bell. Most folks would be more interested in hearing the entire instrument.

[Wyvern]

Too bad the video was made without the bell. Most folks would be more interested in hearing the entire instrument.

Quite so! Its sound without bell is nothing but a novelty

[J.c. Sherman]

I got a very different report on this from my teacher. For what it is, he thought it was great. It's not designed to be a performing instrument; it's a warm-up instrument instead. Don't really need F# for warming up. But it does/will come with its own mute and compact case, so you can warm up in your hotel room before the gig, rather than having to get there really early (before the harp has to tune, $%@#) and be set. You can also take it on vacation or to your audition for the hotel there too...

That said, I wish the bell was on for that recording too

J.c.

[Thomas Maurice Booth]

Does anyone have an update on when these will hit the market?

TMB