Out in the Hall - 188, 1293, Bruckner, or ?

[DavidK]

Mark
Good luck with your deliberations.

Termite
Yes, I played the 1293 CC and 1291 BBb at Dillons 1-2 months ago.
The 1291 BBb is .835 throughout (big all the way) low resistance. But can produce a sweet sound and can be played softly.
Both horns have great intonation.
I preferred the 1293 blowing and voice characteristics to the 1291. The graduated bore on the 1293 goes from .750 to .835 (finishes same bore as the 1291 BBb. It speaks easily and really produces when called upon. Maybe that less free-blowing nature and the bigger bell were the right combination for my ear.
Did not get to try the Bruckner.
If Miraphone made a 1293 BBb that would be the production tuba for me.

[termite]

Thanks David.
I was curious as several years ago a couple of people liked the 1291 BBb better than the 1291 CC (back when they first came out). I have a 1291 BBb and I'm wondering what the 6/4 BBb will be like when it comes out.

Regards

Gerard

[joh_tuba]

Of those three horns the 188 and 1293 have spectacular intonation and response top to bottom and very pleasing robust but distinctly different sounds that can work in most any setting. The Bruckner still has some unresolved problems and lacks refinement in terms of sound, response and intonation. I think the novelty is that it is big but it's big for big sake and gives up too much in relation to the other horns you are considering. I hated the 1291 when it came out but was extremely impressed with the 1293. They finally got it right. Miraphone has a clue when it comes to good R&D.

If I were you I'd snag the 188 and never look back. Those are fabulous horns that have been produced for several decades for a reason. You will never have a problem with a 188.

[bort]

Hey Mark... make any decisions yet?

[Mark Horne]

bort,

Yes, I have decided and chose the Bruckner. Details are in a separate new post. It certainly wasn't easy, and any of the horns I played could have filled the role very well. For me the Bruckner embodied many of the positive aspects of the other horns and really had no downside. Many of the questions I had about the Bruckner after playing the first time really turned out to be unfounded.

I based the decision on the fact that I expect to play almost completely in a band environment. If I had some small ensemble gigs to consider then we would be talking about a new 188 in this post. . .