Rudolf Meinl 5/4 CC

[cle_tuba]

Hello Guys ...
It would be possible to comment on their experiences with the tubas Rudolf Meinl 5/4 CC (5 valves)?
What are its dimensions, its strengths and weaknesses ...
How is your tone, pitch, low notes?
thank you

[Roger Lewis]

I had an older model of the 5/4 Rudy CC and it was a good horn with a very nice sound. The low range was a bit stuffy for me once I got below the Pedal Eb or so. Big sound and more of a 6/4 than a 5/4. It's a pretty good sized instrument with, I believe mine had, a 20" bell. They are a little more compact now and still have that great sound, but it's really hard too drive one of those in a quintet. Pitch was pretty good. High range was a little thin but I was using a Schilke Heleberg II at the time.

Good horns.

My opinion for what it is worth.

Roger

[hbcrandy]

I owned and played one for about a year. The sound was wonderful. The one I owned had real good intonation (the intonation varies from instrument to instrument). I had no problems with the low and the high register.

It was great for the orchestra, but, as a all-around CC tuba, it was a bit impractical. It tended to obliterate brass quintets and other smaller ensembles. At the time, I could only afford one CC tuba and one Eb tuba. My CC tuba was my main instrument and had to be more versatile than the RM allowed. So, I sold it.

[bort]

It tended to obliterate brass quintets and other smaller ensembles.

Impractical, but fun.

[ECUorchbound]

I currently own one and have been playing it for about 2 years now. I love the sound and feel of the horn. It fills up big rooms very easily and with wonderful tone! However, I will comment that it is not the easiest horn to play. It took me until about now for me to get comfortable playing on it and with my sound. Granted it was my first CC tuba purchase. The intonation on mine tends to be on the sharp side in the lower register, low G and down. When I bought mine, the previous owner added a 2nd value slide kicker to make it easier for intonation.

For big ensembles, this is an ideal horn for a big tuba sound. Smaller ensembles, it's a honker of a horn, but can still sound good with control.

Overall I love my horn. If you're looking for a Rudy Meinl 5/4, I would highly recommend one if you're willing to work with it and do what you need to do to get your sound in it!

[TubaSailor]

I've played one for about 6 years now, Band(s), Orchestra(s), etc. I don't use it for anything smaller than about a 30 piece band, or 50 piece orchestra. It is perfectly capable of "obliterating" groups of that size also. It is big - 20" bell, .866" bore. (.866!) It also is capable of the sweetest pp I've every heard from a tuba, but it takes some managing. However, when the orchestra has ff+, 9 out of 10 times, I'll look up and the director has this huge smile - I just had the pleasure of playing a dozen or so new and used horns at The Horn Guys and there's none I'd trade it in on. (Thanks Steve) However, I am in the market for a 4/4 CC - it won't replace the Rudy, but it would be more practical in more circumstances.

[jeopardymaster]

Compare it to a VMI Neptune - nearly identical dimensions, except for graduated bore through the valves, plus 2 interchangeable leadpipes on the Neptune versus the Rudy. And usually less expensive. Do yourself a favor - don't buy the Rudy until you've at least tried the Neptune.

[Steve Oberheu]

Absolutely gorgeous color of sound. Projects like crazy! Good intonation. I love every recording I've heard where the 5/4 Rudy was the horn.

[kathott]

I played a very good example of a Rudy 5/4 for three seasons - the best large tuba I have ever played. Great sound, pitch and delivery.
Too bad I could not hold it. I tried everything: chairs, tuba stands, posture changes, finally a modified drum throne (described elsewhere here).
Some of my favorite players have used this model, so I kept at it, but eventually moved on. Ultimately, some horns may not suit a particular person's
frame. I am on a (new) Mirafone 188, which is 'AMAZINK'.

[Untersatz]

I am on a (new) Mirafone 188, which is fantastic.

This should make Bort happy!

