Which F tuba is best to buy?

[biscuitsdonovan]

Hi Tubeneters! I'm looking for an F tuba! Hopefully B&S or Meinl Weston, but right I want to know which one would be best to buy? I'm still a senior in high school and already have a CC. In college, I plan to get one. Please give me some feedback!

Thanks TubeNet,

Matthew

[jtuba]

Too many really good choices these days to narrow it down. Also, talk to your college teacher when you get there. My thinking may be in the minority, but you probably don't need an F until after a couple years of school and your fundamentals on the big horn are sound.

[biscuitsdonovan]

Yes, that is true too. I'm getting an F for solo reasons to perform stuff like the John Williams, Vaughan Williams, Szentpali concerto and things of that nature. I've had my B&S CC for a year now and I'm pretty comfortable with the sound it's just really hard to perform solo works of that nature on a CC.

[Nick Lukefahr]

If you think that you'll have an opportunity over the next year or two (ie. conferences, professors, private lesson instructors) to try some horns out, I'd definitely give it a wait, build your skill on the CC, and get a chance to learn what kind of F tuba best suits you, whether it be type of valves or type of sound, whether intonation will be a problem on a specific horn or if you will be able to manage it, etc.

[k001k47]

The one you like! play-testing tubas in an elephant room is always fun.

[besson900]

I think Meinl Weston has better tubas then B&S but you should testing them

[jorgeskid]

Yamaha 621, the older the better!

[swillafew]

The horn you already own should work great for those solos.

[biscuitsdonovan]

thanks everybody for the feedback! I'll weigh my options but I do think it'll come down to those two, not sure we will see!

[bort]

Any older B&S, like a PT-10 will be fine. It won't be perfect, and you'll probably sell it in a few years. But if you can score one for $5,000 or less, someone else will buy it for that price in a few years, when you have a better idea of what you want.

[biscuitsdonovan]

I can play them on my CC dont get me wrong it would just be more comfortable.

[Bob Kolada]

I'd think that the few that get BIG GIGS will probably play mostly big tuba. For everyone else, well, there's usually more money in brass quintet than in community bands. Nice bass, usable contrabass is my thought for that 80-90% of us. You don't need a Nirschl to play oompah, but it sucks playing church gigs and the like on a three banger bass tuba.

[biscuitsdonovan]

Comfortable how? These solos sound very challenging. Wait till your senior recital to play them. Save your money for biscuits.

yes, I'm not getting one like next week I'm thinking a year from now....

[JHardisk]

The horn you already own should work great for those solos.

Well said. If you need an F tuba to play these solos, then you probably shouldn't be playing them. If you can do them on CC, then you should be able to do them on F.

When I was in school in the mid to late 90s, only the graduate performance majors had F tubas.

You will make your bread, butter, and biscuits on the big horn. Wait for an F tuba.

Bryan

Maybe you're more of a player than I, but I would NOT want to play the John Williams or Szentpali Concerti on CC tuba. We are in an age where it's not uncommon for High school students to be playing F tuba. A lot has changed since the late 90's...

I agree with making $$$ on the big horn. I've paid for all of the CC tubas I've owned by using them, including my 6450/2. But, I couldn't imagine getting along without an F tuba.

For the OP... don't let others' opinions dictate your decision. Get your hands on as many horns as possible, and make your own choice. The best one is the one that works for YOU.

[Uncle Buck]

A guy in Chicago (that - in the past - I studied with every couple of months) owns one of these. I've heard him gripe about it, and he's bought others...but the PT-10, I'm thinking, is the one that he has never sold. ...I might be mistaken... I haven't spoken to him about this lately.

I have a similar (not quite the same) model that I bought new about 30 years ago. I've tried out a bunch of fancy new F tubas...and with money in my pocket. So far, I've not sold and replaced mine, either.

So, how would you describe the differences (mechanical and musical) between a Symphonie and a PT-10? (If you're interested in spending any more time on this thread . . .)

[Mark]

How is the average high school tuba player who isn't swimming in money going to afford an F tuba, much less a CC. Perhaps these advanced works should wait till the player is more advanced?

You mean like Carol Jantsch or Sumner Erickson?

