My new 3+1 tuba

[PhilGreen]

Yesterday I picked up my new compensating tuba. As I posted some time ago I had a 5 to try (Wessex, an older Besson, York, Miraphone, "custom") and all were really good. The one I eventually chose was the one produced by Mark Carter from South Wales. It's not a Mr Tuba model - it's a new(er) enterprise where Mark will build a tuba to your spec, with your choice of finish, valve combinations, bell etc as a one off.
My thoughts, for those interested, on the others I tried:

Wessex - Jonathan delivered the tuba to me! Great service. The lacquered 981 copy played really nicely, was in tune, once the main slide was out quite a lot, over all the octaves that I could play and looked, at first glance, very nice. Upon closer inspection I noticed the hard-to-reach slides and those at the back of the tuba hadn't been polished to a mirror finish prior to lacquering as I'm used to seeing. This gave them a satinesque look which Jonathan admitted that he quite liked. After oiling the valves further I had problems getting one of the valve caps back on - I couldn't catch the thread but as it was straight out of the box and ungreased I was not overly worried (it went on eventually). Sound wise the tuba didn't do it for me - perhaps it's too free blowing for the manner I play but the tone seemed to lack a bit of character and in the lower register (bottom Eb to Bb) was what I would call parpy or blarty. I tried a host of mouthpieces, including my beloved 24AW, TU21, PT84, DW3L, DW2 and Alliance T3 and all were more or less the same. For the money I think this is a brilliant instrument and, as Jonathan and I discussed, I'm probably not the kind of player that the brand is aimed at. However, I know there are a couple of great players making a really good noise on these instruments so maybe I got it wrong?

York - I chose to try the 17 inch bell rather than the more traditional 19 inch bell as much of my playing is in smaller ensembles and hoped for a more tightly controlled sound. Perhaps I expected too much as I couldn't feel or hear the difference (and neither could the quintet I played with). As most of the difference is in the last 6 inches of the bell flare perhaps I shouldn't be surprised! As I did expect the instrument was great to blow with a warm sound and just the right amount of resistance. Next to my 2040/5 the bottom register was stuffy (again it had come straight out of the packing case so perhaps it needed a good blow) and remained so for the duration of the trial. The valves were lightening quick (but not the best here) and the tuning exactly as I remember my old Sovs to be. It came second on my list.

Miraphone - probably the most different of the instruments I tried. It's bigger to hold and harder to fill. The 4th valve is further around the body than I expected and it caught me out a few times in rehearsals when I went for the valve and tried to press the thing that hold the valve closed in a case. The valves are longer too but absolutely brilliant (this instrument had been played for a while before I took it). In a 10 piece ensemble it was magnificent -Earl of Oxford's bottom Fs to start took me by surprise. It played like a bigger tuba but pitched in Eb. I've only ever played one CC tuba but I think the Miraphone felt close to that. In the quintet situation I found it difficult to play with the delicacy I required (and it was knackering). Another thing against it for me was that fast solos lost some of the clarity. If I was purely an orchestral player, or had grown up with bigger instruments, I'd have bought this instrument despite the price tag. Engineering was second to none too.

Sov - my old instrument that I'd sold to a local brass band. It played exactly how I remember - just like the York!

Finally a few words on why I chose the one I did. It sings! From the moment I first blew a note on it I knew it would be difficult to beat and everyone who heard me play, musicians and non-musicians, all agreed that it sounded so much better than the others (in my style of playing). I decided to keep it in raw brass - not because I want to keep polishing it or want the "cool' patina look - because I didn't want it messed with whilst it was taken apart for cleaning and plating. I kept the 4th valve as a piston (it can be modded to add a rotary 4th valve instead) and the one piece bell that Mark had spun in Germany the week before I picked it up. The photos show a little solder on the slides and not quite a mirror finish. Rather these cosmetic deficiencies than risk losing the musical qualities that make this the best tuba I've ever played.

[Ian1]

Great reviews!

Looks like a great tuba.

Best wishes,

Ian

[JohnSzkutko]

Great to see reviews like yours Phil, thanks for sharing :0)

[Wyvern]

Thanks for the reviews Phil - enjoy your new tuba!

The lacquered 981 copy played really nicely, was in tune, once the main slide was out quite a lot, over all the octaves that I could play

A side benefit of our new Wessex higher leadpipe version is that it lowers the pitch slightly. With that I find the main tuning slide only needs to be out 3/8 inch, or less. For future orders of EEb with the 981 style 'Fletcher' leadpipe I am going to get the main tuning slide lengthened as a few people have commented it needs to be rather far out for A=440

[bilmac]

Phil--FYI, the small bell York is pretty stiff at the start but comes round very nicely indeed after it's gets a good thumping or two. I was tempted to part with mine early days, especially after playing a very flexible but out of tune instrument for a number of years,but am glad I didn't.
Nice looking instrument you've bought. I like the look of the lead pipe without quite knowing why. It looks "right".

[Lectron]

Thanks for the reviews Phil - enjoy your new tuba!

The lacquered 981 copy played really nicely, was in tune, once the main slide was out quite a lot, over all the octaves that I could play

A side benefit of our new Wessex higher leadpipe version is that it lowers the pitch slightly. With that I find the main tuning slide only needs to be out 3/8 inch, or less. For future orders of EEb with the 981 style 'Fletcher' leadpipe I am going to get the main tuning slide lengthened as a few people have commented it needs to be rather far out for A=440

Make sure it can be tuned to 442-444. Many brass band are flying up in those pitches

[Wyvern]

Make sure it can be tuned to 442-444. Many brass band are flying up in those pitches

If that is problem then I will will supply with two tuning slides for A=440 and 442. As you will know the compensated EEb tuning slide is by default rather short.

[J.c. Sherman]

I tried my first "new" York Eb this summer, and I found it divine! I would sell my dog for it, but are these still made anywhere or are they gone?

[Wyvern]

I tried my first "new" York Eb this summer, and I found it divine! I would sell my dog for it, but are these still made anywhere or are they gone?

I believe York is gone - bought up by Besson.

I agree they are great Eb's!

[Lectron]

I tried my first "new" York Eb this summer, and I found it divine! I would sell my dog for it, but are these still made anywhere or are they gone?

I believe York is gone - bought up by Besson.

I agree they are great Eb's!