[cle_tuba]

I think many have played Thor, or at least very knowledgeable, compare the bass of RM50 with the Thor

[hbcrandy]

I am probably the wrong person to comment on this in that I have only test-played a Thor once. I found the Thor a very user-friendly tuba with a nice, centered sound, good intonation and fairly even and responsive in all registers. You could do far worse than own and play a Thor.

The 5/4 Rudy Meinl is a totally different animal. Mine had a GREAT sound, good intonation and had a low register that made the audience fear for the structural integrity of the concert hall when you really let loose. I suspect that the 5/4 RM's are not as consistent in playing characteristics as a Thor. But, with the RM, you have a chance of finding a great tuba as opposed to one that plays pretty much as the others of its type do.

Again, if I could only afford one CC tuba as my main instrument when free-lancing a variety of engagements and was only allowed a choice between a 5/4 RM and a Thor, I would select the Thor as the more versatile instrument. But, if I had a contract orchestra job that was my main means of support and could afford several CC tubas in my contrabass stable, a good 5/4 RM would definitely be part of it.

Two seasons ago, we did the Mahler 5th Symphony. Don Harry loaned me a 5/4 RM for the rehearsals and concert. I had a ball playing that beast. What a sound!

[Will Hammer]

I play tested one for about 2 weeks. I wasn't a fan of the one I played. Very bad low register (for some reason this model had a shortened fifth valve slide) there were also some dead notes as you go from bottom to top. Also, for an auditioning tubist I think they're too big. It has the bore size of a 5/4, but it has the actual body and plumbing size of a 6/4 tuba. It doesn't really get the core one might need in particular situations. I may have played a lemon (because they're handmade, I bet they're very inconsistent) for the size of the horn, I also didn't think it resonated the way it needed to. I got a lot more rumble out of my friend's pt-6p. I don't want to call them all bad, but that's just my experience with one.

[Jay Bertolet]

I may have played a lemon (because they're handmade, I bet they're very inconsistent)...

Truer words were never spoken. I am a huge fan of Rudy Meinl tubas. I own one and have played on many. For sheer sound, they are absolutely near the top in my opinion. But that sound comes at a cost. Intonation can sometimes be a real adventure. And, one horn to the next, you don't really know what to expect. I currently have a student looking to buy a horn and he's seriously considering a 4/4 Rudy. The first thing I told him was to play test the instrument before purchase. That is normal advice from me but I impressed upon this student how critical that recommendation is with Rudy tubas. They sound great, are extremely well made ("tank" come to mind), but the intonation can be an issue. For me, the 5/4 is not really a great choice except for limited, specific applications. They play huge and loud, but are not always so easy to play quiet. Solo playing is a real adventure on the 5/4 and I don't mean that in a good way. They also take a lot of work to play. Better have your air ready, this horn uses all of it. This is a great horn to play big orchestral works on like Prokofiev 5th but you'll be pretty tired at the end. For me, the true 6/4 sound isn't in the Rudy 5/4 (though volume and size of sound are all right there) and the 5/4's sound really doesn't fit in other situations as well as other choices. For me, the 3/4 and 4/4 (the one I own) are better choices for more usage. If you want a 6/4, there are better choices that also will be more flexible in lots of applications. Maybe the one advantage I notice in the 5/4 is that it does get a big sound but it also can get a very bright sound if you push it. Many 6/4 horns don't have that capacity so again, it is something that is distinct but with limited benefit.

One thing you can say about the Rudys is that the folks that love 'em really do and the folks that hate 'em really do. Very polarized reaction to these babies.

[Untersatz]

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[oedipoes]

Hello Guys ...
It would be possible to comment on their experiences with the tubas Rudolf Meinl 5/4 CC (5 valves)?
What are its dimensions, its strengths and weaknesses ...
How is your tone, pitch, low notes?
thank you

I know this is off your question, but have you considered a Rudy 5/4 BBb ?
I once played a new BBb Bayreuth model at the Musikmesse, and was impressed.
Also, I think the BBb's tend to have better intonation.