Trying Out 6/4 Tubas?

[EdwardTomic]

What is the best way to try out a variety of 6/4 C tubas with them being so rare?

How could I go about trying:

Handmade Baer
Nirschl
Yamayork
Gronitz PCK

The issue with the Baer and Yamayork is unless you buy used, you can't be sure the instrument you're getting is the best representation of the model.

In order to try the Nirschl/Gronitz it's probably best to go to Germany and hope they have a good one in the factory.

It's such a big investment to get one of these top of line instruments, but it's so hard to get a hold of just one, let alone a number to compare.

[EdwardTomic]

Thanks for the helpful info about the horns Bloke!

Still working on the time pitch and rhythm, obviously no horn is going to change the fundamentals or musical knowledge of the player, ie the best meistersinger tempo.

I'm not looking to buy a horn at the moment, but more get an idea of what's out there for top of the line models. I'd rather start researching and trying now when I don't need one, than be wishing I had more time to try out horns down the line if I do end up needing one.

[Slamson]

Finding a wide selection of tubas (6/4 or otherwise) in one place is always going to be difficult, since dealers can't afford to have a lot of the same inventory lying around waiting for somebody to come along and pick one. That being said, I recently traveled from "Forgottonia" out here in the midwest to Dillon to try out a horn and while they don't keep a lot of the same instrument hanging around Matt keeps a great "spectrum" of instruments. Like the old saying goes, "you gotta kiss a lot of toads before you find Prince (Princess) Charming." If you get a chance to compare 4 or 5 Yamayorks in one place... you've most certainly died and gone to heaven!

Speaking of Matt Walters, a shout out to him and Dillon for a great store, great selection, fair prices, and just being a cool bunch of guys. Thanks to him I can quit hitting every booth at every conference I go to, and I have my own Petrushka which is even better than the one I've been playing for the last 18 months (I was just breaking it in for my students... )

[bort]

Reminds me of this post from long ago:

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