Magical tubas!

[Ken Crawford]

A heavyweight mouthpiece and the right valve oil can make a 2341 sound like a handmade Baer.

[Cthuba]

Even "handmade" 6/4 bears, technically, are machine-made. Those guys use chainsaws, chisels, etc...and not just their hands.

I GET IT!

[Tom]

I find it amazing that all "4/4" tubas for sale on TubeNet "sound like or can be played big just like a 6/4."
<snip>
Where are you people buying these magical tubas?

On TubeNet, of course!

You just have to be sure to weed through the 4/4 offerings here to find those tubas with dents the don't impact the sound and the ones that your studio mate would have bought if he hadn't already bought something else. Oh...and if you find yourself having to email to request photos, you know you've probably found a magical one. Be sure to check to see if it's won any auditions too. You don't want any of those crappy tubas that have never won an audition.

[Ken Crawford]

The gold standard is whether or not Arnold Jacobs maybe possibly may have ever owned the tuba in question. Or touched it ever and said he'd rather play it than the York.

[bububassboner]

I've been moving away from the 6/4 CC tuba. Really I stopped playing mine (nirschl) because with my spine injury the leadpipe angle isn't something I can really deal with right now. However, I built myself a 6/4 BBb tuba (that's NOT based off a Holton) and I'm finding that the things that I used my nirschl for are easier on a good modern BBb of the same general size. My recent though has been that if we are looking for low range ease, good intonation, and a deep and dense sound why would we play a higher pitched tuba? I built it with a fifth valve and have it tuned so I can use 235 for low B and E, which not only makes pitch easier but makes some awkward passages much less awkward (the ride!).

I think people are starting to find the right tool for the job, instead of making one tool work for all jobs.

[bububassboner]

However, I built myself a 6/4 BBb tuba (that's NOT based off a Holton)...

Didn't really happen unless there's pictures...

[Hank]

Money Blessing Spray is more magical than those tubas and stinks more too.

[windshieldbug]

"...can be played big just like a 6/4."

Of course they can. You just put a mouthpiece in the small end and go, "Pppppppppppppppp!"
You do that on any horn!

[Ken Crawford]

Apparently a mouthpiece can make a 4/4 sound at least like a 5/4...

http://www.potenzamusic.com/mr-p-tuba-m ... 142516.cfm" target="_blank

Specifically the 5.0 and the 8.8.

[Rick Denney]

I have a 4/4 Bb tuba for sale, which I describe as a 4/4 but which would be a 5/4 if it was a C. It does not play like a 6/4, and I have more experience than most with the difference.

It has no significant dents, so therefore no magic can be caused by dents. Arnold Jacobs never played it, but it has been owned, played, and admired by top pros. One owner sold it because he got to old to play tuba any more, and another sold it because he was going back to C. None of them said it was the best tuba they had ever played, but the tubas they played instead cost two or three times as much. (Which is also true for me.)

Nobody wants to buy it for what it's worth.

Rick "concluding that magic sells and truth doesn't" Denney

[Ken Herrick]

Bloke's discussion with others about Jake ending up with the big York possibly would not include an interesting quirk of "FATE".

As the man himself said, when he first tried my old King 'Monster' 4rv BBb , If he had had it when he went to Curtis he never would have switched to CC.

Who knows what would have happened had that been the case?????