The Elusive Eastman 853 Eb: An Initial Review

[Ltrain]

I’m a lucky new owner of this incredulous, yet very cool new Eb offering from Eastman. I’m not much of a “review guy,” but I’ve been kindly (and firmly) asked by some folks to share my brief experience with this instrument. The TubeNet community has done a lot for me, so I thought I’d give it a try while it’s too early in the AM to practice in the apartment of my co-op building.

Foreword:

2019 Has been weird tuba year for me.

After putting more and more time behind the sousa (which entails at least 95% of my playing out nowadays), I grew increasing buyer’s remorse for my 5/4, 28lb BBb that quite frankly felt like a chore to pick up and practice… let alone schlep to community band rehearsal in another borough (referring to my former Wessex Viverna which was a fine instrument that I sold to a fellow TubeNetter who seems to have a better use for it than I do). I personally don’t have the income or talent for a single, or even dual-use, instrument. I need an urban do-it-all horn that won’t devour my apartment or kill my back schlepping it on the subway, but also an instrument that I could use to start tackling my solo rep bucket list.

TL;DR review… this tuba was just the prescription I needed.

Before pulling the trigger on the 853, I was offered an even trade of my Wessex BBb for a M-W 2141, and other person even offered up a gorgeous PT-22. It was a really tough decision to make, but Matt Walters at Dillon’s made it easier by offering an amazing deal and custom setup on this horn (all valves vented, etc)... not to mention actually having the horn on site to play test before buying (I wasn’t about to make that mistake again)!

At Dillon’s, I also play-tested a lacquer Eastman 851 (15” bell version of the same horn) and a Miraphone Norwegian Star just to compare apples to… different-flavored apples. However, the 853 had an extra smidge of York-esque broadness to the tone over the 851 which I enjoyed, due to the larger bell. Plus, I’m smitten by bass tubas in silver plate. The 853 was also a slightly newer incarnation of the model with more appealing hardware (most notably York-style valve caps that threaded nicer). The N-Star did have slightly better “point and shoot” upper-register intonation, but it was also cursed with a bad case of “dead low Bb” (like a the 4th valve low C on some rotor F horns, but worse IMHO). On top of that, the non-compensating low register on the Star was insanely sharp and I don’t have the brain capacity at this stage in my life to learn the dreaded 5-valve Eb “everything’s-off-by-a-half-step-now-add-a-another-button-to-mash” manual compensation fingering system. Even if I had the budget for the Miraphone, I need a horn with a relatively easy to think about and open low register... and I found that in the Eastman! (Note: this reason is ultimately why I passed on the 1291/PT-22)

Intonation:

I’ll start with this one because it’s a controversial element around this model, and arguably any new-to-market tuba. Intonation is actually quite good – better than expected, but not point and shoot like the 632 I owned before this (not like that’s a fair comparison). All notes are more than workable within normal tendencies EXCEPT the 2-3 valve combo notes, particularly B-natural… the the B above the staff is so flat, it registers as a “sharp-B-flat.” 5th partial G and Eb above the staff *might* be a tad flat, but certainly lip-able (or corrected by 1-2 in the case of the G), but these nit-picky tendencies may also be ME at this juncture in my learning the horn (this is my first bass tuba, after all).

First, I’m currently using a larger-cup mouthpiece than I should be (Parker Chris Hall Contrabass Medium and a pretty large backbore), so if I’ve not pushing steady air, all notes all over the horn can ride low (looking to source a smaller Houser cup for this horn; the Eastman also came with a Nice Shires 8 that I SHOULD try). Regarding the 3rd valve combos, Matt is doing me a solid and trimming my 3rd valve loop in a couple of weeks. To those in cue to buy: this issue is supposedly fixed with the next, and presumably final iteration, of this horn. But for what I paid, I have no complaints about accepting a simple plumbing modification as an elegant solution.

One more thing I’ll add on this topic is how nicely in tune the 1-3 combo notes are, opening up a lot of useful fingering options. Once Matt gives the 3rd circuit a little nip-tuck, I feel this horn will be able to be easily played in tune all over the register, even by a hack like me.

Sound:

I’m not a bass tuba cork-sniffer by any means, but I know what a good-sounding tuba should sound like, and this tuba sounds like one, to me. As a disclaimer: prior to this purchase, I’ve only played a B&S F tuba in college forever ago, a few Ebs in the elephant room at the army conference, and the the 2 horns I mentioned above.

That being said, I find the sounds I’m making to be addictive and enjoyable, to me. The upper range is accessible and sings, the middle register slots very well and can really cut if you want it to, and the low register blows more open than any horn I’ve ever owned. Despite being a compensating bass tuba, I feel that my low register air is being used more effectively than the 5-valve CC/BBbs I’ve owned before this. Take that for what it’s worth and know that I’m speaking in relative terms.

To my ears, the 17” bell version can get you in the pillowy “York zone” with big, soft air. You can comp a cool, vintage string bass-like tone too. You can also achieve a nice, Germanic F-tuba edge on your tone too that I think symphonic folks will enjoy. Don’t ask me to expend on any of this – we all know the perils of converting sounds to internet words. Simply put, it’s a dynamic voice that impresses my ears when I’m playing it. I’ll see what the rehearsal hall/other ears have to say about it next week.

