Best do-it-all CC tuba that isn't 186/188

[TheHatTuba]

Funny to think the:
2145 was Sam Pilafian's (though not sure how much he actually used it)
2155 was Warren Deck's

[matt g]

You guy have me wondering if I should change the lead pipe on my 2145....

However, I have no complaints about it since I had the reciever angle modified so that I dont hurt my neck playing it anymore.

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk

I don’t know what leadpipe the 2145 shipped with, but it never seemed to be an issue like the 2155 and 2165.

[bort2.0]

Not that I've spent a lot of time on the 2145, but I agree with Joe about the lead pipe not being an issue. The only thing that I can really remember, and even then not specifically, is that one of the slides, maybe the fourth slide, was really really short and didn't allow for much adjustment room. I'm not a slide puller anyway, so that wasn't a big turn off for me.

I also liked the way that it played with a really large mouthpiece, better than how it played with a smaller mouthpiece.

If money an opportunity intersect again for one of these, I would love to get it a more proper try. I think it would have been a great tuba to use in the community orchestra.

[bort2.0]

Also, thinking back to the GR41, I think that tuba really has a lot to offer. It played very easily, and could really be made to sound huge when you wanted it to be huge. Surprisingly so.

The thing that I didn't like, or didn't understand so well at first, was that this tuba really more than any other that I've had required a large space for the sound to fully develop and kind of makes sense. That is, when I would play at home, in a small room it kind of sucked. I thought the sound was kind of uninteresting, pinched, and especially when you're pushing it hard, not all that interesting to listen to. Sort of like the all-star team of crap sounds that you hear on bad YouTube videos.

Totally different experience in large hall or even outdoors. It was a wonderful sound, very full, very rich, and projected like crazy. I didn't own that tuba for all that long, but did use it for a few things. Pretty sure I used it for a tuba Christmas, and it had that sort of feeling to it that if I wanted to bury the ensemble and make sure that I was heard above all else, or rather under all else, this was going to oblige and make it happen.

As always, is it the tuba or the player? Maybe the obnoxious loudness is just me. But I think the tuba at least helped to facilitate that. I also think that it had all the good things going for it, in that it did not need to be all loud all the time, and was really a nice sweet sound otherwise..

It was kind of a blip on the radar in terms of tubas for me, not because I didn't like it, but because the better opportunity came around for something that was a better match for me. Also, I think it was something that I've come to appreciate more since it's been gone, then when I actually had it.

Unfortunately, I doubt that I'll ever own another one. or at least, not for quite a while until they become really really old and people sell them for cheap.

The one that I bought, was an excellent shape, and I bought it really cheap. I think I sold it for a little less, too.

[martyneilan]

I’m partial to the 4/4 I own that’s a familiar recipe nowadays and for good reason.

I haven’t seen the 3/4 Rudy listed. That horn can do a lot of things well. Intonation may need some minding but some play quite well.

[bloke]

I don't know anything about 2145 and mouthpipes...

...only 2155.

[LeMark]

If I Could buy any CC right now brand new, I think I would lean the direction of miraphone bruckner

[TubArild]

Rudolf Meinl 4/4 or the new Yamaha ycb 623

[Sousaswag]

Also, thinking back to the GR41, I think that tuba really has a lot to offer. It played very easily, and could really be made to sound huge when you wanted it to be huge. Surprisingly so.

The thing that I didn't like, or didn't understand so well at first, was that this tuba really more than any other that I've had required a large space for the sound to fully develop and kind of makes sense. That is, when I would play at home, in a small room it kind of sucked. I thought the sound was kind of uninteresting, pinched, and especially when you're pushing it hard, not all that interesting to listen to. Sort of like the all-star team of crap sounds that you hear on bad YouTube videos.

Totally different experience in large hall or even outdoors. It was a wonderful sound, very full, very rich, and projected like crazy. I didn't own that tuba for all that long, but did use it for a few things. Pretty sure I used it for a tuba Christmas, and it had that sort of feeling to it that if I wanted to bury the ensemble and make sure that I was heard above all else, or rather under all else, this was going to oblige and make it happen.

