Another question from a newbie.

[horseandtubagirl]

While I have played the tuba on and off since high school, I have never owned my own horn. I played what I think was a Yamaha YBB 321 in high school, and then a borrowed Schaffer similar to the Dynasty Schafer 851. I enjoyed the Yamaha more then the Schaffer, but beggars cannot be choosers.

Since returning the Schaffer to it's owner, because my family is in the process of relocating, I have begun to research purchasing my own horn. The most important thing I have learned so far is that I am nowhere near being able to make that purchase, financially, yet.

So, this is where I need help trying to determine the right horn for me, while I continue to save up for my purchase...

I am an amatuer horn player, I like to do lessons through books 2-3 days per week, and then play in church or community bands on the weekends. I would classify myself as an intermediate.

I am also a petite woman (5'2") and physically cannot wrap my arms around a large horn. I tried an acquaintences 5/4 Willison with rotary valves (forgive me not remembering the model), and it was way too much for me to physically handle. The Schaffer was perfectly sized, but I was fustrated at the 3 valves and lack of lower register. The Yamaha was an excellent fit, leading me to think it may just be the horn for me.

Being small, I also have small hands. There are some phrases in the music I play that I feel are too fast for my fingers to get the pistons down and up. Would a rotary valve horn be easier for me? Or is this a practice issue?

Can I get some input from the tubenetters? I've really enjoyed browsing through the list and learning about all things tuba.

Megan

[Tom Mason]

Weril makes a copy of the Yamaha 3/4 size 4 valve front action BBb tuba. It is slimmer than a Conn 5j, and is manageable by my beginners who are in the same size you describe. It is usually cheaper than some more popular brands, and you need to try oue before you buy it, but the onew I have are good.

[gocsick]

I am also returning to playing the tuba after a long 15 year break. I am playing in a community band/orchestra. The playing ranges from parades, concerts, pit music for the town musical in the park, small ensembles in churches and homes, brass quartet in the bank lobby, crowning of the rodeo queen, and subbing for the high-school band once or twice a year at football games. I needed a horn that was 1) portable and easily carried in a parade/played while standing 2) was versatile enough for small/large ensemble concert work indoor.

I was borrowing a Jupiter convertible from the high-school and hated it. Sounded very thin when played at normal volumes and like a fog-horn if you over-blew at all. I purchased a Weril J681 3/4 CC that was on consignment at Baltimore Brass, and absolutely love it. Nice broad yet bright tone, a good solid sound considering it is only a 3/4 with a 0.670" bore. The low register is actually in tune without resorting to funky alternate fingerings. I can't pump out the volume like a sousaphone for football games, but I know I was going to be compromising somewhere. I have gotten several compliments at rehearsals about how good the horn sounds. Granted I am a rank amateur and have only owned the instrument for 2 weeks, but I couldn't be happier. When I started looking I was depressed at not being able to find anything of real quality in my budget.

The J681 is a CC but the J680 model is the BBb. 4 valve front facing. I would keep an eye out for one.

[The Big Ben]

Weril makes a copy of the Yamaha 3/4 size 4 valve front action BBb tuba. It is slimmer than a Conn 5j, and is manageable by my beginners who are in the same size you describe. It is usually cheaper than some more popular brands, and you need to try oue before you buy it, but the onew I have are good.

A good Olds 099-4 fits in this catagory also. It's a 4v BBb in 3/4 size. There is also a 099 in 3v model.I have a 099-4 and it works great. They haven't been made since sometime in the 70s and were a popular school horn so getting one that is nice might be a challenge. The Olds is easy to play and has a nice strong bottom end.

[SousaSaver]

The Weril suggestion is a good one. They are good little Tubas and are similar to the Yamaha 3/4 Tubas EXCEPT that I believe the Weril has a bigger bore size than the Yamaha.

The Yamaha 3/4 size Tubas are models: 103 and 104

The Weril 3/4 size Tuba is J680. Good playing little horn for the money.

[imperialbari]

Almost foolproof advices would be about a new or a well maintained Yamaha YBB-621. Or about a small Miraphone BBb with 4 valves, if these are available.

However they easily could be too expensive for you right now. I don’t know where you are moving, but from various places I hear the same type of reports: community and school bands are down to zero tuba players. You may be able to loan a decent instrument of a relevant size, if you are willing to help out in such band.

Klaus

[Art Hovey]

If you are accustomed to top-action tubas and like them then you might want to try a yamaha YBB-105. They are easy to find, and play well. (But they only have 3 valves.) Jupiter makes a clone, also seen frequently on Ebay. The Besson Stratford (which sometimes goes by other names) is the same size but slightly bigger bore. Very well-designed, plays well, and often found for surprisingly low prices on EBay.

If you liked the Dynasty you might like a King 1140, which is another 3-valve top-action model, slightly bigger. There are several Chinese clones available now, quite modestly priced, and they play well.

The Yamaha YBB-103 is a very popular small front-action tuba, but rarely inexpensive.
The Weril is also a good suggestion, with 4 front-action valves well-suited to small hands. You don't see a lot of used Werils on the market. The new ones are now about twice the price that they were at a few years ago.

The Olds is a little bit bigger, and (for me) more satisfying to play. Conn 11J and 12J are very similar, also excellent small 3-valve tubas. Conn 4J and 5J are the 4-valve versions. Because they have been around for many years, they are pretty common in the used market in various stages of decay. Sometimes you can find one that looks beat-up but still plays well or can be made to play well without too much effort.

