F tuba doubt!

[MacedoniaTuba]

Hey guys, I have a huge doubt right now. I am just about to choose which F tuba should I get. I have one,more than 40 years old,Alexandar Mainz Gebr Vienna F tuba that I can use for some period. It needs some repairs,but all at all have very beautiful sound. The biggest problem is that it has 6 valves(3 in the left and and 3 in the right) which is quite unusual. I believe I will need some time to learn it,but I am willing to do that. The repairs should cost not more than 500€(620$). Even though it's not mine(it's owned by the State Opera and Ballet House)most likely that I will use it in future,since the tuba player that works over there doesn't play F tuba at all and does not intend to.
The other option is to buy a used Weltklang F tuba with 4 rotors. Its used one and I don't know nothing about it. Just saw some add. It's 950€(1180$).
My idea is to use the Vienna Tuba as much as I can(probably for the next 5 years) and then think about buying a solid F tuba or figure out something else.
The reason I am asking is because I don't know how serious the Vienna Tuba is accepted among the brass population and is it a good replacement for the standard F tubas that we use today? Also would like to know if it's acceptable for universities and orchestras like a proper replacement for F tuba(for example,to apply with Ralph Vaughn Williams concerto and play it on Vienna tuba)?
So far I am not employed,so I don't have the money to invest in a good F tuba. Hopefully to save some money in next few years and buy one. But the problem is in meanwhile:))
Thank you in advance for your opinions,
Cheers!

[bort]

My vote -- \learn the Vienna F and you'll be okay. It's kind of funky and you will get a lot of strange looks, but play it well and you will doubly impress them.

While the Weltklang F is likely to be a fine playing tuba, I think 4-valve F tubas are just too limiting.

[PMeuph]

+1 ↑ What Bort said!

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Yes. 4 valve F tubas are (in my admittedly limited experience) a recipe for terrible intonation, especially in the low register. Go with the Alex 6-valver.

[Ulli]

I wish, I have an Alex 3+3 Vienna F! You are a lucky devil!

[Ben]

Go with the Alex F, as long as it is in good shape and has manageable intonation, you'll be in great shape.

[windshieldbug]

I can't imagine the type of valve will make that much difference.
Go for the one with the best sound to showcase your skills.

There are many 3+3 rotary F's, and I doubt that many except the bass trombone will even know what you are using...

[Frank Ortega]

I had found Alex Viennese style F tuba back in my grad school days.
Dick Ackright removed a valve and configured it to be 4 and 1 in the left hand with a thumb trigger on the
1st valve slide. This was at Floyd Cooley's reccomendation. It definitely played better as a five valve horn, and was one of the best playing f-tubas I've ever played! I regretted selling it the moment I shipped it.
Sold to a guy in the North West and never heard of it again. I'd buy it back in a heart beat!