...but if you try to argue with me, it's like jumping into a pig pen and wrestling the pig. The more you do it, the more the pig likes it."


Huh, you don't say.

WELL good sir, or, as you prefer to be addressed as Bloke, you better own and keep it. Thankfully, you said the "vintage" ones. I'll ...

Had a colossal brain fart, I have now read your post extra carefully.

Warren Kus is a fantastic person reach out too, assuming Buffet-Crampon (MW/Besson/B&S) is willing to make and send vented valves from factory.

BUT

Baltimore Brass as of March 31, 2026 is an extension of the Buffet Tuba ...

Since your list consists of 4/4 Rotary BBb's, I'd include the Lidl 4/4 BBb's. I personally quite like the LBB 884-4R – Moldau de Luxe. I think it's pretty too. Although, not sure how many used examples would be easily found since they are pretty new ish into the market.

https://www.josef-lidl.cz ...

je wrote: Fri Mar 27, 2026 11:43 am ...
On a whim I tried the Eastman EBE853. To my surprise, I didn't like it, due to what might be characterized as a pinched sound...

I can see (well hear) that. Thank you for the post and some of the fun facts regarding the Eastman EBF862 F tuba.

anadmai wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 9:44 pm ...
No. Don’t tell me an alternative solution. I’m trying to get this to work.

...I was thinking you could get another 3+1 Eb with the lower Fletcher style lead pipe... Maybe name it Winnefred (Winifred)?... Could be a cool addition to the family...

Sousaswag wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2026 10:52 am MSRP on the bell is $3995.

Wow!

Wel,l had I not been involved with the George Mason Tuba Euphonium Ensemble, I probably wouldn't have gone to any of the Conferences. Nothing against them of course.

I will say all of the night time concerts and Seraph Brass were great at NERTEC 2026! I'd assume they performances at the other ...

Remember when I said I probably wouldn't get a 6450 bell to complete this tuba's transformation into a 6450?

Well... :laugh:

...


😆

Once you've received the bell, would you be willing to share how much it costed? Since you've shared how much the other parts have costed you so far. If you ...

I purchased my 4097 (pt20) rotary CC version in 2023 and received it in 2024.



When I was in highschool, I wanted a bigger mouthpiece than the Bach 22 that I had. I used a PT 48 mouthpiece for everything except marching band at the time. I did play on a VMI 3301 throughout highschool.

SHORT ...

arpthark wrote: Fri Mar 06, 2026 10:48 pm ...

I was thinking of going on Sunday. What other horns/vendors are there? I'm in the market for a large-ish CC.

Note, there will not be exhibits/horns to try on Sunday.

Eastman NERTEC 2026

Willson 3100 TA-4-0 BBb

Eastman 825 BBb

Eastman 853 Eb

Eastman 834 CC

Eastman 534 BBb

Willson 3400 TA-4-0 Eb

Eastman 862 F

Eastman 865 F

Willson 3400 FA5 Eb

Eastman 622 BBb

Eastman 836 6/4 CC

Baltimore Brass - NERTEC 2026:

Piston Rudy meinl cc

B&s 3098 CC (pt6)

B&S Mr. P piston CC

Adams 4/4 CC

Meinl Weston 5450 Thor CC

Willson Merlin CC

Meinl Weston 2011FA piston

B& gr51 BBb

Rudy meinl piston BBb

Meinl Weston 195 piston BBb

Willson 3400 Eb

B&S 3099 F

Meinl Weston 4460 F ...

Eastman, Baltimore Brass, and The Brass-Stop.

The Brass stop brought the Adams 4/4 BBb, 4/4 CC, and the 6/4 CC.

Eastman had a lot of horns. I recognized the tall Willson Eb's (Front action and top action), Eastman EBE 853 and the Willson 3100 BBb TA-0.

Baltimore Brass brought the Rudy CC and BBb ...

I am currently at NERTEC 2026, hosted by Boston University!

Special shout-out to the George Mason University Booth too :care: ...


I did super duper briefly try the Eastman EBB 622 and revisit the EBB 534.

Sadly, despite being there, didn't have time to spend actual time with the horns.

I will ...

At the present they are much closer in price.

Although, when the King and Eastman had a larger price gap in the past, the King was more affordable too, technically.

I thought that horn looks like a pt-3. Since it's a 3/4 CC, Considering the pt-3 used parts from a F tuba, like the bell.

Plus, that one looks old enough where it might have existed before the more tightly wrapped pt-4 . Ie the shorter more piggy like tuba styling, and not like the tall "Symphony ...

...

I also have an EBB622 coming that I may have the chance to compare directly to a EBB534 in a controlled environment.
If people are interested in a comparison between any of these, I may be able to convince our marketing guys to shoot something.


If it's not to much work I'd be interested ...

Unless I am mistaken, Baltimore Brass brought a MW 97/2 not a 197. The 97 has a semi circle shaped leadpipe. The 197 does not. If there was a 197 at the Workshop, cool.

Meinl Weston 97/2 - A 4/4 Tuba
https://www.thomannmusic.com/melton_97_2_bb_tuba.htm

Meinl Weston 197/2 - A 5/4 Tuba
https://www ...

There's a model or a series of models that comes to mind that are built in C and are also built in Germany.

All the Cs line up pretty well, but the Gs and the E are quite flat to the Cs... Then what happens when you start adding cylindrical tubing?

I've noticed that mostly students own those ...

Time for the long list

My actual favorite tuba at the workshop and, in my opinion, the best horn (I think there was 4 of them!)

Miraphone 494 Hagen 3/4 BBb: Miraphone this one of the finest instruments ever conceived! This model is absolutely nuts, bonkers, no amount of praise can ever be enough ...