Ergonomics:

The horn is a light, balanced, joy to play. The big valve-buttons aid the maneuverability of the the already easy to reach valves. About a half-dozen folks on FB have asked me about the valve reach. Personally, I think it’s perfect.

Tuning slides 1, 3, and 4 are all top-accessible and move freely (2 is located around the back). The 1st valve slide (which I haven’t had to touch) can be reached either under the top bow if you have short arms, but I personally would reach my long arm around the front.

Bloke: to answer the question you had in another thread, it’s super-duper-easy to reach your left arm around to manipulate the 4th valve, if that’s your cup-o-tea. The night I first had the horn, I got asked to sub in for a trad jazz rehearsal at the last second and I didn’t have time to grab my sousaphone (I was coming straight from a masterclass with Bob Stewart), so I brought this horn to read some charts I’ve never seen before. It was all walking bass stuff, written up the octave (as expected). But I wasn’t about to make an *** of myself by transposing the octave AND figuring out new fingerings… so I cheated. I reached right around and held down that 4th valve and played BBb “sousaphone.” Easy.

Ya know what? It worked in a pinch! In the “pizz bass” context, the tone and tuning were certainly “good’n’uff.” The drummer and bandleader (who are not hacks) were pleased. I’ve been practicing a lot since last Tuesday and I probably (well, hopefully) won’t need to do that ever again, but it’s a nifty hack (for hacks) that only works on a compensating horn. However, it really cool that I have a pocket “sousaphone” I can use to practice BBb stuff when I’m too lazy or it’s too late to use the real thing.

Sorry, there goes the ADD. What was I talking about again? Right, ergonomics. Oh… the horn is a super-lightweight. Matt said Eastman is using hand-hammered sheet brass for this model (perhaps Wessex is to thank for applying some competitive pressure). Note: Matt did not design this horn, he just stands behind it. Don Sawday is credited as the chief designer.

The Eastman weighs in at 16.5 lbs according to my bathroom scale. By doing this, I also found out I gained 5lbs, so thanks TubeNet!

Lastly, the horn is balanced perfectly. It doesn’t want to tip left like some big York copies. And the leadpipe is positioned thoughtfully to accommodate players of many different statures.

[...]

[Ltrain]

[2/2]

Fit and finish:

Very nice, overall with that beautiful Eastman engraving that really sets off the aesthetic. Notably, the valve caps are top notch. I’ve had annoying threading issues with every Chinese horn I’ve ever owned except this one. Caps thread quickly and accurately – the York styling also looks great!

Valves are fast and even, no complaints. I tend to be cursed by first valves that drag for no reason other than dark forces working against me (my former 632, my current sousaphone, and 1 of the 3 Wessex BBbs I’ve owned all had this issue). So far, so good. The valves just feel “new” and I’m imagining they’ll break in nicely. Something to note is the valves do not come vented. Matt, being the committed guy that he is, vented all 4 for me.

All top-access slides move freely, especially the 1st valve, which I haven’t needed to touch. However, the MTS and lower 3rd valve crooks don’t come out (or go back in) as easily as I’d like and I may ask Matt to help with some fine-fitting. Admittedly, I probably don’t need to worry about this too much – the water valves on these slides are actually positioned to work well… this is a first for me! My habit of pulling slides and dumping water is a habit I picked up from my Conn sousa and former King-like Eastman CC.

The silver plating looks stunning. It’s too early for me to gauge the durability of Eastman’s current plating techniques. However, I’ve taken the proactive approach of using a neoprene wrist guard on the bottom bow after seeing the finish on my 632 dissolve at the same spot after only a few weeks of contact.

Is the fit in finish perfect? No. There’s at least one ferrule with a sharp edge and I already mentioned my nit-picky thoughts about the bottom slide alignment (again, the issues here are incredibly mild). However, this horn retails for less than half of the price of the Besson it most closely emulates (albeit without the stuffiness or weight, and with equal or better intonation tendencies). Edit: this assertion is based purely on the anecdotal feedback of owners/former owners/prospective owners of the aforementioned tuba.

All that being said, there’s really not much to complain about. I got such a good deal on this horn (I can’t say, so don’t ask) along with the impeccable service of Matt Walters to hotrod and maintain it, I’m not going to get bent out of shape by anything that’s easily fixable. Furthermore, this instrument is proof that Eastman is pushing the bounds of what Chinese manufacturing can accomplish. By using a dedicated facility (especially one other than Jin Bao), they’re really achieving new heights in cost-sensitive, high-end manufacturing (a la Apple?).

Lastly, Eastman has really upped its accessories game. The fiberglass case it comes with is literally built like a military vehicle with “armored” wheel coverings and everything (plus casters on the bell end for vertical wheeling around). If anything, it’s overkill! This monster case is about to find a permanent home in my basement. They also include a real (Shires #8) mouthpiece and valve oil (Hetman’s #1). Neither are what I would choose based on my own preferences, but a nice touch, nonetheless.

