Comfort vs Joy

[martyneilan]

No, it is in the shop waiting to have some of the smaller dents removed. It does many things very well, but it is not an obscenely light 6/4. It does have that vintage MW Bill Bell sound just in a slightly larger package (before the bell taper) which is its own source of joy.

[MN_TimTuba]

My brain has been composing a far-too-lengthy post, but the abridged version says:
For me - Joy = the old Holton 345. I just love the sound that comes out of that horn, no matter the type of music, no matter who plays it. There are times during concerts or rehearsals when I just want to chuckle, the sound makes me that happy, and that's a major reason I've kept it for 3 decades. It sounds like what my brain says a tuba should sound like. And, once it's in my lap, there is no issue with comfort. I don't even mind standing with this one for a few songs. It clicks in my mind as "just right".
For me - Comfort = the King 2341. This horn supplies about 90% of what I like about the Holton sound, but it's about 50% as difficult to cart around. It's probably the horn I should have all the time. It fits in my lap like a shrunk-down 345, and it feels like a toy when I stand with it, tho' it's not a tiny tuba. There's just that much difference between the 2341 that I played for about a year, and my 345 that I've had since my kids were in elementary school.
I don't have the broad experience with a multitude of tubas that many of you do, having spent significant time (as opposed to just fooling around) on maybe 15 different tubas of varying sizes, makes, valve types, etc., but the 2341 and 345 - to me - define comfort and joy.
Tim

[Dan Tuba]

Comfort for me = Besson 980/982 EEb
Why? Easy to play just about anything, sound halfway decent, good intonation with minimal effort/preparation

Joy for me = Conn 2XJ tuba
Why? I absolutely love the sound! Easy enough to keep between the ditches intonation wise, and requires minimal effort/preparation to put a solid foundation under a large wind/symphonic band