Received a grant...want to buy a tuba!

[Vemund77]

I work a high school and need to purchase a tuba for our program. It will be used by both junior and senior high students (grades 7-12). Our budget is around 6000. I am not opposed to purchasing a quality used Bb tuba, but still need recommendations about which model to purchase.

So far I have looked at a Ceverny 681. Thought it might be ok. Should I be looking at a Miraphone or Meinl Weston? I have played the Yamaha 200 series tubas, nothing too remarkable, but they are durable!

Any thoughts?

[Donn]

King 2340 and 2341 come in around that price, though that would be without case if you buy new.

[chhite]

Second the King 2341. Kanstul's 33-S4 (not the five-valve version) is a great horn that will stand up to school use. Jupiter's 582L is also a moderately sized instrument that will do the job. I suggest these because they all have a decent US-based parts distributor that speeds any potential repair process. There's nothing wrong with a good used Miraphone 186 or Meinl Weston 25. Those two instruments are often seen in repair shops but it's because they're built to last. They can take quite a bit of abuse and still function.

Whatever you do, invest in a good case and ensure its use. That will cut down on some of the visits to the repair shop.

[ken k]

For $6000 you may want to consider finding two good used instruments, one smaller 3/4 like a Yamaha 105, King 1135, Jupiter 3/4 (they have two models) to be used by middle school ages and a 4/4 horn like the King 2341, (even an older two piece model) or 186, etc. for the High schooler.

What will undoubtedly happen when a smaller middle schooler tries to manage a full size horn and they end up dropping it or having it fall off their lap, you will end up with many dents and dings.

I am sure you could find a nice three valved 3/4 horn for the younger student for under $2000 and then have $4000 left to buy a nice 4/4 four valver.

That will also give the younger student something to look forward to when they get older

ken k

PS not a fan of the Yamaha 200s, very big and awkward to hold, especially for a smaller student, and they are nothing remarkable to play.

[Rick F]

For $6000 you may want to consider finding two good used instruments, one smaller 3/4 like a Yamaha 105, King 1135, Jupiter 3/4 (they have two models) to be used by middle school ages and a 4/4 horn like the King 2341, (even an older two piece model) or 186, etc. for the High schooler.

What will undoubtedly happen when a smaller middle schooler tries to manage a full size horn and they end up dropping it or having it fall off their lap, you will end up with many dents and dings.

I am sure you could find a nice three valved 3/4 horn for the younger student for under $2000 and then have $4000 left to buy a nice 4/4 four valver.

That will also give the younger student something to look forward to when they get older

ken k

PS not a fan of the Yamaha 200s, very big and awkward to hold, especially for a smaller student, and they are nothing remarkable to play.

+1

[iiipopes]

For $6000 you may want to consider finding two good used instruments, one smaller 3/4 like a Yamaha 105, King 1135, Jupiter 3/4 (they have two models) to be used by middle school ages and a 4/4 horn like the King 2341, (even an older two piece model) or 186, etc. for the High schooler.

What will undoubtedly happen when a smaller middle schooler tries to manage a full size horn and they end up dropping it or having it fall off their lap, you will end up with many dents and dings.

I am sure you could find a nice three valved 3/4 horn for the younger student for under $2000 and then have $4000 left to buy a nice 4/4 four valver.

That will also give the younger student something to look forward to when they get older

ken k

PS not a fan of the Yamaha 200s, very big and awkward to hold, especially for a smaller student, and they are nothing remarkable to play.

Concur on a King 3/4 for junior high and a 2341 for high school. My comments on the 2341: it has good inherent tone and intonation, is not picky about which mouthpiece is used on it, the valve set is "nested" and not as prone to incidental damage, plus the basic tuba has been made for over a century, so if anything untowards happens to it, any repair shop worth its tools will have a lot of "crash parts" in its "morgue."

[MartyNeilan]

Buy three of the hirsbrunner clones from Mack Brass or Wessex.

[Three Valves]

In middle school we had a sousaphone in a chair stand.

We never dropped it!!