Anyone within driving distance of DFW happen to have a Miraphone 494 Hagen that I could drop by and try? Looking to buy a tuba, and of the ones that interest me that’s the only one I haven’t been able to try. Hoping to try one before traveling to the East Coast to buy that or something else.
Many thanks,
Eric
Miraphone 494 Hagen near North Texas
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LeMark
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Re: Miraphone 494 Hagen near North Texas
They didn't even bring one to TMEA this year which was disappointing. I was in the market. I played one quite a bit last month in DC. If you want some video and compare notes, let me know
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TxTx
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bloke
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Re: Miraphone 494 Hagen near North Texas
not meant to be confrontational nearly off topic sidebar:
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MANY years ago, I had a 4/4 contrabass and a 3/4 contrabass.
I was quite interested in F tubas, but most all of them were pretty wretched, including (imo) those offered by the maker that everyone seems to love, but only a few people own - made in Mainz.
So many E-flat tubas are built pretty large and - certainly back then - about all I could find was a 19-in bell E-flat tuba, so those didn't sound enough different from 4/4 contrabass instruments to prompt me to be interested in them... okay, other than a $5 E-flat sousaphone that I found that I decided would be safe to leave at a bar overnight every night where I played with a jazz combo, because I could afford for it to be stolen, which is how I got in the habit of playing E-flat instruments with jazz combos.
Finally (early 1980's), I found an F tuba that wasn't wretched, and bought it.
Now that there are some really nice playing 3/4 contrabass tubas (that - yes - play nicer than the one I had long ago), they interest me enough to play them, but then I start thinking.. "but when would I ever use one of these...and it's no more nimble than my larger contrabass tuba (??)"
... and I sell quite a few 3/4 contrabass tubas, and have nothing to say against those who purchase and play them, but I continue to ask myself if I'm missing something.
I currently have a 4/4 and a 6/4 contrabass, and - just as with 3/4 - the 4/4 is frankly underused (even though it's a fine instrument), and I'm finding that I tend to only use it when I'm forced to play in orchestras that are squeezed into places that are not large enough for the numbers of musicians that are packed into them (simply to reduce the chance of denting) - or when I'm hired to play ceremonial music with a quintet, as most of that stuff is large ensemble reductions whereby all the parts are bass lines.
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MANY years ago, I had a 4/4 contrabass and a 3/4 contrabass.
I was quite interested in F tubas, but most all of them were pretty wretched, including (imo) those offered by the maker that everyone seems to love, but only a few people own - made in Mainz.
So many E-flat tubas are built pretty large and - certainly back then - about all I could find was a 19-in bell E-flat tuba, so those didn't sound enough different from 4/4 contrabass instruments to prompt me to be interested in them... okay, other than a $5 E-flat sousaphone that I found that I decided would be safe to leave at a bar overnight every night where I played with a jazz combo, because I could afford for it to be stolen, which is how I got in the habit of playing E-flat instruments with jazz combos.
Finally (early 1980's), I found an F tuba that wasn't wretched, and bought it.
Now that there are some really nice playing 3/4 contrabass tubas (that - yes - play nicer than the one I had long ago), they interest me enough to play them, but then I start thinking.. "but when would I ever use one of these...and it's no more nimble than my larger contrabass tuba (??)"
... and I sell quite a few 3/4 contrabass tubas, and have nothing to say against those who purchase and play them, but I continue to ask myself if I'm missing something.
I currently have a 4/4 and a 6/4 contrabass, and - just as with 3/4 - the 4/4 is frankly underused (even though it's a fine instrument), and I'm finding that I tend to only use it when I'm forced to play in orchestras that are squeezed into places that are not large enough for the numbers of musicians that are packed into them (simply to reduce the chance of denting) - or when I'm hired to play ceremonial music with a quintet, as most of that stuff is large ensemble reductions whereby all the parts are bass lines.
Last edited by bloke on Sat Mar 23, 2024 2:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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LeMark
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Re: Miraphone 494 Hagen near North Texas
Here's most of what I wrote to Eric
The NS is a little bright in the very low register, it's never going to sound like a BBb down there. If you are wanting something thicker, I think it's wise for you to look at a BBb or even a CC
If you want to come over sometime, you can spend some more time on my two Eb tubas, the NS and my York. The york is closer to the size of the tubby. I played a tubby when they first came out and thought it was good, but I played one in DC last month and thought it was great. The tubby and the york are going to sound thicker down there just because of the size of the body and the bell.
