3/4 vs 4/4 Size for Student

[Nthombi]

I would like to hear pro/con discussion of using 3/4 or 4/4 size BBb for 4th year student who currently will begin soph year in high school. Reasons: looking to buy and difference of opinion among instructors.

Thanks

[iiipopes]

If the Sophomore is of average size, then get a King 2341/1241. For over a century this has been the best tuba for high school. Period. Easy to blow, great intonation, mouthpiece insensitive, nested valve block that is very durable, and since the horn has been made in basically (pun intended) the same form for over a century, any shop worth its tools who claims to cater to school repairs will have a whole morgue of "crash parts." I don't care what anybody says about any other model. I've played most of them, and there are reports on the rest of them if you search the threads. If this is a personal purchase that the student wants a tuba that he can play for the rest of his life in high school, (non-tuba major) college, community band, etc., this is the tuba to get. If the school wants a horn that can stand up to years of use & (unfortunately) occasional abuse, this is the horn. The slightly higher cost is more than made up for in its increased longevity.

[TheHatTuba]

If the Sophomore is of average size, then get a King 2351/1251.

Do you mean 2341/1241? If so, those are great tubas. I don't really like the leadpipe on the older 1241's but they play great. Biggest thorn, the "king spin".

[ztuba]

Eb tuba, full size. Their school should own a BBb tuba or maybe even a few of them. then they will be able to enter into college having a working understanding of bass and contrabass tuba. plus reading Eb treble clef helps prepare them for CC tuba.

[iiipopes]

If the Sophomore is of average size, then get a King 2351/1251.

Do you mean 2341/1241? If so, those are great tubas. I don't really like the leadpipe on the older 1241's but they play great. Biggest thorn, the "king spin".

Yes. I mistyped. Corrected in original post. Thanks.

[iiipopes]

Eb tuba, full size. Their school should own a BBb tuba or maybe even a few of them. then they will be able to enter into college having a working understanding of bass and contrabass tuba. plus reading Eb treble clef helps prepare them for CC tuba.

ztuba brings up a good point. Before WWII, and even for some time thereafter, it was common to start tuba players on a smaller Eb. I wish this were still the case for middle school, instead of the microbore 3/4 BBb tubas that have no tone. Especially because of the sight reading trick that makes it easy for trumpet players to switch. But for the fact that BBb is now the defacto standard for most concert bands, and this seems to be a personal purchase rather than a school, I thought about recommending an Eb, but except for possibly the St Pete, which being a rotor is not necessarily an appropriate school horn from a maintenance perspective, good Eb's are much more expensive than the King 2341.

[ztuba]

jin boa 982 copy will do fine. 1900 from jim laabs. no need for fancy at high school level. My middle school student instantly gets a professional tuba sound when he plays on my norwegian star versus his BBb school horn. Young faces love smaller horns. I believe Bobo advocates Eb for starting. Arnold jacobs started on an Eb with the fourth valve taped down.

[TheHatTuba]

Eb tuba, full size. Their school should own a BBb tuba or maybe even a few of them. then they will be able to enter into college having a working understanding of bass and contrabass tuba. plus reading Eb treble clef helps prepare them for CC tuba.

ztuba brings up a good point. Before WWII, and even for some time thereafter, it was common to start tuba players on a smaller Eb. I wish this were still the case for middle school, instead of the microbore 3/4 BBb tubas that have no tone. Especially because of the sight reading trick that makes it easy for trumpet players to switch. But for the fact that BBb is now the defacto standard for most concert bands, and this seems to be a personal purchase rather than a school, I thought about recommending an Eb, but except for possibly the St Pete, which being a rotor is not necessarily an appropriate school horn from a maintenance perspective, good Eb's are much more expensive than the King 2341.

There could finally be a use for the beater small TA Eb's lying around.

[tubaforce]

Hi!
I started from scratch on EEb in the 70's! I pulled the 3rd. slide for sustained low BBb. Kind of akward, but the only caveat I remember. As to the Besson EEb clones, I'm not sure about smaller kids' arm length in respect to the 4th. valve. I had one unsold last year, and my 13y/o Daughter could reach it(4th. valve) comfortably, but she's a fairly tall kid. Otherwise I whole heartedly agree with ztuba about 981 style EEb's! As to the King BBb's, you really can't go wrong with one, especially a 4 pumper with the detachable bell(s)! My Daughter played on her schools 3 piston recording Bass(in a stand), and would still be using that axe if I weren't in the Tuba business! Those Kings compare fairly well vs. the Conn 20XX-J's in their ability to balance a Band by themselves, and they(Kings) are built like a tank. You may be able to find a 4-valve unit for as little as $1,500.00, but be aware of the $700.00 cost of valve replating! Cases are almost $500.00 + shipping new, from Taylor music, but I was able to obtain a serviceable used set from them(Taylor) for $200.00 bucks for a 24-J I have, and that case is the same outside as a King unit, though you might have to add a little extra blocking if the case was originally intended for a Conn.

Happy hunting,
Al