[bort]

How is the average high school tuba player who isn't swimming in money going to afford an F tuba, much less a CC. Perhaps these advanced works should wait till the player is more advanced?

You mean like Carol Jantsch or Sumner Erickson?

I don't understand your point. Are you implying they were both average high school tuba players?

Frankly, as a broke-*** high school student at a broke-*** school, I was excited and proud when I saved enough money to buy my own mouthpiece when I was 14 years old. Silly as it seems now, that was a big day for me back then.

[Mark]

How is the average high school tuba player who isn't swimming in money going to afford an F tuba, much less a CC. Perhaps these advanced works should wait till the player is more advanced?

You mean like Carol Jantsch or Sumner Erickson?

I don't understand your point. Are you implying they were both average high school tuba players?

No, I'm implying that Missouri is suggesting, with no personal, knowledge that the OP is an average high school player.

I'm not sure I understand why so many people seem to be bitter that some young musicians want an F tuba and that they can apparently afford one. Do they need an F tuba? Probably not. But so what?

When I was in high school, I couild barely afford a mouthpiece and I played a beat-up, school-owned King BBb. I was also in the Texas All State band with Bill Rose's son who was playing a very nice Miraphone. It never accurred to me to resent him for having a nicer tuba.

[Bob Kolada]

Malik?

[michaelrmurrin]

I completely disagree with those who say that you don't need an F tuba to play the John Williams or the Szentpali. You don't play those pieces on a CC or BBb tuba. My peers and my teachers don't play those pieces on CC or BBb tuba. I have yet to hear anyone do a good job of any of those pieces on the CC or BBb tuba, or even attempt it for that matter. I've heard many people play those pieces, and they've all played it on F or Eb.

(As for the Vaughan Williams, Gene Pokorny has played it on CC and done a great job, but I have yet to hear anyone else do so.
I played the Vaughan Williams on CC my senior year of high school and did a fairly decent job of it - nowhere near professional.)

That's not to disagree with their point that a lot of the meat and potatoes of tuba playing will be done on the big tuba.

Anyway, here's a slightly edited version of my own opinions I sent to a friend on some great F tubas.

My top choice as an all around F tuba is the Meinl Weston 2250NP - Norm Pearson model. It's what I play. I think it's just a really beautiful sound and it sounds good in all ranges, has good response, etc. Oh, there's also a new model of the 2250 that you may want to try if you can. It's called the 2250TL the "french touch"--it's very similar to the Norm Pearson model.

Then there's the "Mr. P" F tuba made by B & S. I think it might also be referred to as the PT-18 but I'm not 100% sure. I think it has a really good sound in all ranges - it's pretty crisp and a nice and open horn. It's a new model.

Next for an all-around F tuba would be the Miraphone Bel Canto for me. I think it's the most versatile and facile horn I've ever played. This is kind of a weird way to put it, but I feel like the horn has great control over itself. You can play extremely loudly, extremely quietly, extremely short, all with relative ease. The response is great, and the tone is godly; it's just not my kind of tone color personally--which is why it wouldn't be my first choice.

Next, there's this F tuba made by Cerveny called the "Aria 3"--great tuba. Good tone and response, notes pop out nicely, low range is great (except low D and Db which are just a little tough).

Next I'd say the Miraphone Petrouchka. I like it because of the sound it gets having thick brass, but being constructed in a way that the sound is still very open and live. That's sort of a personal preference though for sound and feel. Personal preference aside, its low range is very good and its high range is nothing special but beyond competent for sure.

I didn't get a chance to try out a Miraphone Firebird.

I've played on a Yamaha 822 (Jim Self model) - it's a very good horn.

I played the Yamaha 621 for a year, it's a good F tuba - it's a very small F tuba, but nonetheless has a strong low range - the notes pop out nicely.

I've never tried out a Yamaha 821 (or is it 622? don't remember) - the Roger Bobo model. But I've heard it's a good horn.

I also played the Adams Solo F tuba, which I think is INCREDIBLE... but a "solo" horn, which is appropriate given its name. This would not be my first choice for an all around F tuba (solo, quintet, and orchestra). I think it would mostly be good just for solos. Oh, and it's like $12000 anyway.

Of course, you should ideally try out any horn before deciding on anything. Hope these notes help.