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Rick Denney wrote: ↑Tue May 03, 2022 9:36 am For me, it's the B&S F tuba with the fully 16-21mm graduated bore, currently the Model 3100, but known in the past as the "Symphonie".

https://www.b-and-s.com/en/instruments/f-tubas/3100-2/

Like the 188, the current version is not sprinkled with the same fairy dust as the earlier versions, and for the same reason: The early versions were far more hand-made than the current versions.
...

Maybe something has changed. All the F tubas I see on the B&S site claim a graduated bore of 19mm to 21mm. Maybe the first couple mm went with the fairy dust.

jtm wrote: ↑Sat Sep 02, 2023 9:44 pm

Rick Denney wrote: ↑Tue May 03, 2022 9:36 am For me, it's the B&S F tuba with the fully 16-21mm graduated bore, currently the Model 3100, but known in the past as the "Symphonie".

https://www.b-and-s.com/en/instruments/f-tubas/3100-2/

Like the 188, the current version is not sprinkled with the same fairy dust as the earlier versions, and for the same reason: The early versions were far more hand-made than the current versions.
...

Maybe something has changed. All the F tubas I see on the B&S site claim a graduated bore of 19mm to 21mm. Maybe the first couple mm went with the fairy dust.

The model 3100 features a typical website builder copy/paste error. Though it claims the bore sizes range from 19 to 21 mm, it also states that the small end of the rotor stack is .669", which is correct, and converts to 17 mm.

How old is this freaking thread, anyway?

I guess I'll accept the comment (up earlier) as meant as a compliment, but my F tuba is way to Hell better of an F tuba than a 188 is a C tuba. Were there a model of C tuba actually that good, I would damn well own it.

me...??
I'm waiting for some future insensitive dumbass - who plays in the Canadian military band to which I sold that amazing 2155 - to tell their commanding officer to surplus it, and put it on a government surplus website for sale.

Thanks for clearing that up.

I think the PT designation for the full graduated bore is PT-9. But I don’t think that will be marked on any actual instrument.

Rick “found that in an old catalog—90’s?” Denney

I’ve never played a Meinl Weston 45SLZ that was less than outstanding. Great sound, pitch, and response. Wish they were still part of their regular production line of instruments. Probably why they don’t show up on the used market with much frequency.

NapoleonWilson wrote: ↑Tue Sep 05, 2023 8:54 am I’ve never played a Meinl Weston 45SLZ that was less than outstanding. Great sound, pitch, and response. Wish they were still part of their regular production line of instruments. Probably why they don’t show up on the used market with much frequency.

There has been one sitting on eBay for quite a while.

I played Matt Good's for a couple of minutes, and thought it was pretty darn good.
It's more work to play than my instrument, but whatever on that.

In my head, "188" says point-n-shoot pitch and response. It's just *there*, and it's pretty easy to play, and it's consistent across several examples.

The ONLY F tuba that comes to mind for ME in that regard is not a rotary instrument - the YFB-822. Personally I found the color lacking in the instance I borrowed for a few weeks, as has been the case with all but one Yamaha instrument I've played. That being said, every time I pick one up I find it easy to play every time. Not cheap, but, I'd get one if I found a steal of a deal on one.

I don't have enough experience with rotary F tubas in general, but every Alexander F I've played sound and felt great (but the intonation was like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride). That's another horn I'd pick up if I found the right one.