Anyone have experience with Musica tubas?

[Ricko]

I'm an amateur, experienced adult player thinking of picking up a larger horn to use in Churchestra and community band type situations. My petite Weril Yama-copy is starting to feel a bit constricting and I've had a piggy and a 186 in the past. I'd almost give my right arm to have another piggy but I now have kids to put through college...

At 45 years old I don't think I'll be taking work away from Alan Baer or Gil Long any time soon (much less any other pro).

This Musica has popped up on ebay => http://www.ebay.com/itm/Musica-5-Valve- ... 6rk%3D2%26" target="_blank

I've seen a Musica or two that were essentially rebadged Cerveny horns... does this one look familiar to anyone and if it does, do you think it might be a safe bet?

Thanks

Rick

[TheHatTuba]

That's a B&S. Great intonation, decent high register, tight low register. Comparing a 186, piggy, and B&S, I'd pick the 186 as a 2nd CC tuba, the piggy as the best commercial and the B&S as the best band/orch tuba. YMMV a lot.

[imperialbari]

Yes, B&S. The thumbring flange alone is a give-away on the origin.

Specific instruments always may vary somewhat, but in general I would take B&S over Cerveny any day because of better materials in moving parts and better workmanship.

Klaus

[daveinem]

I have one almost exactly like this one. (My 5th is on the right hand).
Nice sound, good high range. I like the low range a lot- although it sure don't sound like a big American tuba. The low c to G range is superb for my needs.

[DPlander]

I have to give a great recomndation for this horn as I was the Previous owner. I sold this horn after using it for over 12 years (through High School, College, and 8 years as a professional Musician with the Navy). This is a very free blowing horn, and everything was working great the last time I played on it. The only thing I didn't care for was the large Stovepipe of a bell. It has a rather tall bell section that proved problems when we had to use my wifes car to get to a job (she owns a Kia Rio). If you have a larger vehicle then you shouldn't have any issues with trunk space. The last thing I can say is that the 5th valve is a left hand trigger and it is a flat third (an open C, and the 5th makes it sn out of tune A-flat, but you can engate some of that with the long tuning slide). Other than that, as I said it was a great horn. I just needed to go to something smaller and newer. If you buy it, please update and let us know how you like it.

Douglas

[Ricko]

Thank you for all the input... Especially Douglas!

I did not purchase the horn - Mrs. Ricko's words were not any of those listed in the beloved sayings of a good tuba player's wife. Larger horns will need to wait for the sale of my petite Weril Yamacopy.

It looks like it was a great horn but not at a good time.

Ricko

[daveinem]

I love the large stovepipe. Surely it's my imagination, but I feel that(as I have said before on tubenet) that the long bell gives enough projection to put a crater on the moon.

[J.c. Sherman]

Who got this? I was drooling for this bad boy but couldn't throw down!