Holton BBb

[sugawi]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 4011518331

What model is this?

[roweenie]

Looks like a Couesnon stencil.

[edsel585960]

Yep, Couesnon origin for sure. Still appears to be in good cosmetic shape. Most of these I find are beat to $#!*

[pbone3b]

I just bought this.
The listing said Bb, but it is, in fact, an Eb, but I've decided to take it anyway. I'm a trombonist who is fairly proficient on Euphonium, looking for my first tuba.
Mistake?

[pbone3b]

Thanks!

[Donn]

Mistake?

You never know, but at worst it isn't a super expensive mistake. If you're implying it's Eb, I think you're right there. If you get serious about playing Eb, I expect you'd eventually want something with more valves, but (as you probably already know) you'll be able to play the missing notes as if you had another register down there - so Ab below the conventional range is "open", G is 2nd valve etc. They just won't have as nice a tonal focus as the real thing.

[pbone3b]

... but (as you probably already know) you'll be able to play the missing notes as if you had another register down there - so Ab below the conventional range is "open", G is 2nd valve etc. They just won't have as nice a tonal focus as the real thing.

It's been almost 2 months, but I finally found that Low Ab partial you were referring to!
Thanks Again!

[Donn]

I think the acoustic explanation is a mystery, but that range is well known in the tuba scene as "false tones." I understand that some players can get a similar anomalous low register on the trombone - but not in the same place! That is, it doesn't come out a fourth above the pedal octave, but some other interval that I misremember. I couldn't find any such thing, myself.

[Kirley]

I think the acoustic explanation is a mystery, but that range is well known in the tuba scene as "false tones." I understand that some players can get a similar anomalous low register on the trombone - but not in the same place! That is, it doesn't come out a fourth above the pedal octave, but some other interval that I misremember. I couldn't find any such thing, myself.

On trombone, I just imagined that I was using a trigger (4th valve in tuba speak) and used those same positions. Low Eb = b3rd, etc.

The trombone false tones are definitely less solid than the tuba ones, IMO. And, at least for me, the sousaphone false tones are more solid than lap tuba false tones. I’m sure certain horns/tapers lend themselves to false tones better than others. And I’m just as sure that the TNFJ has lots of opinions on that!

[toobagrowl]

And, at least for me, the sousaphone false tones are more solid than lap tuba false tones.

Many sousa/tuba players will say the same thing. The typical BBb sousaphone usually has excellent false tones - especially with the right mpc