Bb or F

[smitwill1]

+1 the Yamaha recommendation (mostly the 822, but the 621 has it's merits...) Both have good response in the low register, but the 822 comes closer to being a 3/4 CC "replacement"--about the only time I miss my CC in quintet is in the prologue of Jack Gale's arrangement of the West Side Story Suite. However, for parts where I want a sound closer to the trombone's tembre (ie. the classic Robert King editions of baroque and renaissance works) or when we're in close quarters the 621 blends nicely and is practical to handle physically. In a larger band--the 621 would get lost in the euphonium and tuba sound, in my opinion, whereas the 822 would be a more suitable choice. I agree with earlier posts--as an amateur returning to F tuba after a 20+ year break I've found the 822 to be an easy instrument to play in both quintet and our local community symphony.

[windshieldbug]

Consider a used 184.

A light, nimble, BBb that can cut when it needs to.
Good scale, 4 valves will do just fine.
Plays as well with a quintet as most F/Eb's do.
Nothing to learn except how to control the sound...