Best horn you ever played?

[tbn.al]

What is the best all around musical instrument you have ever played? Assuming the following criteria.

1. Must have owned or played the horn long enough and well enough to really know it. No one day infatuations.
2. At the risk of getting off topic, please include instruments of all types providing (1.) is adheared to. For instance I would expect tuben to list something more exotic than his Alex.
3. Please include why you list an instrument and your experiences with it. That is really the point of the post.

I have owned 7 tubas, 4 Bass trombones, 7 tenor trombones, three trumpets and a grand piano. My best by far is a 1974 Olds O-25 Symphony large bore tenor trombone, red brass bell, with F attachment which I bought off eBay 3 or 4 years ago. This horn felt like an extension of my body the first time I played it and I always look for opportunities to use it. Yesterday I was playing the trombone book of the Smith 4+ Christmas Carols and having a ball with this horn. Huge sound, impecible intonation, unbelievable slide and unmatched response. It is so much fun to play a horn you love.

[hbcrandy]

My favorite tuba was a custom H. N. White, King CC tuba that was owned by Fred Geib. I got it in a trade with Warren Deck in the early 1980's. The tuba had five piston valves. 4 of the valves were front-action like the King 2143 Symphony Bass in BBb. The other valve stuck out the left side of the tuba. It was an old German Sander fingering system. Valves 1, 2 & 3 were conventionally pitched. What we know as valve #4, a descending perfect fourth, was the vlave that protruded from the lefthand side of the tuba and was operated by the left hand. The fourth valve, opersated by the pinkey finger of the rigth hand, was a flat 2 & 3 combination. The tuba was gold plated with a detachable upright and recording bell (which I never used). The valve plumbing bore was .750". The intonation was quite good. The sound was centered, but, big and dark. The managable .750" valve bore allowed the sustaining of phrases without having to sneak a breath. I played the tuba for 10 years.

If it was so great, why did I get rid of it? My body rejects King piston valves. Not long after I beagan playing the tuba, I began to get nagging pains in my hands and fingers. A hand surgeon looked at my hand position on the King tuba and suggested I play in a wrist immobilizing brace. This worked for quite a while. But, eventually, the brace did not help either. The tuba is now in the collection of Mike Lynch and has a good home. I understand that Mike had the instrument completely overhauled.

[Mojo workin']

My formerly - owned Hirsbrunner HB-2P. I have played but maybe 5 HB-2Ps before, and it was as good as any of the others. Why? The usual traits of Hirsbrunners; wide open response, great intonation, build quality second to none, sound that I was complimented on all the time by other professional players (and I had not yet fully developed my best sound quality), etc. It was too expensive for me to keep, however.

Others, played a few times:
Dave Fedderly's Yorkbrunner.

Rex Martin's 5/4 Rudy Meinl CC.

Ed Goldstein's Holton York copy.

[tubacdk]

my older vintage Rudolf Meinl 3/4 CC (made before they had factory 2nd valve kickers) is still my idea of a perfect all-around tuba. Great response, tone, intonation. Dense, dark sound that supported an orchestra nicely but still 'lean' enough for chamber music. Also, it was easy to play standing up.

Only sold it because it didn't fit quite right with my current setup. If things change, I'll be calling Oscar Miranda and let him make a profit off of me.

[J.c. Sherman]

Bar none, my old Couesnon Lafayette tenor trombone was the best. Amazing intonation, playability all through the range (including the false tones)... and the finest sounding pea-shooter I've ever played. Miracle trombone to be sure. Sold it to help pay for a Bach 36, which I then had to sell THAT two months later to pay for car repairs.

The good news is that the buyer still has it (a music shop) and may be willing to part with it...

Best tuba is an was and ever shall be my college's Alex F. Still a magnificent instrument, though my teacher has a 5v 184 Miraphone which could give it a run for it's money... (5th valve added).

J.c.S.

[djwesp]

Andy Anders at Arkansas Tech used to have a miraphone (no number) F tuba. That horn bled everything I wanted in a horn. The intonation was solid but flexible, i could change the color of the sound really easily, the low range was just like melted butter and just popped right out. No yammie, hirs, miraphone, gronitz, anything compares quite to that horn.

It was laquer that was almost perfect (despite age), it had no engraving on the bell, but lord i'd give my right arm to have that horn. there was something about it!


Old picture, but i'm the ugly kid with glasses on my cap...

[Tubadork]

I'm not sure if it meets all of the criteria, but I was lucky enough to pick up a Yamayork for someone in NYC and drive it back to Georgia. I spent a good week with it and played it every day. I know it's kinda cheesy and I really wanted to hate it so I could make fun of the price tag, but it flippin' rocks.

