“Swiss Army Knife” tuba

[jtm]

Whew! Balance is restored.

[Rick Denney]

A 186 was that instrument for me. I think my current Eastman EBB534 (King 2341 clone) could also be that.

And there wasn’t much I couldn’t play on my B&S F tuba before tremor issues.

As to what the most illustrious tuba players in history could do, that isn’t really meaningful to me. I’ve played the tuba for 50 years—some things may get better but most things are getting worse, and advice that amounts to “just be better on the same little tuba Harvey Philips could make work” isn’t always efficacious. A do-all tuba has to make things easy, including balancing a too-loud community band.

Rick “who can’t make a big enough sound for band in a dead hall using a really small tuba” Denney

[bloke]

I understand the expression and the intended meaning, but the analogy would seem to suggest something which doesn’t exist, which is some instrument which can be morphed into make-do versions of all sorts of (actual) different types of tubas.

I could imagine myself using a tuba as a can opener, as an example… and could even imagine using a can opener on a tuba.

[Bob Kolada]

A full-size, front valve Eb. It doesn't hurt that the only practical playing opportunities I have are a brass band and maybe a municipal band. I really like my 'medium' H.N. White King Eb, if it didn't have that wide octave I'd be happy with that. Big sound for a small horn, lots of guts, strong low Bb and A. I wonder if it can be worked on...

I like the MWs but they both were uncomfortable for me, I also found them a touch dark. I played a Miraphone 1281 F for everything my last year or two in the Army- concert band, quintet, strolling jazz and low range 'gimme a third lung please' funk tunes. The one we got didn't have as good of a low register as the conference horn that won me over. Strong low C and pretty meh below that. I have the impression it was built to have a good low C to impress people and they stopped caring below that.

I really liked the St. Pete I played years ago, very even sound throughout the range, played like a piston horn, great low range. I've read that they are inconsistent but I liked that one better than any of the Miraphone Stars I played. I too find the Willson 3400 to be rather distant but the small Eb is a blast to play. I saw Marty play an Eb scale on the full size without using any valves. I wanted to like the big Kanstul Eb but it played like a vintage Eb in the wrong way. That small F was a kicker though.

[cjk]

I understand the expression and the intended meaning, but the analogy would seem to suggest something which doesn’t exist, which is some instrument which can be morphed into make-do versions of all sorts of (actual) different types of tubas.
....

Besson 981 or some similar reasonably large belled 3+1 E flat can do pretty much anything. Yamaha 631 or 632, Miraphone makes some of these, JP evidently makes a couple great ones too.

otherwise:
Meinl-Weston 2155 (the piston one, not the earlier rotor one)
Meinl-Weston 2145
Conn 52j/54j/56j
Getzen G50 / Canadian Brass CB50
The smaller Eastman CC
Miraphone 186/188


The best "do everything" tuba is probably the one that you've got.

[bloke]

I understand the expression and the intended meaning, but the analogy would seem to suggest something which doesn’t exist, which is some instrument which can be morphed into make-do versions of all sorts of (actual) different types of tubas.
....

Besson 981 or some similar reasonably large belled 3+1 E flat can do pretty much anything. Yamaha 631 or 632, Miraphone makes some of these, JP evidently makes a couple great ones too.

otherwise:
Meinl-Weston 2155 (the piston one, not the earlier rotor one)
Meinl-Weston 2145
Conn 52j/54j/56j
Getzen G50 / Canadian Brass CB50
The smaller Eastman CC
Miraphone 186/188


The best "do everything" tuba is probably the one that you've got.

As I've attempted - by owning several - to possess specifically-purposed instruments, selling those that didn't seem to be quite perfect (for their SPECIFIC jobs) and replacing them with others - over the years - as logically predictable, I really have no use for any of those on your list.

As one thing that I've discovered for myself (against a narrative) -
Many people seem to think that a 3/4 C or 4/4 C supplements a "big C", but - rather than that - I've found that a 31/32nds B-flat is a better "in the cracks" instrument to articulate with those specific types of situations. ...Some people even told me that - if I didn't install a proportionally-traditional 5th valve circuit - it would prove to be too confusing.



All of that having been said, I've used the instrument (pictured just above) to play Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra", a pops concert or two, and several generic quintet jobs...but it wouldn't be my first choice for something like "Carmina Burana" (endless earth-moving simple bass lines), various gymnastic quintet pieces (often: composed with bass trombone or French tuba in mind), or MOST pops concerts (where the F cimbasso shines). I COULD (obviously) play those pieces with that instrument (so "Swiss army knife"...??), but playing such pieces wouldn't be nearly as much fun...

...I can use an 8" Crescent wrench to do quite a few things, but it's sure EASIER to use other - more well-suited - tools to do MOST things.

[cjk]

As I've attempted - by owning several - to possess specifically-purposed instruments, selling those that didn't seem to be quite perfect (for their SPECIFIC jobs) and replacing them with others - over the years - as logically predictable, I really have no use for any of those on your list.

Did you get rid of your jazz playing 3+1 E flat Besson? kinda/sorta on my list.

[cjk]

I understand the expression and the intended meaning, but the analogy would seem to suggest something which doesn’t exist, which is some instrument which can be morphed into make-do versions of all sorts of (actual) different types of tubas.

I could imagine myself using a tuba as a can opener, as an example… and could even imagine using a can opener on a tuba.

I'm curious why you picked that particular picture.

[bloke]

Even if someone (most anyone) had one with a recording bell, they wouldn't show up with it to play just anywhere.
I doubt if they would use it to play Shostakovitch V or to play a David Sampson brass quintet.
=======================
transformer/decepticon

[greenbean]

If I were Swiss... I would probably be PO-ed that some company outside the country is attempting to make a Swiss Army Knife tuba...

[hrender]

A "one ring to rule them all" tuba is a nice idea, but if you're looking at a tuba like a tool, then very few tools are truly universal. Generally, the more things a tool (or person) does, the less well it does any one of them.

[iiipopes]

My new Jupiter JTU1110 might be a tad on the heavy tone side for ensemble, so it would be my Bessophone - 186 body with Besson bell. Why? Because I have played it in all applications and it responded as it should. Oh - BTW - it is for sale. See the for sale forum.

[spirtuba]

Well, a swiss army knife is not a universal tool, it can do the things it's intended to do, but most of them not very well. The normal swiss army knife is a bad tin opener, a not very good corkskrew, not a very good knife either. Maybe the toothpick is ok. I know what the expression means, but in reality a swiss army tuba would be a tuba that you can use for everything but it's not perfect for anything (as I heard, the old swiss army tubas came very close to this definition).

So, I don't think there is a tuba that would fit that definition, can do anything but everything just average (at least that sums up swiss mentality quite well)...

[gwwilk]

Nobody asked me, but I'm going to chime in anyway.

The key, ineluctable ingredient to any tuba being a "Swiss Army Knife" tuba is, and always has been, the player.

[cjk]

Well, a swiss army knife is not a universal tool, it can do the things it's intended to do, but most of them not very well. The normal swiss army knife is a bad tin opener, a not very good corkskrew, not a very good knife either. Maybe the toothpick is ok. I know what the expression means, but in reality a swiss army tuba would be a tuba that you can use for everything but it's not perfect for anything (as I heard, the old swiss army tubas came very close to this definition).

So, I don't think there is a tuba that would fit that definition, can do anything but everything just average (at least that sums up swiss mentality quite well)...

exactly this. A Swiss army knife is not the perfect tool for anything, but a "sorta OK" tool for a lot of things.