Mirafone Horn pics

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Had to share with you a horn I just acquired [ after the price came down]. It is a Mirafone CC 186-4U c. mid 60's. This horn has had some dents removed by magnets ( you can see the ripples), horn now basically dent free, no patches, the garland is not loose at all, 16 1/2" bell, valve compression is terrific, the first slide--which must never have been used-is tight like new, the 'S' linkage is super quiet and very fast---this horn is like 'Back to the Future' condition wise ( even has its original lyre screw). I really can't believe it. After unwrapping it and looking it over, I figured maybe there was a reason it looked so good....maybe a dog.....but noooo...this horn has such a gorgeous sound, pitch is excellent, very light weight ( my back, hip, and shoulders are very thankful!),......just a killer classic Mirafone in pristine condition. I couldn't be happier. And to my surprise, it came with what I thought was a new Reunion Blues bag--but then I looked at the leather on the cordura and saw Reunion Blues San Francisco....a like new RB Glenn Cronkite era bag too! Also a mthpce, pouch, tuner ( which I am selling on the For Sale section) came with it too. I feel like I have gone full circle with this horn. The sound it produces is so rich and beautiful.....feeling very lucky to acquire it.





I had previously owned a c. 1960 Mirafone 186-4U that had a very long tuning slide, had 'seen a tough life,' no engraving on back caps or garland, etc.---just didn't play or 'sound' like a classic Mirafone. Now this mid 60's Mirafone has all the great characteristics of that special classic Mirafone sound with the features ( engraving on caps & garland, the 'sound,' etc.).. there must have been certain 'changes' made in that short time to the 186's....and yet this one is still early ( back caps are engraved but don't have the little screw in the middle of the cap for oiling purposes, etc.). Mirafone must have been tweaking these horns during the early '60's to bring them up to state of the art standards. And to own this horn in such pristine condition with playing characteristics to match, I lucked out.
And it's not a Chinese horn I'm using...I really have come full circle.....
Mark

Mark

[bisontuba]

It this still for sale (yet)?

Any videos?

I'll need a two week trial period.

I'll be glad to send you a $50 deposit when I receive the tuba.

If I keep it, I'll send you $50 a month as often as I can.



Oh, and can we all use the word "dorn" in every post?

It doesn't get picked up by the bots and generate those nice ads. At all.

I'll change the horn dorn to horn pics...
Mark

[highsierra]

Very nice indeed.....

[bort]

See, I told you that you should buy it!

Congratulations, that's a really great find. I hope it works out to be a long-term solution for you!

[bisontuba]

If the justification was truly "weight", you'll be wanting to remove that c. 1 lb. keel from the bottom.

I remember - back in the early '70's, a midwestern-based tuba dealer had a picture of a 186 like that (with a big keel on the bottom) on the front off their brochure...but (to my knowledge) were not a Miraphone dealer.

Joe-
If I ever wanted to join a Bee Gees tribute band, all I would have to do is not use my stand and leave that 'spike' on the bottom...and I could sing higher than Barry Gibb ....
Mark

[Tubajug]

Very nice! Though mine was from 1977, I loved my 4-valve 186 CC when I had it! Mine certainly wasn't as "purdy" as this one though! Good deal!

[imperialbari]

The variance between Miraphone tubas from the same year may be caused by the company issuing the same acoustic design in several series with varying numbers of valves, amounts of nickel silver, types of springs/transmissions, or types/amounts of engravings.

There also have been samples of large US importers selling Miraphone tubas made to the importer's specific selections between the above features.

As for bow guards, keels, guard wires, or the like additions of metal on the outside of the main bugle then these are mostly considered protections against dents at the points, where the metal has been stretched thin by the bending or extending processes like hammering or pressing over a bell mandrel.

In my opinion that is only one purpose of the added metal. For some years through the nineties Besson made a 700-series Eb tuba that had the same main bugle as the 981/982 Sovereigns. Main difference was the 700 variant being much lighter due to less guard wiring on the top bow and due to the lack of the compensating system.

I played a loaner 700 while my 981 was made to order in the spring of 1999. The 700 had a very easy response, but I never got really confident about it, because certain notes, especially the top line Ab, would be much louder than their surrounding notes and would get blatty even in plain forte.

So removing the keel of this given Miraphone CC maybe convenient from weight and leg circulation matters. It also may improve the general response, but then the evenness of response may be compromised.

Klaus

[bisontuba]

Mark's the one who stated that he was looking for one of these because of back problems.

That keel probably doesn't weigh a pound, but probably weighs about as much as a typical tuba mouthpiece.

I don't get his joke, but it ain't my tuba...and I doubt if it will be his by the time Christmas rolls around.

Hi-
Having a light horn is a nice issue. Having a horn with a magnificent sound is the key issue. I started many years ago ( 1971...my first CC horn...a Mirafone) with a similar horn and that 'sound' makes me wonder why I ever changed to anything else... I'll send Joe a Christmas card wiih a pic of the horn.....I am done with buying 4/4 CC's ...just have to find a hard case for it now....now looking for another Miraphone F to add...
Mark
Mark