It was the easiest horn to make a beautiful sound on. The horn responded equally in all ranges and the intonation was really good. It was like I could think of a note and it would play (wow that's really corny, but it's true).

When I was playing it I thought that if this horn plays like the York, no wonder why Gene does so much stuff on the big tuba. So yeah, I want one, but can't really justify the price tag just yet. Maybe one day.

Bill

[MartyNeilan]

Best HOW???
Of the horns I have owned:

Most fun? Martin 6/4 Bellfront
Easiest to play? Yamaha 621 F
Best valves? Kalison K2001
Best projection? Mirafone 190 / MW2155R
Best intonation? MW2145 (believe it or not, after minor mods)
Best ergonomics? Kalison K2001
Best for solos? Cerveny Harmonia
Best orchestral bass tuba? Mirafone 181 (old)
Best orchestral contrabass tuba (American style)? Kalison K2001
Best orchestral contrabass tuba (German style)? Mirafone 190 / MW2155R
Best band (not wind ensemble) tuba? Martin 6/4 Bellfront
Best looking? Kalison K2001
Best money earned vs. cost purchased ratio? Getzen 1062FDR
Best low range? MW2155R
Best quintet contrabass tuba? MW2145
Best quintet bass tuba? Yamaha 621 F
Best overall "I love to play the tuba" sound? Kalison K2001 *

* In a slightly smaller package, also the Marzan slant rotor, but never personally owned the horn.

Why so many different responses? I have yet to find one horn that fits everything on my list. The K2001 is probably a keeper because of the sound and its score in many other categories, despite the stinker of an 8th partial. My current F actually scored first in only one category, but would place second or third in almost every other category making it a solid all-around bass tuba. I am still not in love with it. yet.

[bort]

Based on the "one day" rule, I'd have to say a Miraphone 188 that I borrowed during a 10-day tour in Austria. It sounds unexciting, I'm sure, but I haven't played one since that had that extra magic to it.

The thing I will always remember about this tuba is that it responded instantly, and it nearly played itself. I felt like I was just guiding it around the turns. And of course, it had the typical freakish intonation and great sound and tone. People joke that the best tubas don't get exported to the US...I might be more easily convinced of that now.

[eupher61]

I"ve played on 2 different late 60s 186 CCs. By far, not only the best Mirafones I've ever played, possibly the best tubas period. I'm not sure how close they were in serial #, but they were equally great.

And, some will really scoff, but a Besson 3+1 comp F. Love that horn, and I've been told I'll have to fight family for it after the owner's passing--he won't put it in his will to me, even though he once said he would.

[BavarianFanfare]

Greetings TubeNet Community! :

I had the pleasure of getting to play my teacher's 1950's Alexander Model 163 CC for two weeks some time back. I was very tempted to put the money down and buy a 163. He warned me that Alexander's were very expensive and had suspect intonation. I loved the sound and simply how it blew. He had told me his experience with a new one he had purchased with custom specs from the Mainz factory years earlier. He felt I could do better with a Miraphone 186 or 188 CC for less money. Now for the price, I could purchase two Miraphones or a Meinl-Weston. I listened to and heeded his advice. But his Alexander to me, was great.

[Mojo workin']

My favorite tuba was a custom H. N. White, King CC tuba that was owned by Fred Geib. I got it in a trade with Warren Deck in the early 1980's. The tuba had five piston valves. 4 of the valves were front-action like the King 2143 Symphony Bass in BBb. The other valve stuck out the left side of the tuba. It was an old German Sander fingering system. Valves 1, 2 & 3 were conventionally pitched. What we know as valve #4, a descending perfect fourth, was the vlave that protruded from the lefthand side of the tuba and was operated by the left hand. The fourth valve, opersated by the pinkey finger of the rigth hand, was a flat 2 & 3 combination. The tuba was gold plated with a detachable upright and recording bell (which I never used). The valve plumbing bore was .750". The intonation was quite good. The sound was centered, but, big and dark. The managable .750" valve bore allowed the sustaining of phrases without having to sneak a breath. I played the tuba for 10 years.

Randy, did you own this at all during the reincarnation of the Baltimore Conical Bass Horn Ensemble? We may have ate too much pizza and drank too much beer in rehearsals for me to remember.

Phil

[J.c. Sherman]

Best HOW???
Of the horns I have owned:

Easiest to play? Yamaha 621 F
Best valves? Kalison K2001
Best projection? Mirafone 190
Best orchestral bass tuba? Mirafone 181 (old)
Best orchestral contrabass tuba (German style)? Mirafone 190
Best looking? Kalison K2001
Best money earned vs. cost purchased ratio? Getzen 1062FDR
Best quintet bass tuba? Yamaha 621 F
Best overall "I love to play the tuba" sound? Kalison K2001 *

Couple responses - First AMEN to the 621 F. I own one becasue it's a peach to play, and while it may never be the IDEAL for anything, it CAN do everything, and well!

