6/4 feedback

[UDELBR]

The last time I owned a 6/4 CC tuba was (??) 15 years ago or so.

Thought you were fixing up a 2165 you'd bought from Dillon's with an extra valve, no?

[cjk]

The last time I owned a 6/4 CC tuba was (??) 15 years ago or so.

Did the PCK not count ??

[normrowe]

First 6/4 tuba I've ever had I got about two weeks ago - a Conn 20J greatly modified by Larry Minick. But it's a BBb, not a CC.

[Tubacube]

Enjoy the "Power and the Glory" (tune from the movie Brassed Off) Norm, I'm glad it went to good home!
Howard

[Wyvern]

First 6/4 tuba I've ever had I got about two weeks ago - a Conn 20J greatly modified by Larry Minick. But it's a BBb, not a CC.
Minick Conn 20J body with Meinl-Weston 4v rotary cluster

That sounds interesting - a 20J with rotary valves - please post pictures!

[normrowe]

First 6/4 tuba I've ever had I got about two weeks ago - a Conn 20J greatly modified by Larry Minick. But it's a BBb, not a CC.
Minick Conn 20J body with Meinl-Weston 4v rotary cluster

That sounds interesting - a 20J with rotary valves - please post pictures!

Okay, here are a few:

[Wyvern]

Thank you Norm - very nice! Looks like has a smaller diameter bell too?

How does the Minick 20J play? Does it still keep that classic 2XJ sound?

[k001k47]

So... what tuba would be like this car?


That custom Meinl WesConnston looks pretty mathin' cool.

[normrowe]

Thank you Norm - very nice! Looks like has a smaller diameter bell too?

How does the Minick 20J play? Does it still keep that classic 2XJ sound?

Minick made the bell much smaller and curled it. Don't know if there's a bead in it as well. If I remember what I was told about the horn correctly, it was actually a bell from another instrument. I need to get all the details in writing. At my age, I can't guarantee the accuracy of what I remember about anything I did, said, saw, or heard more than five minutes ago.

It plays very nicely. I played on this instrument a little bit several years ago and loved it. I haven't had much time to get it out since I got home from the NAMM show (I picked it up on the way down there). It does have a big sound and seems to be pretty well in tune. I plan to check it out with a tuner sometime, but since this was his personal horn, I can't imagine it not being as in tune as it's possible to make a tuba! Need to get my big tuba chops in gear!

[normrowe]

So... what tuba would be like this car?


That custom Meinl WesConnston looks pretty mathin' cool.

I'd have to say Oystein's tuba would be a pretty good match to the Shelby!

Yeah, the Minickized Conn is a cool horn! Now I need to get up to its level!!

[k001k47]

[cjk]

[k001k47]

[Wyvern]

[Bob Kolada]

[circusboy]

[Lee Stofer]

Good point, Bloke. There is more to the 6/4 tuba experience for the audience than just the sound. The visual aspect doesn't hurt, and the physical aspect of feeling the vibrations makes the music come alive in a special way. I just haven't found any smaller instruments that will do that in the same way that a 6/4 will.

The most powerful demonstration of this that I've experienced was probably this past year, when Mike Roylance was play-testing the BSO Nirschl-York with it's new Kanstul-York bell right after installation. The instrument had so much rich fundamental and overtones, and I could feel my body vibrating with every note, standing about 10 feet away. It is hard to describe, but I felt a peculiar excitement and even emotional experience, because of how the vibrations from that instrument were affecting me physically. When he played the C just above the staff, my chest was vibrating, everything in the room was vibrating, and this was just at a moderate dynamic level.

As for the tuba-to-corresponding-car analogy, Mike and the BSO Nirschl-Kanstul-York would make me think of a Duesenberg V-12 sedan.

[normrowe]

As for the tuba-to-corresponding-car analogy, Mike and the BSO Nirschl-Kanstul-York would make me think of a Duesenberg V-12 sedan.

That does sound like a good comparison! It has been a long time since I played on a 6/4 with any regularity (and only one short spurt about eight or nine years ago in recent memory), so getting the feel back on the one I just got is taking some work. But the more I play it, the better it's feeling.