“Swiss Army Knife” tuba
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“Swiss Army Knife” tuba
I have a purely hypothetical question. Let’s say you could choose any tuba, but it has to be your only horn. It has to serve at least adequately (and hopefully even better) in any situation that is required of it- orchestra, band, ensemble, solo, etc. What would you choose, and why?
Let’s make it even more fun with choices in both “money is no object” and “ I’m on a budget” categories.
Let’s make it even more fun with choices in both “money is no object” and “ I’m on a budget” categories.
King 2341 “new style”
Kanstul 902-3B
Conn Helleberg Standard 120
Kanstul 902-3B
Conn Helleberg Standard 120
Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
Rudy 3/4 c or miraphone 186. Budget- Mack miraclone
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- the elephant (Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:14 am)
Yamaha 621 w/16’’ bell w/Laskey 32h
Eastman 825vg b flat w/ Laskey 32b
F Schmidt (b&s) euphonium-for sale
Pensacola symphony principal tuba
Eastman 825vg b flat w/ Laskey 32b
F Schmidt (b&s) euphonium-for sale
Pensacola symphony principal tuba
- MN_TimTuba
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
For what I do - community bands, infrequent orchestra, plenty of church solos, Dixieland, pit orchestras - my King 2341-5 does it all well. The intonation is as good as my Miraphone was, and the Lee Stofer special touches make it almost play itself. It's both big enough and small enough. I'm pleased.
Still miss my Holton, though! Probably always will.
Budget horn? Old style 2341 with both bells.
Money no object? Probably gold brass Miraphone 1291-5 BBb with a trip to Joe or Lee for lapping, smoothing, and tweaking. Lee is half the distance, but Joe has a fish pond, hmm.
Tim
Still miss my Holton, though! Probably always will.
Budget horn? Old style 2341 with both bells.
Money no object? Probably gold brass Miraphone 1291-5 BBb with a trip to Joe or Lee for lapping, smoothing, and tweaking. Lee is half the distance, but Joe has a fish pond, hmm.
Tim
MN_Tim
Lee Stofer Custom 2341-5
Miraphone 83 Eb
Miraphone 191-5 (formerly)
Holton BBb345 (formerly and fondly)
Lee Stofer Custom 2341-5
Miraphone 83 Eb
Miraphone 191-5 (formerly)
Holton BBb345 (formerly and fondly)
Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
My F tuba. Willson 3200 FA-5. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the MRP-C I own. But, my F tuba has these qualities that make it just a perfect horn.
It’s smaller, and easier to handle. It’s perfect for teaching as the MRP is just so big. I love teaching lessons with this tuba.
Agility. Say what you will, but I think F is just easier to play. Getting around the horn in all registers, jumping around, it’s just got more natural agility being that it’s much shorter.
For the things I do, I don’t necessarily *need* a C tuba, but I’m glad I have it. I don’t want to be in a situation of only being able to have one. It’s got THAT sound. I love it.
The F is a great tuba to bring to small gigs, quintet, teaching, and those things where I’m not sure what to bring. It’s good enough that I feel confident covering whatever I need to on it.
It’s smaller, and easier to handle. It’s perfect for teaching as the MRP is just so big. I love teaching lessons with this tuba.
Agility. Say what you will, but I think F is just easier to play. Getting around the horn in all registers, jumping around, it’s just got more natural agility being that it’s much shorter.
For the things I do, I don’t necessarily *need* a C tuba, but I’m glad I have it. I don’t want to be in a situation of only being able to have one. It’s got THAT sound. I love it.
The F is a great tuba to bring to small gigs, quintet, teaching, and those things where I’m not sure what to bring. It’s good enough that I feel confident covering whatever I need to on it.
Meinl Weston 2165
B&M CC
Willson 3200RZ-5
Holton 340
Holton 350
Pan-American Eb
King Medium Eb
B&M CC
Willson 3200RZ-5
Holton 340
Holton 350
Pan-American Eb
King Medium Eb
- matt g
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
The 4/4 horn in my signature is pretty darn close.
The Eastman horn based on its design is a decent budget option.
If I were working with a really tight budget, I’d probably hunt for a decent 2/3J.
The Eastman horn based on its design is a decent budget option.
