TMEA Gem

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bloke
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by bloke »

I played a handmade Nirschl - after replacing its rotten mouthpipe with a shorter one, since the instrument would not previously play up to 440. It was very nice, other than sounding a little too pretty to me and a little too much the same regardless of how it was played (sort of like a euphonium or a 19-in bell compensating E-flat tuba).
The same person had a hydraulically formed one that didn't quite play as well.
Later, a friend bought a 995 and I thought less of it than of the two previously mentioned.

Matt Walters is quoted as saying that every tuba has someone's name on it.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by matt g »

Foggy memory…

I think I also played a WN 4/4 and thought it was a solid instrument. An early 995 was close, but not as good. After that, no idea.

Always felt the MW 2155 was a better option.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by bloke »

matt g wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 3:01 pm Foggy memory…

I think I also played a WN 4/4 and thought it was a solid instrument. An early 995 was close, but not as good. After that, no idea.

Always felt the MW 2155 was a better option.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by arpthark »

Does the WN 4/4 /995 / 795 feature the funky angled mouthpipe, or was that just that Brazilian Nirschl/Weril thing?
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by jtm »

I was surprised to see a booth that said something like "Brazil! The future of brass," but I didn't stop to try anything. Are there interesting South American tuba makers?
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by LeMark »

arpthark wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 5:39 pm Does the WN 4/4 /995 / 795 feature the funky angled mouthpipe, or was that just that Brazilian Nirschl/Weril thing?
Unless I'm remembering wrong, the only tuba I played with a funky lead pipe was the ursus
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by LargeTuba »

jtm wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 5:48 pm I was surprised to see a booth that said something like "Brazil! The future of brass," but I didn't stop to try anything. Are there interesting South American tuba makers?
Yeah, there’s some cool stuff coming from Brazil. There’s a 4/4 Nirschl-copy tuba. A 6/4 Eb is slated to be produced soon that looks cool (no idea on how it plays).

There’s also a 3/4 CC, BBb, Eb, and F. Copied from one of the those small Yamaha tubas. I’ve also heard a lot of the DCI people are super excited about a lightweight contra.

Also, there’s a lot of really fantastic frankentubas coming outta Brazil.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Mary Ann »

If they want to copy those 3/4 Yamaha tubas, it would be nice if they figure out how to do the valves so that wrists are not broken trying to play them.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Mark »

Mary Ann wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:13 pm If they want to copy those 3/4 Yamaha tubas, it would be nice if they figure out how to do the valves so that wrists are not broken trying to play them.
Amen!
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Grumpikins »

Whats the name of this brazilian manufacturer?

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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by bloke »

Mr Weingrill sold Weril to somebody.

I may or may not have spelled his name correctly.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by arpthark »

warning: thread derailment

===
The progression of the Brazilian tuba manufacturing scene is a little hazy to me.

There was Weril, which seemed to peak in the early 2000s as a budget-yet-decent import brand.

Then Walter Nirschl sold some tooling to Weril (??), and there popped up the "W. Nirschl" brand made in Brazil, and the "Meister Walter Nirschl" stuff that was still handmade in Germany.

And somehow Gemeinhardt/Gemstone got involved, and Dick Barth started up BMB using some of the same tooling (??) in China (??)

And now you see "Weingrill-Nirschl" stuff made in Brazil that still seems fairly budget-priced, and a lot of Weril stuff now looks like it is also made in China.

Can someone correct me?
===

Sorry to derail the thread. I'd like to try out the B&S 795 at some point. It's interesting to see an after-the-main-tuning slide rotor on a 4/4 sized CC. I think, besides the 795 and the tubas that it copies, that only the Eastman 632, 832 and the Conn 50J series have that feature.
Last edited by arpthark on Wed Feb 15, 2023 8:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Sousaswag »

There's a bunch of interesting stuff on Instagram detailing those Brazilian tubas. I remember from what I listened to on those accounts when they were demonstrating the horns is that pitch seemed questionable. Could just be the player too. I'll look for the account later. I believe that's where the 6/4 Eb is.

B&S 795: I'd like to play one. I really like the Nirschl 4/4. When Besson copied it, they monkeyed with the leadpipe and that sharp angle was not on the Nirschl tubas. Probably had to find some way to differentiate the two. I don't know of that many people playing on the 995.

They say that they used all new tooling, yes? I'm not sure how much I believe that. It looks to be the EXACT same tuba as the 995 that seemed to never sell well. (Too expensive for what it was?) :smilie2:

Prices on their new stuff from Germany is already lower, and as we mentioned in another thread, for $8,XXX, there's a LOT of options, especially here. I can't imagine I'd choose this one over something that's used in good shape. YMMV.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Sousaswag »

There's a bunch of interesting stuff on Instagram detailing those Brazilian tubas. I remember from what I listened to on those accounts when they were demonstrating the horns is that pitch seemed questionable. Could just be the player too. I'll look for the account later. I believe that's where the 6/4 Eb is.

B&S 795: I'd like to play one. I really like the Nirschl 4/4. When Besson copied it, they monkeyed with the leadpipe and that sharp angle was not on the Nirschl tubas. Probably had to find some way to differentiate the two. I don't know of that many people playing on the 995.

They say that they used all new tooling, yes? I'm not sure how much I believe that. It looks to be the EXACT same tuba as the 995 that seemed to never sell well. (Too expensive for what it was?) :smilie2:

Prices on their new stuff from Germany is already lower, and as we mentioned in another thread, for $8,XXX, there's a LOT of options, especially here. I can't imagine I'd choose this one over something that's used in good shape. YMMV.

Here’s a link:

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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Mary Ann »

Mark wrote: Tue Feb 14, 2023 8:28 pm
Mary Ann wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:13 pm If they want to copy those 3/4 Yamaha tubas, it would be nice if they figure out how to do the valves so that wrists are not broken trying to play them.
Amen!
If you just go look at pictures of various front piston tubas, it becomes really obvious which ones are the "wrist breakers." The Yamahas have the pistons in a curve with the pinky piston much closer to the left of the picture (tuba sitting on bell,) while others are curved so that the pinky piston is closer to the right of the picture. So you can tell just by looking (or I can anyway) whether you are going to get into Wrist Bending Hell trying to play one of those.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by MikeMason »

I’ve had a yam 621f for 5 years or so. No wrist problems. I immediately took the thumb ring off. I just let my hand float to a natural position and move the tuba around to accommodate. Works for me.
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Re: TMEA Gem

Post by Mark »

Mary Ann wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 9:19 am
Mark wrote: Tue Feb 14, 2023 8:28 pm
Mary Ann wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:13 pm If they want to copy those 3/4 Yamaha tubas, it would be nice if they figure out how to do the valves so that wrists are not broken trying to play them.
Amen!
If you just go look at pictures of various front piston tubas, it becomes really obvious which ones are the "wrist breakers." The Yamahas have the pistons in a curve with the pinky piston much closer to the left of the picture (tuba sitting on bell,) while others are curved so that the pinky piston is closer to the right of the picture. So you can tell just by looking (or I can anyway) whether you are going to get into Wrist Bending Hell trying to play one of those.
Exactly. I suspect you have small hands and I have very large hands. The Yamaha design doesn't work for either.
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