Miraphone F-tuba 281 "Firebird"

[Alex Reeder]

This is the new f tuba that I have heard so many great things about! Surfing the net today looking for more information about this tuba, which I thought was still in the prototype stage, I came across a WWBW/Music 123 website listing it for sale.

http://www.music123.com/Miraphone-Model ... 7070.music

Is this the same tuba? I had not thought it was ready for sale yet. If this is true, it is very exciting! I have heard great things about it from several people who got a chance to play prototypes- I can't wait to try it myself!

[Kevin Hendrick]

I'm wondering why the Firebird's only available here (so far, at least) in the 5+1 configuration? Just checked Miraphone's website, and it shows they're available in a 4+2 as well.

[pulseczar]

no idea if this helps, but a friend of mine was recently looking for an F tuba, and chose the Firebird over a Gronitz and other F tubas that Tony Clements had in stock before Hornguys took over.

[LauriH]

That's cool for all the F tuba fans out there but I wish they would take the time to get the 283 Norweigan Star over here as well.

Well I had chance to try them both next to each other just couple days ago. I wouldn't be too exited about the Norwegian Star. Well it's very good Eb tuba, but not as good as most F tubas. I'm an Eb tuba player, but I'm switching to F tuba because I feel that with F I can go further than with Eb. Anyway I liked the Firebird much more than Norwegian star, altough the Norwegian star is closer to what I'm used to. Actually the Firebird might be in my shopping list if Melton's 45s-lp wouldn't suit so well for me.

-Lauri

[Onebaplayer]

The firebird is definitely a huge improvement over past models. I had a very hard time deciding between the Gronitz PF 125 and the firebird when i purchased my F. The deciding factor for me (i chose the gronitz) was that it had the exact character i wanted for playing in quintet and orchestral settings. My friend bought the firebird a couple days later and loves it. I will say that it is a little more nimble than mine, just a slightly smaller sound (still much larger than most F tubas ive heard)

[Getzeng50s]

Well... Not to say that all firebirds are great.. When I bought mine a few months ago from dillion, They had 7-8. When I played 5 of them, they were duds... intonation everywhere, big fluffy sounds. One of the others stood out, tight sound, very easy blow all over the tuba, articulating on this one was very easy, and had a tight beautiful sound. and there was one tuba in between. So just like every instrument the 'greatness' or whatever u wanna call it varies from horn to horn within that model.
This even goes for the PT-6's ive played. Mine, rotor silver, has this large beautiful dark controllable rich sound, its a little difficult to articulate on. One of my associates went to gwermany and picked out a pt6 form the factor... same exact look. PT6-s rotor. His horn weighed a considerably noticable amount less than mine. his also did not have the tone color of mine, it was much thinner in sound, but was very very nimble and easy to articulate.

so Rants and raves to the good miraphones out there! as well as the good PT6's