The york is at the shop right getting a change made to the 4th valve wrap to open it up a little more. I built it myself, but decided to let UncleBeer (who has built the best Eb tuba I've ever played) take a look at it, and see if there was anything he could do to make it even better. I'm picking it up on Friday. With the Eastman I just bought, I'm not even sure I'm going to keep it, so the york might be going on the market now that I have the NS. You might really like the valves on the york, they are short and light. Normally I don't like pistons, but these feel closer to trumpet or euphonium valves. Tough call about selling it, It's fun to play, but a little redundant in my collection at the moment. It's also nice to own and play something that I designed and built myself.
Another option is for you to try a CC tuba, usually considered the best middle ground for a tuba that is both nimble and responsive with a nice low register. I have a 5 valve rotor cerveny that is a medium sized horn but still lightweight, it would mean learning new fingerings, but that might be the ticket for you.
I recently made the change from being a CC/Eb player to dedicating myself to BBb/Eb. I made that change because it better for me to play BBb for my students. After 35 years of playing CC tuba, it's a middle ground between Eb and BBb that I just don't really need in my life, even though I play in a symphony.
The hagen is a VERY good instrument, but I thought the sound was a bit too bright for what I was looking for. But it is incredibly responsive and fun to play. Frankly after buying the NS, I didn't need to spend over 9k on the hagen.
Of course you can try out the eastman if you want, but it's probably larger than you are looking for
The NS is a little bright in the very low register, it's never going to sound like a BBb down there. If you are wanting something thicker, I think it's wise for you to look at a BBb or even a CC
If you want to come over sometime, you can spend some more time on my two Eb tubas, the NS and my York. The york is closer to the size of the tubby. I played a tubby when they first came out and thought it was good, but I played one in DC last month and thought it was great. The tubby and the york are going to sound thicker down there just because of the size of the body and the bell.
The york is at the shop right getting a change made to the 4th valve wrap to open it up a little more. I built it myself, but decided to let UncleBeer (who has built the best Eb tuba I've ever played) take a look at it, and see if there was anything he could do to make it even better. I'm picking it up on Friday. With the Eastman I just bought, I'm not even sure I'm going to keep it, so the york might be going on the market now that I have the NS. You might really like the valves on the york, they are short and light. Normally I don't like pistons, but these feel closer to trumpet or euphonium valves. Tough call about selling it, It's fun to play, but a little redundant in my collection at the moment. It's also nice to own and play something that I designed and built myself.
Another option is for you to try a CC tuba, usually considered the best middle ground for a tuba that is both nimble and responsive with a nice low register. I have a 5 valve rotor cerveny that is a medium sized horn but still lightweight, it would mean learning new fingerings, but that might be the ticket for you.
I recently made the change from being a CC/Eb player to dedicating myself to BBb/Eb. I made that change because it better for me to play BBb for my students. After 35 years of playing CC tuba, it's a middle ground between Eb and BBb that I just don't really need in my life, even though I play in a symphony.
The hagen is a VERY good instrument, but I thought the sound was a bit too bright for what I was looking for. But it is incredibly responsive and fun to play. Frankly after buying the NS, I didn't need to spend over 9k on the hagen.
Of course you can try out the eastman if you want, but it's probably larger than you are looking for
Yep, I'm Mark
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TxTx
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Re: Miraphone 494 Hagen near North Texas
This. I bas(s)ically play in a bar band, albeit one that is unusual in that we’ll play anything from Irving Berlin to Tulough O’Carolan to Sebo Ferenc to Willie Nelson to Alexander Maloof to Ángel Villoldo. Tuba’s been kindof a seasonal thing in that for the last ten years or so, but about a year ago I decided to play it more and feel a little limited by my 1928 3v Eb intermediate recording Martin. Shows are sometimes a little crowded since there are five of us and we’re all multi-instrumentalists. So looking for something fairly compact.
Thanks for your thoughts. Been lurking on the site a while; its been pretty educational so far.
Eric
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PlayTheTuba
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Re: Miraphone 494 Hagen near North Texas
Interesting, the exact scenario is probably why King created the Pit tuba model 1281, a 3/4 tuba although wrapped super long and skinny. Best of luck finding a Miraphone 494! 