1/2 size tuba question

[Greg Lecewicz]

Did any of you have an opportunity to play this instrument?

[Ben]

Make? Model? Bore size? I've never seen anything like that before

[MartyNeilan]

My take -
If you are teaching tuba students, you want to model a sound for them to emulate. If you are trying to use the smallest possible tuba mouthpiece (per an earlier post) and the smallest possible tuba, you will not be able to produce the kind of sound you would want them to copy. Look more for something in the 3/4 range, like maybe a used Conn 12J. That still has a bore size smaller than most tubas, but produces a true tuba sound. Also, use one of the more common tuba mouthpieces, maybe even what your students are using.
Many years ago I tried playing bass trombone with all kinds of cut down or specially made mouthpieces, and finally learned to play with a "standard" sized bass trombone mouthpiece, to make it sound like a bass trombone.

[Tubainsauga]

Is that the tiny little jupiter? I remember trying one a while ago and was quite impressed. It obviously sounds like a tiny little tuba, but for a student that would have trouble with a larger horn, it seemed like a good instrument.

[iiipopes]

There is a Jupiter version and a Chinese version of this tuba. I have not played it. But I would like to comment on what I believe are a couple of design flaws. The entire valve block is "backwards." I'm not just saying that due to aesthetics of all the "traditional" rotary instruments, but from what I see as practical aspects: a) no tuning "on the fly" as the main tuning slide is "backwards"; b) water, water everywhere but nary a key to drain. Even though it has a "traditionally" placed water keys, holding the horn in the conventional position will result in water not draining to the key, but elsewhere about the horn, especially the 2nd valve.

[eupher61]

There is a Jupiter version and a Chinese version of this tuba. I have not played it. But I would like to comment on what I believe are a couple of design flaws. The entire valve block is "backwards." I'm not just saying that due to aesthetics of all the "traditional" rotary instruments, but from what I see as practical aspects: a) no tuning "on the fly" as the main tuning slide is "backwards"; b) water, water everywhere but nary a key to drain. Even though it has a "traditionally" placed water keys, holding the horn in the conventional position will result in water not draining to the key, but elsewhere about the horn, especially the 2nd valve.

+1 for almost all of it. Tuning on the fly might be easier with the main slide accessible via the left hand. But yeah, the drainage issue is one to consider. talk about having to learn the spin.

It seems logical that a water key on the 2nd slide may not be desirable, but my logic has been questioned plenty in the past, often justifiably.