Best E Flat tubas in the market

[Plugo]

i will like your opinion on the best E flat tubas available today. my choices are wilson 3400, norwegian star, meinl weston 2141 and 2040.

my main tuba is a Rudolf meinl 3/4 CC. i want to find the best match for this tuba.

[opus37]

Kanstul makes a fantastic horn.

[Wyvern]

my main tuba is a Rudolf meinl 3/4 CC. i want to find the best match for this tuba.

Rudolf Meinl make two models of very nice Eb tuba, 3/4 and 4/4 sizes - One of those may be the best match for your CC. Otherwise check out a gold brass* Norwegian Star. I tried a friend's last weekend and was very impressed!

*Make sure it is gold brass. I have tried a couple of yellow brass Stars and found them not to be anywhere near so good.

[Wyvern]

No one is going to wave the flag for the ever-lovable ever-formidable 3+1

Probably the most adaptable tuba of all (can be used for anything and everything), but hardly a good companion for a Rudy 3/4 CC. Now as companion for 6/4 CC, then yes, maybe?

[iiipopes]

I Will! But only for the 17 inch bell. As Neptune said, still a good candidate for a do-it-all horn.

[shinytuba7]

I play a Besson 980 and a Rudy 3/4 CC and I have no problems.....

(Maybe I'm just a little off... )

[Wyvern]

I don't get this "companion" concept

I look at it if you have multiple tubas you want each to bring something different to the table and contrast tonally. As a 3+1 Eb sounds fairly close to a small CC and both can be used virtually interchangeably in the same role, to my mind it does not make the best Eb for the original poster. A much better 'companion' is an Eb which leans towards an F bass tuba sound. But that is just my idea and others are welcome to differ.

[DonShirer]

I like my 2141, but after recently seeing and hearing Oysten's pyrotechnics up close on his N.Star Lite, I would certainly try the Star before deciding if I were again in the market. (I know, don't judge on other's horns...but I just would want to try it.)

[daveinem]

I think you are going to like the Star light the best. My 2141 is more of a small C type tuba, nimlbe up high yes, but with a killer low range. I am a trombonist, however, so please take my comments with a grain of salt.

[ztuba]

I agree with the previous poster, depending on what you are looking for out of a bass tuba, that Kanstul york copy Eb is holy crap good. It almost plays itself.

[Jesse Brown]

Does anyone know if Jupiter is still planning on releasing a Eb similar to Mr. Sheridan's?

[Walter Webb]

Would someone who has spent time honking the Kanstul Eb York copy please tell why it is good? Or, give a little profile of it's strengths and weaknesses?
Much appreciated.

[T. J. Ricer]

This is pure opinion, but I have not found anything on the market that has as solid a base of sound, pitch, and response as the Yamaha 321 "intermediate" Eb tuba (including their professional offerings). I have been through a number of top notch horns, but always gravitated back to the same model. If you can find the 5-valve version you're set for life. Both Dan Schultz and Harvey Hartman have built front action versions of this horn for those of us who won't give them up, even when we're told they point the wrong way! I believe J.c. Sherman has mentioned that he wants to build one as well.

Harvey's: http://harvshappyhorns.blogspot.com/201 ... valve.html" target="_blank

Dan's (mine): http://www.thevillagetinker.com/yamaha_ ... ersion.htm" target="_blank

The best part is that these come up used ~2K fairly regularly.

As always, your mileage may vary,
T. J.

[jon112780]

If the Norweigan Star's low BB and BBb hadn't OINKED, I would have sold my Besson 983 and bought it. Other than that VERY DISAPPOINTING trait, it was an excellent horn and very resonant!

That's the reason my first small horn was an Eb, and not an F. I hate the oinking!

I guess the rotary MW Eb's are a couple grand cheaper (new) than most other Eb's out there.

I had a hard time playing a couple of the Willson 3400's in tune, and the MW 2141's intonation was maybe a bit better than my 983, but I really like whole compensating thing...

The Besson seems to like a funnel mpc, the Willson 3400 needs a bowl mpc, and the MW Eb's can do with either.

I guess it depends on what kind of sound you are looking for:
"Lean/Focused" : Star/Starlight (German style rotary design)
"In between Focused and Spread": Besson 983, MW piston and rotary
"Broad/Spread" : Kanstul (small bore and wide bell)

[phaymore]

Having a good, solid low BBb is very important to me for a Eb horn. This the problem I found with the Kanstul. I really wanted to like that horn, but I couldn't get a low BBb out to save my life. Now the M-W 2141 on the other hand....

By the way, I owned a Yamaha YEB-632 for a year or two and really regret selling it. It's low registar was a little stuffy, but otherwise a great horn.

Patrick

[Tundratubast]

No one mentioned the Besson 983, a 4v FA compensating instrument, now being manufactured by Mienl for Besson (Buffet-Crampon). My original Besson 983 was a great all round horn with a 17.75 approx. bell. I've played a Besson 995 5v- CC (Mienl) and is was also a very easy playing horn.

[TheHatTuba]

Having a good, solid low BBb is very important to me for a Eb horn. This the problem I found with the Kanstul. I really wanted to like that horn, but I couldn't get a low BBb out to save my life. Now the M-W 2141 on the other hand....

By the way, I owned a Yamaha YEB-632 for a year or two and really regret selling it. It's low registar was a little stuffy, but otherwise a great horn.

Patrick

Was the low BBb a problem with other fingerings as well (1+3,3+5,etc)?

[TheHatTuba]

.

[Amilcare]

I really don't know the model number, but my 3+1 Willson has been fine. It weighs a ton but can do most everything.

[phaymore]

Having a good, solid low BBb is very important to me for a Eb horn. This the problem I found with the Kanstul. I really wanted to like that horn, but I couldn't get a low BBb out to save my life. Now the M-W 2141 on the other hand....

By the way, I owned a Yamaha YEB-632 for a year or two and really regret selling it. It's low registar was a little stuffy, but otherwise a great horn.

Patrick

Was the low BBb a problem with other fingerings as well (1+3,3+5,etc)?

You know, I don't remember checking any other combinations. Maybe it would have poped using 1-3 or 3-5...who knows. I had the same trouble on the M-W Starlight.

Patrick