Travel tuba video review

[tubalex]

Hi tubenet,

I've had this instrument for about half a year, and I thought this video might be interesting for those who haven't had the chance to try these for more than a few minutes.

http://youtu.be/fxnzYPNPZbk" target="_blank

Correction: the Wessex "Bubbie" tuba is apparently not made by Jin Bao, as pointed out to me via this conversation: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=51213#p440761" target="_blank . Thanks for the info, tubenet! I have not played any Wessex tubas, but I have played a variety of Mack, Schiller and a few M&M tubas.

[JHardisk]

Excellent review Alex! Very thorough and concise! Bravo!

[tubalex]

Thanks, Curmudgeon! I missed that entirely. The link you provided is now in the first paragraph in the "about" section of this video.

[opus37]

Thank you for posting this good review. However, it does bring up a question for me. What is the difference among the Wessex, Jim Labbs, and Mack versions of this horn? There is a considerable difference in price for one thing. I can see where the MW version would be different, but I'm having a hard time with the others. Is there any more experience with this group of travel tubas that might help someone decide on which one to purchase?

[opus37]

I have recently purchased a Wessex Travel Tuba in F/Eb. I play it using the Eb slide. First, I want to say that Tubalex did a very good job in reviewing this group of instruments. I checked with both Mac Brass and Wessex and found that they are the same tuba so you are selecting the vendor not the horn. Johnathan warned me about the back pressure in these horns. I have to agree that I was a little surprised at the amount of back pressure. I have played it for over a month now and find it no longer an issue. The horn was shipped with what I think is a generic 24Aw. I have been using a Sellsmanberger solo #2 with a 2A rim. This works much better for me with the shallower bowl and sharper rim. Using it has definitely helped my breath control. Playing these as an Eb rather than F adds more tubing and more back pressure. Moisture control is another issue you have to get used to. You learn quickly to empty at all possible opportunities. Again not a big issue once you know about it. I have played a solo during practice with it and then changed to my Kanstul and played the same thing. It was a much easier play on the Kanstul and because of my forced breath control exercise with the Bubbie I was able to have much better tone and expression with the Kanstul. I think this horn has significantly helped my playing. I took it to community band practice last night. I found it worked out very well. I quickly got the "so did you dry that tuba on the hot cycle too long or what?" comments. When I played, the tone and tune matched the other tuba very well. When we both hit the low F together, there were a lot of surprised looks. I was a little worried because in a small room, it sounds a bit stuffy especially when you are just starting out learning how to manage this horn, but in a high ceiling band room, it was just fine. Alex said he learned a lot from his horn. I can say that I have too. For me, it has been a positive experience so far. I'm very happy I purchased it.

[opus37]

This comes into the "who would have thunk it" category. I have been playing my travel tuba for community band practice and then in a small band that plus in nursing homes and such. (We play the old time show tunes, polkas and marches.) At church I play my Kanstul in quintet, but they have a contemporary singing group that has a brass accompaniment from time to time. Those parts are typically two trumpets and two trombones. Well, one of the two trombones moved away, so they asked me to bring my travel tuba and play the second trombone part. I may have to drop down an octave on some things, but it is another use for these small tubas. They wanted the more trombone like sound and a lighter more background sound for this group.