Conclusion:

All-in-all, it’s a gorgeous, sweet-sounding, multi-purpose instrument, for me. And if you’re on a budget and want to dip your toes in the Eb world like I did, check this horn out. If you’re not of a budget, but want a 4-front-valve comp that some people say outperforms the +2X-costing Besson, check this horn out.

Frankly, I don’t buy instruments to put into specific categories like “quintet/chamber horn,” or “brass band horn,” or “experimental electro-jazz-fusion horn.” I imagine some folks here may have their own preconceived notion of which category this tuba best belongs to or what niche it could fill for their personal playing needs. For me, it’s my: “jazz / solo lit / practice / schlep-to-work-then-concert band-on-subway / interim main upright bell” horn. I own a fixed gear bike pretty much all of the same reasons: there’s an elegant simplicity when you get the hang of it, it fits my urban lifestyle, and I get 100% out of what I put into it, no less.

Being that Eastman is behind the ball in updating their website and creating any kind of extrinsic buzz about this horn, I hope this “review” is enough to at least whet some appetites for now.

If anyone is interested I can *maybe* put together a hacky demo clip or two, but I don’t want my Eb-noobness to dissuade anyone!

I’ll also circle back next week about my thoughts on the instrument after using it in its first large ensemble rehearsal on Monday (as part of a tuba section).

Now off to practice…

[Scubatuba]

Hey thanks you for your report! The Eastman may be a good tuba and a good copy of a Besson 983,congrats. You're right, not a lot of people want to spend a lot of money to "test the waters" on Eb so if it makes fiscal sense, so be it. Its unfortunate that there is little or no market for Eb's in the big picture here as most American players miss out on the opportunity to play Eb- possibly the perfect tuba. And that is why you do not see Eb's much any more. Trends being trends and tuba players being.......uh well lazy I guess....except for a few.

Matt said Eastman is using hand-hammered sheet brass for this model (perhaps Wessex is to thank for applying some competitive pressure). Note: Matt did not design this horn, he just stands behind it. Don Sawday is credited is the chief designer.[/i] Just curious, if it was hand hammered sheet metal, it would be twice the price based on production time, correct? and that would be a deciding factor in your desire to jump into an Eb, yes? What is designed different than the 983, apparently Don did something?? However, this horn retails for less than half of the price of the Besson it most closely emulates (albeit without the stuffiness or weight, and with equal or better intonation tendencies). I'm curious to as your experience playing the Besson 983. If those are negative traits, all three elements are subjective/relative due to mouthpiece, weight of prior instruments (I actually prefer the heavy English horn for sound reasons) and intonation (again mouthpiece). If you’re not of a budget, but want a 4-front-valve comp that some people say outperforms the +2X-costing Besson, check this horn out. Now we are all consumers here but that's like saying a Kia outperforms a BMW for a similar model......! For the aforementioned above, its hard to take other peoples opinions about what outperforms what and some people are always going to say something to justify their decision/purchase. But, for a guy that is a first time reviewer, you made a nice report.

[LCH3]

Ltrain, thanks so much for the review. I played a prototype in Feb ‘17 at the army conference and then further info became hard to find.

Looking forward to hearing of your continuing experiences with the Eastman Eb.

Thanks again.

[Ltrain]

Scuba - thanks for the feedback. I made some edits to help clarify my experience vs 3rd party anecdotes. As for the brass material/techniques used, Don, Matt, or someone from Eastman will have to chime in to confirm or add more information. I do not want to misinform the public.

Larry - thanks! Glad I added some value. I’ll post any relevant updates as I have them

[Three Valves]

Nice!!

The only beef I have with my own 210 based tuba is the heft.

[Scott Sutherland]

Nice review! I own the exact same model and finish. Love it!

For mouthpieces, it might have come with a Shires 8. If not, I highly recommend that piece for that horn. It's a great combo.

I had Don Sawday cut the third slide a good amount. Now I can push the slide all the way in and the top of the staff B is perfectly in tune. I highly recommend doing the same. In fact, I hear that modification might become standard for future production of this model.

I just used this horn for the high parts on Rite of Spring and it worked PERFECTLY (along with my 836 CC)! Matched the Yamaha 822F on the first part very well and when I had to bark out some low notes it got some great bite!!

[Ltrain]

Time flies when you're having fun!

I'm addicted to this this tuba. I seriously can't put it down. My wife is getting jealous.

Enjoying it in concert band as the top end of my section's low end / Enjoying it playing duets with my (one and only) student / Enjoying it playing trad jazz / In a Box; with a fox... it's just a joy to play.

Now that Im getting the hang of it, intonation is actually turning out to be quite good, verging on mostly-point-and-shoot (especially once I get the 3rd valve loop trimmed to fix the low Bs and F#s).

My new Sellmansberger Solo seems to be a great match for the horn... I can push pedal tones and hit notes above the staff with similar ease.

Life is good.

If I do ever get around to posting any clips, it will be on my instagram: @theryanhallway