MW 45/46

[bububassboner]

Hello all,
I thought for the longest time that the MW 45/46 was just the rotor version of the 45SLP but recent research has proven that wrong. I'm looking right now at a MW 46 and wanted to see if anyone could speak about how the horn plays or if they could compare it to horns like the Firebird or an older B&S F.
Just so everyone knows, I'm not looking to replace my Willson with a MW 46 but would like to add an F tuba to the stable that has more of an F rotor sound than my Willson.

Thanks in advance.

[cjk]

I believe the 45S-LP is a piston version of the "45S". The "45" is smaller than a "45S". The 45S-LZ is yet a different animal.

[bububassboner]

I believe the 45S-LP is a piston version of the "45S". The "45" is smaller than a "45S". The 45S-LZ is yet a different animal.

Interesting. Can you comment on how the 46 plays (six valve version of the smaller 45 yes?) compared to other F tubas? I'm hoping it has more of an F tuba sound than the SLP does and maybe a little easier to play?

Thanks

[tubeast]

I might be able to chime in on this one.
I have been playing my 46 since 1993, the horn was manufactured some time in the 80s.
The horn setup must have been used much earlier, as we have what I believe to be a MUCH older 44 from maybe the sixties which is VERY similar. (Valve setup, design of body, design and placing of small parts...)

For some reason, their catalogue defines it to be a "6/4 F-Tuba", but I have no clue where this evaluation comes from.
I figured it has little in common with the 4x SLZ, which I believe was set up with a broader sound concept in mind. In fact I believe it must almost be their "second least Kodiaky F-tuba" other than the 2182, but that´s just my opinion.

Compared to more recent MW horns I tried on Musikmesse and occasional visits to Geretsried, it has a more compact sound, producing more of a powerful column often described to be "that German tuba sound", which is related to in this forum ever so often, and which is what I´d look for in an F-tuba.

Easy to play ? Hmmm... Low range required some work way back when, but only for a few weeks.
Mine has 5th and 6th valves that are exactly like 2nd and 1st, respectively. No "3/4" or "7/8"-tones here.
I can still get any note in tune when I have a tuner to double-check. Other than that: have fun!!!

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I had a 45S for about a year, or so. I thought it was a great horn. The tone was even, and the pitch was very good. Low range was not too bad.

The only reason I don't have it now, is that I came across an older Rudy Meinl 6 valve F, that had, what I considered, a more interesting sound.

[windshieldbug]

I have a 5 Valve 45, that I bought in the 80's. I think (relatively speaking) that it truly seems "6/4"; my Mirafone 184 4U has a smaller bell and bugle. It can more than hold it's own in a modern brass section.

[ckalaher1]

I've always been under the assumption that the 45SLZ was a rotary cousin to the 45SLP, and that the 45/46S were not related to the aforementioned.

But I could be ill informed on that count.