There are small rotary-valve tubas out there, but they tend to be rather expensive and rather fragile.

[horseandtubagirl]

Wow. Thanks so much to everyone who chimed in. I'm learning a ton, and now have a place to get started with for researching types of horns.

I know I need to go try as many horns as possible before I purchase one, but where to go? I'm currently in Mobile, AL, and am relocating to Augusta, GA in January. Any hints or leads on where to go to try horns out are greatly appreciated. I've been without a horn for two weeks...and the withdrawls are horrible.

Klaus, you had an excellent suggestion of looking for a band without a tubist...Do you know of any bands in the Augusta area looking for a tubist with a horn to loan?

Also, can we touch on the piston vs rotary issue I asked about earlier? "There are some phrases in the music I play that I feel are too fast for my fingers to get the pistons down and up. Would a rotary valve horn be easier for me? Or is this a practice issue?"

Thanks again!

[imperialbari]

I know very little specific about any place in the US, but what I said has worked for many people also in my country.

One of our moderators, Schlepporello, plays in a college related band, even if he has made it into a living to get out of town during school hours. He brings his own very respectable tuba now, but as I get it he has been in a modest situation tubawise also. As have many of us.

As for contacts to local bands in your new place, there may very soon be TubeNetters chiming in. Or do some investigating of your own. In my country there is very little tradition for church owned instruments, but I have been a ringer in a church band with a quite impressive storage of instruments. Only locals can be specific about your new field of options.

Klaus

[ckalaher1]

Yeah, I have some forearm issues now and again, and I think that rotary horns are a bit easier to play because of that. Piston tubas with big valve sets can really wear my arm out.

[horseandtubagirl]

Klaus, thank you for the suggestion! I am going to contact the Augusta Symphony on my next visit there. Hopefully they can point me towards something!

Piston tubas with big valve sets can really wear my arm out.

Yes, exactly.

[GC]

Jupiter makes a 3/4 sized rotary BBb, the 780. Prices online run from $3400-4600. This is a tiny horn, but it has a reasonably dark tone. It plays fairly easily, but it's not made for putting out a lot of volume.

[katietes]

I also have really small hands and I found that on my piston horn my arm would start to hurt from punching down the valves. I considered trying a lighter spring, but first took off the thumb ring. It turns out that the reason my hand hurt was actually because I was hanging all my weight off the ring and that made me tense-- now I have much freer motion and don't have any pain issues.

That being said, I also have a rotary valve horn, and I have no issue with it whatsoever. With the piston valves I figure if my hand was any smaller, I wouldn't be able to comfortably play it, but the paddles on a rotary instrument are much closer together and it's not a stretch at all to reach everything.

[swillafew]

Small horns have a lot to recommend them. Some years ago I bought myself an F tuba. It's about half the size and weight, and almost half the fingerings are the same too. Buying used saved thousands. Not all of them are expensive; look at Dillon Music, Baltimore Brass, Tuba Exchange and you'll see the horn doesn't have to break the bank. Ebay is not something I'd try myself for a horn.

[SousaSaver]

eBay is a fine place to buy a horn. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You just have to know what to look for and how to buy safely. eBay doesn't automatically equal used, beat up junk. There are many reputable sellers on eBay.

[swillafew]

I buy and sell on E-bay, just not tubas. I want to blow on a tuba to see if I want it.

[SousaSaver]

Absolutely. I totally agree. That is why you need to find a seller who offers a reasonable return policy or trial period. You have to pay shipping, but it might be cheaper to pay shipping than it is to drive to the place and is also cheaper than getting stuck with a lemon.

I completely understand your concerns, I just get a bit sensitive when people bag on eBay. The company I work for is trust worthy and does a good deal of business there.

[imperialbari]

I wouldn’t have had a collection like my current one, if it wasn’t for eBay. But then I have laid down some strategies for my bidding and I calculate that some misses will happen. People having dealt with instrument acquisition over a lifetime will have a reasonable chance to come out on top in the long run.

However this is not the situation of our OP. She is in a transition situation about her location. I am not sure it is the best time to take decisions about buying a tuba, unless one has an unlimited purse available. And time to spare for a dedicated hunt. Neither are likely with mere mortals. Hence my advice to go the cheaper road of loaning from a band in the new area. That will allow getting settled homewise and also playingwise before making relatively costly decisions. Being in a good playing shape certainly will be helpful when testing.

Klaus

[horseandtubagirl]

Klause,
You have hit the proverbial nail on the head. I am not in the position to buy RIGHT now, and will be waiting until at least April to actually make a purchase. In the meantime, I will try as many horns as possible, and learn as much as I can. Thank you for your support.
Megan

[gocsick]

I would also check with the local high school band director. You may be surprised at what is sitting in a closet not being used. It turns out our band was at the low point of the growing/shrinking cycle and there were plenty of instruments not being used. I borrowed a horn from the band for a bit. At least two trombones in our community band are perpetual "loaners". I was actually shocked that they let me take it, but trust is a benefit of living in a more rural area. I am pretty sure that if I tried it when I lived in Philadelphia I would have been promptly laughed at and hung up on, but New Mexicans are a different breed than east coasters. Granted you won't be getting the best tuba in the world, but it may tide you over until you are actually ready to buy.