Tubas at Dillon's

[bort]

Other people seem to do this from time to time, so I figured I'd post some impressions of what I tried and liked at Dillon's last week. There were some tubas that I didn't like (and some I downright didn't "get" at all)... but I'll only focus on the positives here. And of course, needless to say, it was an enjoyable experience and Matt and Davin are both great!

Miraphone 186 (4v, gold brass)
Nice tuba, I haven't tried many 186's, but I did like this one better than most others I've tried. Great response and nice classic "this is what a tuba sounds like" sound. Just stupidly easy to play, too. A little smaller than I'm used to, so I was probably overblowing a little bit at the top end.

Miraphone 188 (gold brass)
Holy crap! What a tuba! This was the tuba that made me run home, count the penny jar, look in the couch cushions, etc... But seriously, this was *the* best tuba I've played in recent memory. Intonation was typical of 188's (excellent), response was great, and the sound was beautiful -- rich, full, and alive. The low register just popped for me, and was far easier than I remember on other 188's. In addition, this was by far the most comfortable and ergonomic tuba for me. A true "lap dog" that was easy to hold and just a good fit for me. Playing this tuba was like going home for me. I will be trying my damnedest to get that in my possession! I want that tuba!

Miraphone 188 (yellow brass)
Still a nice tuba, but for me a totally different animal from the gold brass 188. No complaints about it, but not my favorite either.

Dillon CC tuba
I didn't spend much time on this, just a quick honk. It played decently and sounded pretty good. Clearly, I liked the Miraphone 188, and I played that one first. So for me, I knew it was NOT a Miraphone, and was probably more aware of the side-by-side differences. But, being so much cheaper, it seemed like a pretty good deal for the $$.

Besson 995
This was a really nice tuba. Great response, big fat American/York-ish sound, and really easy to play. For me, it was pretty heavy (physical weight) and the valves just didn't seem to "fit" my hand very well. That was enough for me to cross that tuba off the list... but I did like the way it played!

Miraphone 291 (Bruckner)
This is a fantastic tuba. I owned a 1291 for several years, and this really did feel like a rotary version of the 1291. What struck me more than anything else was the incredibly small amount of effort needed to make this thing "go." This thing responds almost instantly, and felt very "live" and resonant. Would be curious to hear one of these from a distance in a hall... Sound was just awesome, intonation was great, and it was just a ton of fun to play. A real close toss-up between this and the GB 188 for what was my favorite CC tuba. The 188 took just a little more effort to play, but I liked the sound of the 188 better (personal preference!)

Also tried a few F tubas, and truly loved the gold brass Miraphone Firebird they had. It was everything I liked about the 188 but in an F tuba. Oh, and the low C was great!

Just my opinions, if anyone is interested to read them!

[tclements]

I've always loved Mirafones. My SECOND tuba was a 186-5U CC, I added a 184 later (used as a bass tuba). When the goldbrass 188's came out, I got one. I was even featured in an old Mirafone ad in the old TUBA Journal. For several years, I played a SILVER 188 in the San Jose Symphony. John Englekes of the SF Symphony suggested I try a Rudy Meinl 5/4, which I played for many years and I used for the St Louis audition, when Michael Sanders won the job. With the trend going to the larger American style tubas, I went the Yorkbrunner - Gronitz route. Not on the audition trail, I am playing now what I want to play, which are the large rotary CC's. My MAIN axe is the 3050 Willson rotary, and my second tuba is the Bruckner, which I believe, along with it's BBb cousin, the 191, is the best tuba Mirafone has produced thus far. I may get a PT-6 to add to my toolbox. I've always believed that we should play the tuba that makes the sound that we want to make.

Good luck with your 188 purchase.

[arminhachmer]

Hey Bort, that's helpfull to a 'developing' senior player like me. Can i assume your findings would apply equallys well to a BBb horn? I know i need to find a time and place to do what you did. Need to hear the sound and feel the fit. Thanks.

Armin, waffling between St.Pete's and Olds tubas and Besson and Miraphone euphs.
What fun thinking ahead to one more tuba.

[bort]

Tony, that's exactly right. It can be tiring and unproductive to fight against that sound in your head. The 188 is it for me, time to come to my senses and work with my brain instead of against it.

Armin, I didn't specifically try any BBb tubas, so I'm not sure how much I can really say about that. I will say that you should try as much as possible... there were a few tubas (not reviewed here) I had high hopes for, but didn't particularly like them -- could be just as much me as it is the tuba though, but always possible for a "dud" of a tuba to be out there. Most likely, it's probably just a bad match between me and my skills, and the tuba and its requirements. And I've also come to really respect and seek a tuba that is physically comfortable too. Weight, balance, etc... the less physical effort you spend to hold/carry a tuba, the more you can relax, breathe well, and make music.

[Wyvern]

It can be tiring and unproductive to fight against that sound in your head... seek a tuba that is physically comfortable too. Weight, balance, etc... the less physical effort you spend to hold/carry a tuba, the more you can relax, breathe well, and make music.

Two very sensible observations worth us all considering!

That following the "sound in your head" is precisely why I have become addicted to my Neptune, although many would say it too large for most situations (something I do not find)

The unsatisfactory ergonomics (for me) was the main reason I gave up on the UK normal 3+1 piston tubas

[DavidK]

I had stopped by Dillons a month or so ago, in hopes of trying one of the Walter Nirschl BBb's. No luck - all sold out at that moment.

But.... the Miraphone 1293 CC was a great horn for me. The narrower "New Yorker" 1292 valve section is very easy playing, easier than the 1291 BBb without feeling like there is back pressure from the narrower tubes. That valve section combined with the main branches and new 500mm bell? Wow! It has a great voice. Very good intonation. The low register is super easy, full sounding (ok - LOUD) without being the least bit woofy. The upper register is as easily accessible as on the 1291's that I've played. (CC or BBb) This horn has a voice similar to my 1915 Conn BBb with the "Donatelli" sized chassis with new MW valve set.

If the 1293 was made in BBb, then that would be the horn messing with my financial stability!

Happy new year!

[Steve Inman]

I've always loved Mirafones. ...[snip]... I was even featured in an old Mirafone ad in the old TUBA Journal. ... [snip] ...

Did that involve a motorcycle?

(maybe that was some OTHER picture I vaguely remember ....)

[tclements]

@Steve. No The m/c picture was something else. Look at my FB page.

[bort]

Hey Brett,

Always loved 188s! Dunno why I don't have a 188. You KNOW you want that 188! (more than the old Bohm?)

Well, it would be quite nice to keep the Marzan and merely *add* the 188...but that's not realistic for a bunch of reasons apart from money. The Marzan is certainly a great tuba.

The majority of my playing is in bands (or "wind ensembles" if you want to sound cool), and from past experience, a 188 would be just perfect for me and a better match than the Marzan. I do think the Marzan works really well for me for orchestra though, but I don't have enough of that work to really make sense of keeping 2 CC's for that reason. Besides, I've been saying for like 5 or 6 years now that I want a 188. And every time I buy a tuba, I end up with something else -- time to quit this square peg for a round hole game, so to speak.

[UTSAtuba]

I know it's easier to just have the money and pay for the horn straightaway, but aren't there payment options at instrument retailers (ie. WWBW) to help you get the horn faster?

[bort]

I guess... but I've never been too fond of the idea. I've been laid off enough times in the past few years to not want that "how will I pay this..." panic again.

Plus, I want that specific tuba, #9090962. If I bought from WWBW, I'd want/have to fly out to Indiana to try it first!