What's a solid, small BBb horn?

[Tubajug]

Greetings,

I put this on the "For Sale" forum as well, so I hope between the two I can get some good input.

I would like your opinions on a good 3/4 tuba that would be lighter and easy to grab and demonstrate parts on. I'm a soon to be graduated music ed major and I really like being able to demonstrate parts for the kids when needed, but with tuba as my main instrument, playing the part on a trumpet or something doesn't always produce the best example. I've got a Miraphone 186 CC that I play on, but it's a bit big to lug around school, keep by the podium and grab, etc.

Anyway, I've heard lots of good things about the little Yamaha 103's. Are there any horns of similar size and weight that could be used for my purpose? I've seen some small Conns, but I honestly don't know much about them or what the model numbers are. I would like front action pistons, four valves would be nice, but not a requirement. This isn't something I've got the money for now, I'm just looking for ideas on what to look for when the money does come along. If it can be purchased for around the $500 range that would be ideal. Thanks!

Jordan

[Chadtuba]

Answered in your other post but will put it here too.

My advice would be to wait and see what's at the school you're teaching at. When I got to my current job I found a nice little Yamaha 103 and keep it handy but I primarily use it when playing with the HS band filling in the missing tuba parts. Unless you come across the "can't pass it up" deal and have the cash in hand to do it just use a school horn. Now if you have tuba players and no extra horns then that becomes a new ball game. I currently have 9 in my HS band, 13 in the JH, 5 in the 6th grade, and 7 in the 5th grade and no tuba players so its not much issue for me at the moment though I really wish it was

[imperialbari]

Wouldn’t a euph be a nice compromise between trumpet and tuba for this purpose?

Klaus

[TUbajohn20J]

3 valvers that are commonly found for sale: Conn 12J, Conn 10J, Olds 0-99 or the Reynolds equivilant.
4 valvers: Conn 4J, Conn 5J, and occasionaly you can find a 4 valve Olds/Reynolds or Bach.

Sorry I'm just not a big fan of Yamahas. I think a Conn 10J would be perfect for your situation. It is a small BBb horn with 3 valves but still gives you a good sound with the .695 bore size compared to the .658 bore of the 12J, 4J, 5J. And they are usually found for sale cheaper than the other ones listed too. I plan on getting one for myself when I get some extra cash.

[SousaSaver]

For $500 you might not be able to be that picky, but you can get a good used old Conn or King for that price. Probably won't be pretty, but you can find them if you know where to look.

Yamaha 103's are great, but rare. If you don't mind top action, the 104 is probably more abundant. You can't go wrong with the older King Tubas. They have detachable bells and for the most part are pretty light. Just my 2 cents...

[Art Hovey]

All of the suggestions above are good, but your best choice would be a Conn 11J. It has a smaller bell than the 12J and 5J, which makes it lighter and easier to schlep. Its intonation and response are great. I fixed up an old one intending to sell, but liked it so much I sold my Weril instead. (I use it for giving tuba lessons and for small ensemble stuff.)
http://www.galvanizedjazz.com/tuba/frugalhorn.html

[TUbajohn20J]

I totally forgot about the 11J. A Conn 11J or 10J would be perfect. Here's an 11J for 500 bucks. http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/msg/1979912366.html" target="_blank

[Keith Sanders]

I second the euphonium suggestion!! Especially if you have an extra one in you band room... Even a marching baritone would work... It's better than shelling out the money for a small BBb. Especially if all your going to use it for is class demonstrations. If you got a euphonium you could play it on the side in community band or something.. Just my 0.01 cents!


Keith Sanders

[Michael Bush]

Yamaha made some 103s as Holton stencils. Those pop up on ebay at least as often as Yamaha branded 103s.

[Instrumental27]

I keep a cornet on a gig stand right next to my podium and a large bore trombone on a gig stand not too far away. If I have a spare, I keep a euph handy too, along with and alto sax and maybe a clarinet.

I find the one I grab the most is the cornet, for it's quick grabness and portability around the room.

I do sing parts pretty frequently, but if you try and sing along with kids, you'll kill you voice in no time. Having the instrument let's me play along with them, and I also do a lot of 'follow me' with my beginners, and I think modeling a good tone is really important with them, hence the number of instruments I keep handy.

[Michael Bush]

I agree with the previous 103 post. I was about to suggest it when I saw that it already had been suggested.

And the Holton branded horns often sell for less. I sold a Yamaha 103 a few months ago for around $800 on ebay, and the same horn with the Holton brand in similar condition sold a few days ago for less than $400.

EDIT: And even though I am not by any means a brass repair guy, the horn I sold for that price I bought for FAR less and, with general DIY handyman repair skills improved the condition to the point where it brought that price. So depending on your DIY skills, I wouldn't be scared of a pretty beat up horn if the valves seem to be okay (however you find that out without playing it).

[GC]

Isn't a YBB-621 basically a highly-upgraded 103?

[imperialbari]

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[GC]

Thank you. I stand corrected.

[armytuba]

Gosh, it's been so long since I last tried out some new horns (Army Tuba-Euph. Conference 2008). But I do remember some 3/4 horns that caught my eye that may be worth checking out. Not in any order:

*Yamaha YBB-621 BBb
*Josef Lidl 3/4 model (I think Lee Stofer had this in his booth)
*Weril 3/4 BBb 4 piston model (I didn't see one at the conference that year, but I owned the 3/4 CC version and had a blast with it....reminded me of the YCB-621)
*And believe it or not, I actually thought the 3/4 Jupiter 4 rotary BBb was nice, with a big sound in such a small compact size

Good luck in your quest!

[ken k]

mw 18 is an awesome 3/4 tuba. They also make really little touring tubas too but they are expenseive. The little yamahas 103 or 105 are nice and light.

I had a student who once had a Musica that was very small, like a piggy only in BBb.

Jupiter also make a yamaha 103/105 clone. (I forget which one has the upright valves and which one has the forward valves)
ken k

[swillafew]

I taught band once upon a time, I bought myself a trumpet. Get yourself a mouthpiece now and build up a buzz. If you can buzz that mouthpiece you are ready for action.