Tornister tuba BBb

[MichalStefek]

Hello I want to buy tornister tuba in BBb. I want to use it in small dixi trio. Tuba, guitar, clarinet. I'm looking more for the old one cerveny, stowasser...then the wessex. Is here somebody with some information about it?

Recently I have borrowed old Stowasser and this small one plays amazingly good. I also tried the one old lidl and I have to say it's not play so good like the Stowasser.

[Three Valves]

If you wind up with the Wessex, I think the jazz version with the recording bell is MUCH nicer sounding provided you plan on ever playing it un-mic'd.

[humBell]

I wouldn't mind trying a tornister either.

Recording bell of Wessex also was recommended in my earshot.

So... Bump?

[PlayTheTuba]

I've played the Wessex when it was brought to the Army Conference. I too desire one. But I am currently not in market to buy one. BUT a company in Europe called MTP also imports the same horn that Wessex does. I believe MTP replaces the valves with German made ones? Or at least that is what their "About us" page says. Although, assuming you live in the US, the Wessex is probably easier to order than figuring out US Customs seeing as the Tornister tuba is obviously more than 800 dollars in value.

MTP MINI Bb-Tuba Mod.Paganini
https://www.mtp-music.de/en/mtp-mini-tuba-mod-paganini/

Embeded YouTube link from above link


MTP "About us" page
https://www.mtp-music.de/en/wir-uber-uns/

Titan Valves link from the About Us page link
http://www.beckert-feinmechanik.de/

[LeMark]

For any of you that try or buy a tornister, let me share something

The first time I tried one when they first came available, I thought they were junk, played terrible. The next time, I picked one up, it was a really nice experience. Now it's possible that the instrument quality was different, but one thing I know was different was the size of the mouthpiece I was using.

The first time I was using a BBb mouthpiece, the next time I was using a much smaller F tuba mouthpiece. Your mileage may vary.

[LeMark]

I've played the Wessex when it was brought to the Army Conference. I too desire one. But I am currently not in market to buy one. BUT a company in Europe called MTP also imports the same horn that Wessex does. I believe MTP replaces the valves with German made ones? Or at least that is what their "About us" page says. Although, assuming you live in the US, the Wessex is probably easier to order than figuring out US Customs seeing as the Tornister tuba is obviously more than 800 dollars in value.

MTP MINI Bb-Tuba Mod.Paganini
https://www.mtp-music.de/en/mtp-mini-tuba-mod-paganini/

MTP "About us" page
https://www.mtp-music.de/en/wir-uber-uns/

Titan Valves link from the About Us page link
http://www.beckert-feinmechanik.de/

That company looks very intriguing, they offer some items in their catalog that I havant seen before. The link you gave for the tornister does not mention or show anything about a valve replacement though. In their catalog they only mention on model of tuba that includes those valves

[PlayTheTuba]

...@LeMark are correct, the Tornister tuba probably doesn't mention having the German made valves.

I think I put two and two together because it's easier for my brain to remember MTP's existence. Seeing as they don't have any presence in North America, as far as I know.

This might be an example of "correlation does not imply causation"

I found MTP by searching through the Internet to see if any other company makes new Tornister tubas.

The about us page mentioning that they use German made valves on some of their instruments is what I find the most interesting.

MTP's catalog does look nice! Has both German and English. No need to use a translator.
https://ekle.de/MTP-Katalog-2023-2024.pdf

[rodgeman]

I found this company https://www.hsm-brass.de/tuben.html - last one listed. If you download their pdf they list the following:

German
Tornistertuba in B
• 4 – ventilige Zylindermaschine
• konische Bohrung 15 – 16 mm
• Druckwerk mit Kreuzgelenk / Unibal
• Schallstückdurchmesser 25 cm
• Mundrohr und Stimmbogen aus korrosions-
beständigem Goldmessing
• Innen- und Außenzüge in Neusilber
• Gesamthöhe 62 cm
Lieferbar auch als Bellfront – Modell
ebenso Lieferbar in F-, C- und H-Stimmung

English
Bb Pocket Tuba
• 4 rotary valves
• Graduated bore: 15 – 16 mm (0,590“ - 0,63“)
• Rotary valve mechanism with cross
linkages / unibal
• Bell diameter 25 cm (9,84“)
• Corrosion safe gold brass leadpipe and main
tuning slide bow
• Inner- and outer slides in Nickel Silver
• Height: 62 cm (24,41“)
Also available with bell front and available in
F-, C- and H- flat

Not sure what H Flat is but that is in the pdf.

[PlayTheTuba]

Ohh I feel I've heard or been to HSM's website a long time ago. Didn't realize they expanded their portfolio. Assuming my memory is correct. Thank you @rodgeman for sharing!

[humBell]

Not sure what H Flat is but that is in the pdf.

Interesting...

So i know a little about H, although i am far enough removed from the actual context there is a strong danger that in trying to make sense of it i'll probably make something up.

H is B natural for people who call B flat B. And so this is confusing to me, because i wouldn't think they'd call the note H flat instead of B.

And while i think i had heard of this outside GEB (the Eternal Golden Braid), it features somewhat in there because one of the themes Bach used in a particular piece was Bb-A-C-Bnat, or in the other nomenclature: B-A-C-H. And that book is all about cool loops, so Bach using his own name in his music is well, food for thought.

Anyway, i assume this was too long winded to be useful.
Back to tornesters...