If I were working with a really tight budget, I’d probably hunt for a decent 2/3J.
Dillon/Walters CC (sold)
Meinl-Weston 2165 (sold)
Meinl-Weston 2165 (sold)
- russiantuba
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
Kalison Daryl Smith
Conn 54J
If I wanted something a hair larger, maybe a Gronitz PCM. I like my 1291CC, as I can do everything with it, but I prefer something a hair smaller for the solos I do on F tuba.
Conn 54J
If I wanted something a hair larger, maybe a Gronitz PCM. I like my 1291CC, as I can do everything with it, but I prefer something a hair smaller for the solos I do on F tuba.
Dr. James M. Green
Lecturer in Music--Ohio Northern University
Adjunct Professor of Music--Ohio Christian University
Gronitz PF 125
Miraphone 1291CC
Miraphone Performing Artist
www.russiantuba.com
Lecturer in Music--Ohio Northern University
Adjunct Professor of Music--Ohio Christian University
Gronitz PF 125
Miraphone 1291CC
Miraphone Performing Artist
www.russiantuba.com
- the elephant
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- jtm
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
Here I am trying to ignore that nice 60s Bloke-certified CC 186 in the sale listings and you had to go and say that.the elephant wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 10:06 pm My current 186 CC, and if I could not have that then a 1980s-era 188.
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- the elephant (Mon Jun 20, 2022 6:51 am)
John Morris
This practicing trick actually seems to be working!
playing some old German rotary tubas for free
This practicing trick actually seems to be working!
playing some old German rotary tubas for free
Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
MW3250 (CC) might make you happy!!
Flexibility is great: helps a lot in smaller settings and for solo.
Sound is large enough for bigger ensemble (larger than you would expect, given the compact size), excellent projection.
No "tuning problems" of any significance.
Hubert
Flexibility is great: helps a lot in smaller settings and for solo.
Sound is large enough for bigger ensemble (larger than you would expect, given the compact size), excellent projection.
No "tuning problems" of any significance.
Hubert
- kingrob76
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
The answer is a 188, most preferably from the 1980's. I know many may lean towards a 186 but I feel like it's easier for me to make a slightly larger horn play smaller than a smaller horn play slightly larger. If you're going to own one horn AND need to cover almost anything, this is my choice.
That being said - I can think of at least 10 models of interest I would be content with for this kind of role. It's really a "what floats your boat" question.
That being said - I can think of at least 10 models of interest I would be content with for this kind of role. It's really a "what floats your boat" question.
Rob. Just Rob.
Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
I'm sort of in the opposite boat. I'd rather have the innate responsiveness/flexibility of a smaller horn and then work to make it play larger. This is coupled with my personal bias that above a certain volume, no one will hear the tuba in the ensemble anyway. So I would go with a large F tuba or a 3/4 CC tuba - Works great for solos and small ensembles. I can make it play big enough to be credible in large ensembles. And if I'm in a band, there will be other players (in my version of this hypothetical), so if my horn is a big light, I'll get a boost. I'd favor a CC or an F for low register fingering ease.
I've yet to play a more versatile horn than my 184. Even before I had it, my go-to was my (admittedly tiny) MW182 F. And it worked in a surprising number of settings.
- Doc
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
jtm wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 10:33 pmHere I am trying to ignore that nice 60s Bloke-certified CC 186 in the sale listings and you had to go and say that.the elephant wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 10:06 pm My current 186 CC, and if I could not have that then a 1980s-era 188.
Let me help you with that:
186
186
186
186
186
186
186
186
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- Nworbekim (Mon Jun 20, 2022 3:02 pm) • the elephant (Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:17 am) • Tuba1153 (Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:04 am)
Welcome to Browntown!
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Home of the Brown Note!
- Doc
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
If you're asking me my personal choice, it might be might vintage 186 CC. Or possibly a Rudy 3/4 or a compensating Eb.
If you asking about a general recommendation for a rubber stamp/do-it-all/great intonation/great sound/great craftsmanship/great horn-to-horn consistency/not mouthpiece sensitive/fits-in-anywhere/have to buy it sight-unseen tuba, my recommendation has been, still is, and will likely be for the foreseeable future:
Miraphone 186 BBb
Followed closely by a Miraphone 188 CC. A King 2341 BBb is not far from the mark.