I'll echo you too about the Getzen 1062 - I have the FDY, and I've added a couple Edwards after-market parts, and it is bloody fantastic! And so affordable!

Had an old Mirphone 190 BBb in our shop a couple times... You're right... best sound and projection of any instrument on earth... Only instrument which even approaches my Alex 164... and even surpasses it, perhaps.

Amen to Kalison valves. Never had an iota of problems on either one I've owned. My current instrument has the fastest valves I've ever touched. I also echo the good looks of the Kalison 2001 - that is one sexy tuba. I've never played one, alas...

Finally, the original 181 Miraphones were a real treat! I hate the current ones. Hate 'em.

Oh, and Randy, please tell me you have a picture of that King! Talk about coveted horn dorn!

J.c.S.

[MikeS]

The best horn I currently own would be my Yamaha 6330S cornet. It puts absolutely no restrictions between me and what I want to come out of the bell. The best horn I ever owned (although this might be tinged by years of nostalgia) was a Holton TR-256(?) large-bore straight tenor trombone. This was the Jay Friedman model with the screw bell. It just seemed to disappear in my hands. When I arrived at college, however, I was informed that if I wanted to play anywhere other than a practice room I would need a Bach 42. I traded the Holton for a five-year-old Volkswagen Squareback, which was far from the best car I ever drove.

[J.c. Sherman]

The best horn I ever owned (although this might be tinged by years of nostalgia) was a Holton TR-256(?) large-bore straight tenor trombone. This was the Jay Friedman model with the screw bell. It just seemed to disappear in my hands. When I arrived at college, however, I was informed that if I wanted to play anywhere other than a practice room I would need a Bach 42. I traded the Holton for a five-year-old Volkswagen Squareback, which was far from the best car I ever drove.

You know, I tried one of those Holton screw-bells precisely once... and I damn near ______ed my jeans! I loved it! So maybe it wasn't just me!

J.c.S.

[rocksanddirt]

wow.....best horn

well....the best sounding instrument I've played and heard played regularly was our church accompanists Stienway grand piano. Just filled the sanctuary with beautiful sound, the perfectly servicable grand we use now just doesn't even compare (and the current accompanist is a better player).

Trumpet...Benge CG from the los angeles era of the company (mid-late 70's) that I got new in 8th grade. I've played several Bach trumpets since then and they just don't do it for me. This one quick light piercing sound that can cut through any (and I mean ANY) ensemble (from a quartet to marching band).

[Tuba Guy]

Hm...well, there are a lot of "best" horns...I love pretty much any of my horns, but I wouldn't use them all interchangably.
My best overall (normal, everyday workhorse) is my Getzen CB50
Best sound of a tuba I own, my Martin BBb
Best agility and smoothness (no other way to describe it), my 1908 York large Eb (just got it, and I LOVE that horn)
Best tenor bone-Conn 44H "borrowed" from my high school...1932, amazing for playing lead in a big band or in a combo
Best bass bone-Kanstul 1585T...double thayers, silver plated...it's got a massive sound and is so easy to play and get a beautiful centered pitch...

My favorite sound of any horn I've tried has to be the Chicago York...but that was a one time thing, and will probably never happen again in my life.

[runelk]

The one I'm playing now. MW 2165, no tone ring, large valves, and a MW45 F tuba leadpipe. Does everything I want it too. Had the horn going on about 9 yrs.

[Tubaguyry]

As far as a horn I have had several opportunities to play spread out over a significant amount of time? The Rusk-cut York of my teacher, Dr. Jeff Hodapp. Like butter, the sound on that thing.

However, I'm afraid I have to break your rule. The best horn (read: best fit for ME) horn **BY FAR** that I've ever played is the PT6-P that Jeff Rideout brought to Springfield, MO earlier this year. I played on a Hirsbrunner and several other PTs that day. I regularly play a Miraphone 186. I played a Cerveny 681 for about a year. I own a Weril 681. I have access to my friend's Miraphone 1291, my teacher's York, Miraphone 184, and old Miraphone EE flat. The difference in sound when I picked up the PT6-P was instantly noticeable and profound, the agility was amazing, and it just FELT so right.

I'm currently saving my pennies in the hopes of procuring one of those bad boys!

[Alex C]

I'm not sure if it meets all of the criteria, but I was lucky enough to pick up a Yamayork .... I spent a good week with it and played it every day.
...

When I was playing it I thought that if this horn plays like the York, no wonder why Gene does so much stuff on the big tuba.
Bill

No... the CSO York plays even better.