Kanstul 5/4 CC & small F

[tclements]

Ferg brought the two horns over today for me to give a honk. The CC first: If you want a BIG piston CC, and don't want to spend 15 grand, buy this horn. This is a nice tuba, great low notes, even sound, PLENTY of projection, superior intonation. I'd still get a tuning jigger on it (like all my horns). My one beef: crappy thumb ring. Easy fix if you get a fixed thumb ring.

Small F: The low C and B KICK ***. I expected the weird low notes like all small F's, but this one hauls. The high a (above middle c) SCREAMS. I could pick it off solidly and repeatedly. This is a great Bydlo horn. This one had a tuning jigger on it, that was a bit clunky, but should be easy to iron out this niggling problem with a swap of some hardware. If you want a SMALL F, with tons of projection, solid low c & b, this instrument should be on your short list. Ferg told me the price, but I forgot. Seems it was very reasonably priced. BOTH of these tubas are drop dead gorgeous. The fit & finish is way superior to a lot of instruments I've seen. The CC is a work of art.

respectfully submitted.

[Tubacube]

Thanks for the great review Tony!
Wait till you try the 5/4 F!

I hope this was the right image, If not please forgive me!

[Tubacube]

Darn the 5/4 F is cut off! check my FB wall to see the whole thing. Wish I could have been in the same room when you were testing the horns out, miss hearing you play pal!
Howard Miyata

[Lee Stofer]

My initial impressions of the Grand CC are quite good. I'm looking forward to taking it out and giving it a real test-drive in an ensemble. So far, my impressions are 1) it is very comfortable for me to hold, particularly considering how large it is 2) it is quite free-blowing, but not an air-hog 3) unlike many large CC's, the low G is a "cash register note" - you can take this one to the bank 4) I had to work on the adjustable thumb ring to make it stay in place, but that's just a set-up issue 5) two branches of the inner wrap of this tuba protruding towards the back of the instrument caused problems for a couple of larger players, but I am told that the factory has corrected this on the production model, as opposed to the prototype I have.

The new 5/4 F is a truly large instrument, close in size to the Rudolf Meinl 5/4 F. In Washington, DC, I showed the only one in existence so far. The overall quality and workmanship is quite good, and with the resolution of three items may be "the F tuba" in the US in coming years. The thumb ring must be moved in closer to the valveset, the rotor lever needs a little work, and the 5th line A is flat. When these items are resolved in the near future, the American F tuba will be as good as anyone else's.

[Scott Sutherland]

Small F: The low C and B KICK ***. I expected the weird low notes like all small F's, but this one hauls. The high a (above middle c) SCREAMS. I could pick it off solidly and repeatedly. This is a great Bydlo horn.

Yep! I commented at NAMM that I wish Bydlo was in A minor, this horn would be sooo easy to play in that key!