186
13
hut hut!
If you asking about a general recommendation for a rubber stamp/do-it-all/great intonation/great sound/great craftsmanship/great horn-to-horn consistency/not mouthpiece sensitive/fits-in-anywhere/have to buy it sight-unseen tuba, my recommendation has been, still is, and will likely be for the foreseeable future:
Miraphone 186 BBb
Followed closely by a Miraphone 188 CC. A King 2341 BBb is not far from the mark.
186
13
hut hut!
Welcome to Browntown!
Home of the Brown Note!
Home of the Brown Note!
- bort2.0
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
Miraphone 188 is an obvious answer for me, too. I've never felt that it was perfect for anything. But it's really good at everything. And doesn't that just about sum up a Swiss Army Knife!
I think the 188 is PERFECT for ME in an orchestra. Like perfect perfect. I think it's underpowered in a large band. And too much for a quintet. And alright for solos I guess, but that's the least of my concerns. I sold my 188 because I was no longer playing in an orchestra. And now, that's all I'm doing.
I think a large Eb would work pretty well for all this. I didn't keep my Besson 983 long enough to find out, but believe that it could have done just about anything without much trouble. Well, some weird (to me) fingering patterns for extended down-low playing, but the sound was no issue.
I think the 188 is PERFECT for ME in an orchestra. Like perfect perfect. I think it's underpowered in a large band. And too much for a quintet. And alright for solos I guess, but that's the least of my concerns. I sold my 188 because I was no longer playing in an orchestra. And now, that's all I'm doing.
I think a large Eb would work pretty well for all this. I didn't keep my Besson 983 long enough to find out, but believe that it could have done just about anything without much trouble. Well, some weird (to me) fingering patterns for extended down-low playing, but the sound was no issue.
Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
The recording in the media section on here of Harvey with the Gil Evans band is a pretty good case for a 2 or 3J. He did almost everything on his Conn that they are based on at the highest level, in my opinion.Here in Central Florida, Dave Gannett and Jay Mueller played those Conns as their only horns in every concievable situation and they made more money at it than anyone else down here. And there were plenty of really good players schlepping multiple horns to their jobs. Just a thought. Ed
- Nworbekim
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
i don't get to play that much out here in the boonies, but i believe i could comfortably "make do" with either the 186 or the 2341... i prefer rotors so my first choice would be the 186 but i'd be comfortable either way. the 2145 is growing on me but i'm NOT comfortable with a CC at this point. i should say not VERY COMPETENT with a CC at this point, so i wouldn't be CONFIDENT.
Miraphone 186 - King 2341 - JP179B - York & sons 1910 Eb - Meinl Weston 2145 - Wessex Festivo - King 2280
Play it with emotion and play it strong! Don't make a face and they won't know it's wrong!
Play it with emotion and play it strong! Don't make a face and they won't know it's wrong!
- jtm
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
You're not helping.Doc wrote: ↑Mon Jun 20, 2022 12:52 pmjtm wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 10:33 pmHere I am trying to ignore that nice 60s Bloke-certified CC 186 in the sale listings and you had to go and say that.the elephant wrote: ↑Sun Jun 19, 2022 10:06 pm My current 186 CC, and if I could not have that then a 1980s-era 188.
Let me help you with that:
186
186
186
186
186
186
186
186
John Morris
This practicing trick actually seems to be working!
playing some old German rotary tubas for free
This practicing trick actually seems to be working!
playing some old German rotary tubas for free
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Re: “Swiss Army Knife” tuba
The MW 2040/5 Eb tuba is my "Swiss Army Knife" tuba. It'll will always be my first choice for anything, band, orchestra, jazz. Quite often I choose to play Eb tuba in orchestras instead of the big CC, I like the way it blends with the trombones and trumpets. In both orchestras I play, nobody ever notices which tuba I have with me (as long as it's a reasonable choice), so it's completely up to me what to bring. A 4/4 CC tuba could be a do-it-all tuba too, I used to use a pt20 for about the same things.
spirtuba
MW 2040/5, 2141
B&S pt20, pt6
MW 2040/5, 2141
B&S pt20, pt6