Modern American rotary tubas

[bort]

Well considering 90% of Kanstul's tuba production are concert tubas it doesn't make sense in our understanding...but production wise he would need another shop just for rotary valves I am sure.

Ah...well, that shows what I know, I only think of Kanstul when I think of marching brass. All I know for sure is that Kanstul seems extremely UNpopular on the east coast -- I've seen exactly one Kanstul tuba in the wild. I'm sure there are more, but I sure never saw them.

[bort]

Ian, you are right. I always figured that ever since Miraphone was in southern California, and Tommy Johnson and other big names used rotary tubas, this might still be a regionally popular option.

Oh well. California is a wacky place.

[sailn2ba]

Hmm! Must've done something wrong with my post.
I think that lots of folks would pay American prices for an American product. Has any one with REAL marketing expertise looked at the national, tuba key, price, sales volume ($ and units), etc. total market? . . Would be some interesting data.
And, BTW, my Mira 184 3 RV is better for marching than some Sousas I've tried.

[Dan Schultz]

.... I've seen exactly one Kanstul tuba in the wild. I'm sure there are more, but I sure never saw them.

I've never seen anything except marching brass here in the Indiana/Kentucky/Illinois area. I didn't think they made concert tubas, either!

[toobagrowl]

They DO make a lot of marching brass yes, mostly trumpet/baritone/tenor stuff & of course Contras. Their professional Concert tubas (grand orchestral, etc) are many steps in quality and sound perfection than the marching brass IMO...drum corps guys probably would say the opposite. There's some pretty cool videos on YouTube if you search for Kanstul Tuba NAMM show...

It seems most DCI groups these days march with BBb Yamaha and Jupiter horns, and sound great on 'em I understand Kanstul used to have that market, but not anymore. And why doesn't Kanstul make a sousaphone?

I think Tommy and Roger Bobo stopped using Miraphones 30 years ago? my guess...at least Bobo did and Tommy's go-to horn was some massive 6/4 CSO type horn for jingles and studio/soundtrack work.

Didn't Tommy use a Neptune as his big horn in his later years? It seems Bobo and Johnson used various tubas later on, especially Yamahas. I understand Jim Self primarily plays Yamahas.

[opus37]

Kanstul does make good concert tubas. I own one and am very happy with it. I think it important to remember that the big name pros play the instrument brand that sponsors them. Case in point, how many different brands of tuba has Chuck Dallenbach played and when did he play them? There was a recent discussion on this net speculating on which horn he will now play since Conn Selmer has taken over sponsorship of the Canadian Brass. Pros can make most any brand sound good. I know a lot of folks who prefer rotary horns. I've played both. Each style has advantages and disadvantages. I think has more to do with what you are used to playing.

[Jose the tuba player]

Or Selmer could copy the Tiger tuba and not only be the first American company to make a plastic tuba but also to copy a Chinese instrument maker.
And use rotary valves.

i think they would just do what they did with the Pbone.

[PaulMaybery]

Ah! The upright valve Eb compensating 3 + 1 Besson. Having had 10 years on it in a Salvation Army Band and ensembles(Treble Clef) I still was never able to wrap my head around playing it in Bass Clef) I know it looks almost the same (notes on the same lines) but the accidentals always messed with me, plus when I considered the actual key vs the transposition - (augh!!!!). All that being said, to this day I still think that Besson EEb is the best tuba out there, acoustically speaking. It had the best intonation, good even response, wonderful tone and presence. I can see why in the UK they are preferred in the orchestras.
I never quite mastered the RH 4th valve, though now playing a lot of euph, that is improving. What am I getting at. That Eb Besson is a great horn. The 3 valve version where the compensation is between those 3 valves is a great concept. Really helps intonation, not just a rarely used "add-on." I'm also enjoying using the recording bell more these days and find it a plus in the right situations.

So, I suppose I have just taken Bloke's comments and added my own. Apologies for digressing from the original post.

In mulling it over, there is a possibility to slap a rotor section on an American style tuba/bugle. It has be done before, but never really caught on. (King/Conn/Martin)
Me thinks the key here would be to start with a particularly good American style 'bugle' and offer it with rotary valves. (Marzan did that, and MW recreated the Wm Bell Model based on the American King - both were rotary with the shorter American lead pipe.) Many of the euro companies (MW/BS/VMI/Willson/Hirsbrunner) offer their merchandise with both rotary and piston. For the sake of argument, "Why not the reverse?"

In the realm of 'psycho-acoustics', could it be that some folks simply want a signature/custom-like tuba that looks different from most of what is out there? Frankensteins do have an appeal.