Big tuba

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bigbob
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Re: Big tuba

Post by bigbob »

Big is not the word maybe giaganticus!!!Do you know what make it is and is it a BBb or CC??any more info?? It looks like the horn is bigger than the orchestra!! How about that mouthpiece?? Is it funtional??I noticed the player was using a reguler MP........Thanks for the pics!...BB
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bigtubby
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Re: Big tuba

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Are these last two videos of the same Cerveny/Amati sub contra? It looks as if it was built as a display and not a player, one would have to be a seven foot tall orangutan to reach the paddles!
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bigbob
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Re: Big tuba

Post by bigbob »

Why is the tubing and mouthpiece so high??Why not put it lower so you can play the keys??..Is this a BBb Or a CC?? I think the first tuba was much easier to play.....BB
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bigtubby
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Re: Big tuba

Post by bigtubby »

bigbob wrote:Why is the tubing and mouthpiece so high??Why not put it lower so you can play the keys??..Is this a BBb Or a CC?? I think the first tuba was much easier to play.....BB
The first tuba was built to be played as were several other sub contrabasses like the Harvard Besson (IIRC?).

What I thought was a Cerveny (the last two videos above) in fact is a Bohland and Fuchs instrument in FFF that was built in 1911 and displayed in the 1913 World Exhibition. According to Wikipedia:
This tuba is "playable", but two persons are needed; one to operate the valves and one to blow into the mouthpiece.

The proportions appear to be very similar to a normal BBb tuba that and the oversize mouthpiece suggest to me that it was designed more for display. Like a 9/4 "scale model".

I'm guessing that Amati "inherited" the B&F with the post WWII consolidation?
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