"I'm getting older, and looking for a smaller tuba, but I still want four valves"

[bloke]

I remember (c. age 21) when I compared every tuba to my 186.

If it didn't "feel" like my 186, my opinion of "whatever" was low.

[LeMark]

Did you try the 2011FA? That's the one I really found to be unpleasant

[bloke]

I don't really care for Olds O-99-4, 5J, 2J, 4J tubas...

...but others do, and - If I played nothing but one of them for a month or so - I'm sure I wouldn't mind it so much.

[Doc]

Did you try the 2011FA? That's the one I really found to be unpleasant

Not this time. I have tried it before, and I was nonplussed. Wasn’t great, wasn’t horrible, and wasn’t for me.

They finally had a rotary and piston Fafner this year. I like the rotary really well, but I was not very pleased with the piston Fafner. I played a few notes on it and thought ”ugh.” I played a couple of minutes on it, and I put it back. Maybe it was that particular horn, but it didn’t click with me.

I also tried the Baer 6/4 CC. Once I settled on how to feed it, I liked it well enough except for how the fifth valve paddle is tucked far underneath your hand (uncomfortable for me). I played an Eastman 836 right after that, and I seemed to play it better. And the fifth valve paddle wasn’t so uncomfortable.

I spent quite a bit of time on the Miraphone 497 again. I’m definitely a fan. The pimped out silver and gold 188 played really well and not as tight in the low range as the old ones. The real surprise was the Ambassador comp Eb. Probably the best comp Eb I have played. Excellent low range, excellent intonation, clear high range. Solid low range. The straight leadpipe may have a lot to do with that. The Besson comp Eb at the Buffet booth was not nearly as easy to play.

Sorry. I have gone off track.

[bloke]

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php/?photo ... 1335705856

[captkpm]

I did purchase a full size b flat cool wind tuba, I personally am glad I did. First of all the reason I did was because of my back injury, it was very difficult to carry my brass tuba around. What I I found out one has to oil the valves real well so they do not click and use a Philips screw driver to adjust the screws. Also once you get the horn one has to practice it every day so the valves stays lubricated. While some individuals may not like this horn, some may like because it is not has heavy as a typical tuba and it easier to carry. But research for yourself and make your own decisions.

[Casca Grossa]

We see a bunch of this sort of thing posted here.

I'm NOT lecturing anyone...I'm not to that point (yet?), and I can't yet properly empathize...so (yup) SOME of these suggestions would well be off-base/misguided/ignorance-based.

If four of five pounds of difference actually would make a difference (because "four valves" is going to probably mean that 25 lbs. (35 w/bag) has become more than someone believes they can manage to carry (assuming that they do not own a 30 lb. tuba, as the overwhelming majority of tubas weigh under 25 lbs.) and they (very much wishing to continue to play) are look for any sort of burden relief...

- First, consider the possibility of PERSONAL weight loss (if one's own personal weight is more than it was when 25 or 30 years old). If carrying 25 lbs. (35 w/bag) is getting to be difficult, but carrying 20 lbs. (30 lbs. with bag) would actually be noticeably easier, maybe (??) lose the weight off of one's OWN body, and just KEEP the beloved tuba.

- If not, one of the very few "lightweight YET four-valve YET large-bore full-size YET commonly-found tubas" is a Cerveny 681 B-flat @ 17.5 lbs.

- Another "instead of selling a tuba an buying another one" idea would be to pull up to the venue door, drop off the tuba, park and walk back without having to carry the tuba all the way from the car.

- Another idea might be to take the tuba out of the bag (or just wrap it in a quilt) and carry the tuba (up on one's shoulder or what-have-you) - with NO bag nor case from the car to the venue. This automatically defines 8 - 10 lbs. less (bag) or 20 or more lbs less (case).

- If the problem is actually "air" (lung/breathing issues/etc.), maybe consider switching to euphonium. Yes, superstar euphonium players are expected to do all sorts of amazing tricks and stunts, but - generally (and again, other than some virtuoso euphonium band parts) euphonium is less work (and less air) than playing most tubas. Rather than playing a really small tuba with a small-tuba type of sound (as most really small tubas end up weighing as much as the Cerveny model listed at the top) with a community band, maybe just buy a euphonium, practice at home, and - eventually - transition over into the euphonium section. If some parts are too high or too fast, just count those measures and then come back in.

bloke "I know NOTHING, but note that I DO sell tubas, and this whole post is about AVOID BUYING a tuba."

I'm jumping in late to this discussion to give my unique $0.02. I am old but not too old. I am 51. I played tuba professionally for part of my life until a medical condition sidelined me, and it got progressively worse. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 24. That was approximately 6 months after I had gotten a full-time playing gig. As time passed, one side effect, joint and muscle pain, got worse. My fingers were hit particularly hard. I could not play piston valve tubas and holding larger horns on my lap became horribly uncomfortable. Tuba stands offered no relief to my pain. I eventually stopped playing for over a decade. A few years ago I came back to it and found that I needed to keep downsizing to lighter, small bore rotor horns to ease some of the pain. This is why I play a Mirfone 184 and play only a handful of gigs when I can. I still enjoy playing and miss it, but this is where I find myself. I have had my hands examined several times, including 4 months ago with some scans and x-rays. My joints were in remarkably good shape for my age and the mileage on my body.

On the flip side, I have been a lifelong student of martial arts. I have been teaching and competing on a high level for the last 19 years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I have taught self-defense to police, military, corrections officers, etc. I have won international level tournaments. I can throw around a 21-year-old division 1 linebacker at will. It causes me little pain to spar on that level. I recently had surgery and am not in the physical shape I was a year ago because I am still recovering.

So, to get to the point, I require the small old man tuba, although the other activities in my life suggest that I should easily be able to handle the largest of the lap sousaphones.