I can't tell from the website ( http://www.hornboerse.de/lshop,showrub, ... ni,,,,.htm ) how they can make the same small horn in BBb OR F - maybe Bb or F (like a 4 valve Bb Euphonium can play somewhat the same range as a 3 valve F Tuba?)
Seems like a BBb would have a lot more pipe to fold into that small package!
Another TubeNetter found out about the Tornistertuba project initiated by Bob Tucci. I sadly don’t remember who, as I have a huge problems with remembering names, but not persons.
The F and BBb tubas are variations on the same frame kind of like the Yamaha 621 basses. Both pitches apparently also may be had with four valves and the F tuba furthermore may be had with a trigger. But as I have read about the project no samples but for the 3 rotor BBb has been made yet.
I would want to try these Tornistertuben, but I see no real relation between the price level and their playing potentials.
They are both 15mm bore and both about the same height. Just the bell smaller on the M-W at 220mm against 240mm. But with the detachable bell, the M-W travel tuba would be easier to transport.
While it's certainly true that the position of the bell to one's own ears makes a big difference how the horn sounds to the player.... isn't what's really important is how the horn sounds to others? I've always thought the true test to be a recording of different horns in the same environment to be most useful tool in determining just how a horn sounds.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
TubaTinker wrote:While it's certainly true that the position of the bell to one's own ears makes a big difference how the horn sounds to the player.... isn't what's really important is how the horn sounds to others?
Of course, but the OP is in an unusual position with respect to how the horn sounds to the player.
I know from my own more usual case, that how the horn sounds to me becomes much more important than you might think, when I can't hear myself at all for some reason, like a loud band in a live hall or something. At that point I'm down to mechanical playing - sequence of fingerings as I remember them - and that's really not how I play, I need ear feedback or it just falls apart. It's also hard to gauge how loud you need to be to balance the rest of the ensemble. I guess this accounts for bands where, as you walk towards them, you can hear the sousaphone a block before everyone else.
If you have some time and money, Matt Walters could probably turn one of those old Eb's into a solid BBb. The result would be similar to the new King 2341. If I were to buy a 2341 (new or used), I'd probably buy it through Dillon's and have him go over it extensively.
Re travel tubas -- didn't the original poster ask for a 4/4 or 5/4 sized instrument, which would leave out the travel instruments? Otherwise I would have posted a DEG Caravelle.
I was neither offended nor being polite. The suggestions that I had read were ones that I had not considered. The travel tubas WAS just a side trip and it was a well-intended one, at that.
As to the short stack playing in the ear of anyone to my left; in our wind ensemble, I am always on the far right (stage left) end of the back row. That, in itself, is strange to me is that I had always been used to sitting dead center, back row with any and all other tubas to my left. Our back row is (L - R) Trumpets, horns, trombones, euphs and me.
If you want a cheap shortstack BBb I have a early Couesnon that is about the same size as a new 2341. It has three upright valves and for the money would at least give you an idea of what it would do for you....
The Couesnon would be a consideration, if you could deal with three valves. If I remember correctly, the bore is a little smaller, so it is a little lighter weight as well, and has good overtone development, which is also an aid to a player being able to hear oneself better.
