Looks like a Cimbasso

[arpthark]

Oh dear. That's the most tromboney-lookin' tuba I've seen.

[Dan Schultz]

That's very cool. I want it. Don't know why. But I want it!

It would be a nice companion by my 'trombonium'.

[bububassboner]

My friend (used to post here as ChuckG) has one of these. Stuffy would be a nice way of describing how it plays. He doesn't use it maybe he would sell it to you? Fun to look at, no so much to play.

[Wyvern]

I tried one of that looked rather like that, but it was in F. It was made my B&S and actually had 'CIMBASSO' engraved on the bell. I was told it had been used pre-Berlin Wall falling in the Dresden Stateskapelle

I can't say I really took to the one I tried. Mind you at the current bidding price that one selling might be worth having for the fun value?

[Frank Ortega]

Quoting wikipedia...

"...Verdi, who at times specified a preference for the blending timbre of a low trombone over the heavier sounding tuba, developed an instrument with the firm Pelliti, which was a contrabass trombone in BB♭ wrapped in tuba form."

I'm more curious about these instruments...

http://hornguys.com/miraphonecimbasso.php" target="_blank

apparently they are still being made and are alot cheaper than cimbassi...

http://www.music123.com/Brass-Instrumen ... 80.product" target="_blank

Of course the bore size is much smaller than modern Cimbassi. I have a Lidl w/4 valves in Bb. It would be interesting to really know when the the larger bore curved cimbassi came about.
And which is closer to the ideal sound those earlier composers were looking for?

I guess just take these comments under the subject, "things to consider".

Frank

[J.c. Sherman]

Avoid that Cerveny 4v F bass trombone! It's impossible to play with anything other than a bass bone mouthpiece with a Euro shank, and then it mearly sucks. They have the same instrument bent to the floor as a "cimbasso". Their revamped instrument, however, is supposedly quite good.

This looks in proportion to the Orsi and Pelitti instruments.

J.c.S.