Some advice for a first time buyer

[windshieldbug]

Congrats on the acceptance. Have you checked viewtopic.php?t=8481? Lots of people in the same situation.

[Uncle Buck]

I'll share my experiences with you - but understand that you are ultimately the only one who can decide what you need.

I knew that I would only be able to afford one tuba while I was in college. I followed the conventional wisdom and purchased a medium-sized CC tuba (in my case, a Conn 3J, which was all I could afford at the time).

It was a good decision from the standpoint that I had a good all-purpose tuba that could be used for most situations. It was a bad decision in another way, though. I was never able to perform the concerto literature well on a CC tuba, and wonder if I would have done better in college concerto competitions if I had played on an EEb or F tuba. The university didn't own one, and I couldn't afford one.

In retrospect, I wonder if I would have been better off during college using one of the university's CC tubas (the school owned some good ones), and having my own EEb or F for solo (and maybe chamber - although my Conn was pretty good for that) playing. (During graduate school, I changed colleges and played on a B&S Symphonie F tuba that was owned by the school, and had a lot more success with solo literature.)

Just a thought. It has been my experience that some college tuba professors encourage a CC as a first tuba to buy. I sometimes wonder if the motivation is to increase the number of good CC tubas being used at the college, and whether it would be in the better interest of the individual student to use a school CC, and own an EEb or F.

[Lew]

I lived in Florida for a number of years, before moving to Virginia in 2003. I didn't find anyplace in Florida with any kind of selcetion of tubas to try. I would suggest going to New Jersey, to Dillon Music, or to Baltimore to Baltimore Brass, or even flying or driving up North and checking out both, to be able to try out a good variety of horns.

I think that as a Music Ed major I would buy a good BBb tuba if you could only own one horn. Of course you should talk to your instructor, but my reasoning is that BBb tubas generally cost less than the equivalent CC versions, even of the same horn, and you will primarily be dealing with students playing on BBb tubas in your employment, so I see no reason to switch to a CC at this time.

My favorite BBb tubas would be a Miraphone 191 in you want rotary valves, or a Miraphone 1291 for pistons. I own neither, opting for the less expensive King 2341, but find the Miraphones to be the best of the new BBb tubas I have tried.

For a little less money, the Miraphone 186 would be a good choice, either in CC or BBb, or a King 2341 is a good BBb as long as you can try before you buy.

[Joe Baker]

... I've never personally made an investment like this before, so I want to make sure I make the right decision...

The way to hedge against a mistake in this area is to make an informed choice (ie don't pay more than it's worth) of a used instrument. Kept in good shape, it should lose little or none of its value, and might well even increase if you hang onto it for five years or more. Knowing that you won't lose a bunch of money on your investment should help you sleep better and focus on making music. That, of course, presumes that you don't pay more than it's worth when you buy it!
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Joe Baker, who has never bought a new instrument, and most likely never will.

[Mark E. Chachich]

My advice:

Call the music department and check if you can borrow or rent a school instrument. I know that most of us want our own tuba, but this is better then an expensive mistake.

Go play as many tubas as you can (Baltimore Brass where Dave Fedderly can give you opinions and you can try a wide range of instruments and other good shops like Dillon's). I think that it is fun to try different tubas.

Remember, used is usually substantially less expensive then new. You can often get more tuba for less money.

Talk with the teacher (whoever will be there, again call the music department). Make sure you are clear about what you want to do in music. Helping a student with instrument selection is part of the job.

best of luck!
Mark

[tubaaron]

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS try out the horn you have in mind before u get it...trust me. In fact, try out as many horns as u can. I ordered a 2155 and it took like what..10 months before it arrived?! I already found a new love by then...the Pt-6P. Not that the 2155 isn't a great horn...I like it too, but...it's always worth the money and the effort to fly out somewhere where you get to blow the tubas.