As always, is it the tuba or the player? Maybe the obnoxious loudness is just me. But I think the tuba at least helped to facilitate that. I also think that it had all the good things going for it, in that it did not need to be all loud all the time, and was really a nice sweet sound otherwise..

It was kind of a blip on the radar in terms of tubas for me, not because I didn't like it, but because the better opportunity came around for something that was a better match for me. Also, I think it was something that I've come to appreciate more since it's been gone, then when I actually had it.

Unfortunately, I doubt that I'll ever own another one. or at least, not for quite a while until they become really really old and people sell them for cheap.

The one that I bought, was an excellent shape, and I bought it really cheap. I think I sold it for a little less, too.

I’ve played a few of these that had some weird pitch things about them. 2-3 Eb was pretty high compared to everything else if I set the slides for other notes to be in-tune.

That, and the downward-pointing 4th valve slide. What on earth would make someone think that’s a good idea? Willson does it too on their piston tubas and it’s annoying to not have a convenient option to pull that slide should you need to.

However, my best friend owned one that came out of the President’s Own Marine Band- that tuba was fit with MAW valves and was an excellent instrument. Pitch was really good on that one.

[bort2.0]

MAW valves were next on my list for GR-41 upgrades, but I never got around to it. I believe that 4th valve wrap (way up and around the top bow) is 100% York-inspired... which was the entire point of that tuba anyway. It's a little sad to remember this tuba too much, a lot of "what if" associated with it. But, maybe that's just the effect of when you don't have anything, everything else looks perfect.

[bloke]

That model featuring no upward oriented fourth slide is a noticeable thing, but I'm not sure how necessary that is. I move that slide for one very low pitch on one of my instruments, and - with another - I almost never move it. Circling back to the first sentence: that pitch being double low E flat, I almost never move that one either.
Years ago, I studied with a very high profile teacher who moved that slide a whole bunch. It was fine with me that they did that, but it seemed to me that it was a bunch of stuff to do that could be done other ways with smaller body movements.
How many rotary valve tubas feature a 4th valve slide up at the player's top left? (Actually, mine does, but not many.)

[LeMark]

That model featuring no upward oriented fourth slide is a noticeable thing, but I'm not sure how necessary that is. I move that slide for one very low pitch on one of my instruments, and - with another - I almost never move it. Circling back to the first sentence: that pitch being double low E flat, I almost never move that one either.
Years ago, I studied with a very high profile teacher who moved that slide a whole bunch. It was fine with me that they did that, but it seemed to me that it was a bunch of stuff to do that could be done other ways with smaller body movements.
How many rotary valve tubas feature a 4th valve slide up at the player's top left? (Actually, mine does, but not many.)

The Packer 379bb has one.

[TheHatTuba]

MW Bill Bell

[Pauvog1]

A Kalison DS fits that bill. A MW 2145 or 2155 do as well. An MW 32. Any of Eastman 4/4 horns. The Miraphone 1291/2/3 or 291. The Packer HB clone fits. I think Mack brass has 1-2 horns that fit as well. The new B&S 995 clone (795?) Fits too.

[dsfinley]

My HB1-P is currently my only tuba and I think does a great job as a do it all horn.

[Ace]

MW Bill Bell

That was my first tuba. Should never have sold it.

Ace

[Mary Ann]

There was one of those available in the last couple of years, IIRC. I thought about getting it but didn't. Probably too heavy for me to schlep around. But I swear, after playing that Nirschl that was as easy to play as my Star -- I have totally turned around on whether I want a contrabass. Thought I didn't "need" one and now, although I still don't "need" one, it would be damn fun to have under some circumstances. I'm seriously wondering about finding a good Piggy, which maybe I *could* schlep around. Anything that will fit in my Alteiri bag, which has the shoulder straps in the right place, I could schlep around.

[DandyZ629]

A good Kalison DS gets a pretty emphatic vote from me.

[martyneilan]

I may have found it, and...
it is in BBb! (13!)
More to come later...

[bloke]

Did I answer?

It's the 2155, hands down.