New Alexander Tubas

[matt g]

yes...Thank-you.
Your knowledge allowed me to view a picture on their website.

I dug around some as well, but it looks like any of Dale’s photos have been pulled from listings, understandably so.

[bort2.0]

[bloke]

That thing is so sexy, and the closest thing that Alexander has ever made to a piston C tuba.

[bort2.0]

Needs a longer and taller leadpipe.

[bloke]

It needs…
...to be sitting in this room.

[bort2.0]

We all had our chances!

[bloke]

yeah...
...but I would just like to own it, without having to pay for it.
Whoever owns the somebich needs to send it to me to check it over, and “no rush“.

[Mark E. Chachich]

I got to play an early version of the Alexander 173 at the International Brass Congress back in the 1980s. Anton Alexander was there and he was asking me questions about what I thought about this tuba. I liked the tuba (and gave him specific reasons why). I also showed him and played my Alexander 163 for him. Meeting and talking to Mr. Alexander was special, he was a very nice person that was interested in what people thought about his instruments.

Best,
Mark

[jtm]

It looks so ... orderly!

[bloke]

It looks so ... orderly!

' seems like MOST rotary tubas should be (have been) configured in that manner...
...as "rotary" and "piston" bodies could be virtually interchangeable.

[Rick Denney]

It looks so ... orderly!

' seems like MOST rotary tubas should be (have been) configured in that manner...
...as "rotary" and "piston" bodies could be virtually interchangeable.

Yabbut, the rotors on the conventional side means water drains out of the first and second slides, rather than into them.

Rick “who never has to spin his B&S” Denney

[bloke]

It looks so ... orderly!

' seems like MOST rotary tubas should be (have been) configured in that manner...
...as "rotary" and "piston" bodies could be virtually interchangeable.

Yabbut, the rotors on the conventional side means water drains out of the first and second slides, rather than into them.

Rick “who never has to spin his B&S” Denney

...but isn’t it the job of the tuba player to redirect light from the floodlights into the eyes of the expensive “orchestra” seating section patrons...and to make clanking noises during oboe solos?
After all, there really aren’t many other things to do up there…
After all, these tubas are expensive instruments…nearly 8% the cost of a somewhat OK cello.

[tclements]

When I was selling tubas for Alexander, I had one custom built for myself. This is the horn: 163 CC, 6-valve. The 5th valve was a long whole tone, 6th valve was a long 1/2 tone, together they were like the old 2 tone 5th valve (so I could play it like my old Miraphones). It was a brass tuba, with an unlacquered gold brass bell. The leadpipe was NOT soldered to the bell. No strap hooks on the horn. This was GREAT tuba. It was sold when I sold the Low Brass Werks to the Horn Guys, who sold it to a young tubist. I had NO intonation problems with this instrument, aside from the usual flat 5th partials: c# & d and eb and e with their 2nd and open fingerings. With 6 valves, there was ALWAYS a fingering that worked. Loved the sound, too. Wish I still had that horn ....

[Doc]

When I was selling tubas for Alexander, I had one custom built for myself. This is the horn: 163 CC, 6-valve. The 5th valve was a long whole tone, 6th valve was a long 1/2 tone, together they were like the old 2 tone 5th valve (so I could play it like my old Miraphones). It was a brass tuba, with an unlacquered gold brass bell. The leadpipe was NOT soldered to the bell. No strap hooks on the horn. This was GREAT tuba. It was sold when I sold the Low Brass Werks to the Horn Guys, who sold it to a young tubist. I had NO intonation problems with this instrument, aside from the usual flat 5th partials: c# & d and eb and e with their 2nd and open fingerings. With 6 valves, there was ALWAYS a fingering that worked. Loved the sound, too. Wish I still had that horn ....

[dp]

never shoulda sold that one, even worse, I passed on first right of refusal to get it back!

[Heavy_Metal]

All this Alex talk........... where's the "drooling" smilie?

Regarding 164s, I've played what I think was a very old 164 BBb or its predecessor. A while back, Baltimore Brass had that one and an Alex compensating F for sale in their collector horn category. The BBb had string-action rotors with the strings underneath the valve casings, with a very short stroke which I liked. Like the F, and the BBb I already had/still have, it needed a valve overhaul- but what a sound! Someone got a real "diamond in the rough" when they bought it. I bought the F- one day, Dan Oberloh will finish the valve job.

Edit:

Thanks, Mark!

[LeMark]

Right here

[bloke]

What about just buying a nice shiny-new F rotary valveset from Meinlschmidt?
Further (if the rotor port spacing geometry is the same), I wonder if they might be willing to transfer over your original Alexander bows, crooks, and slides at their facility.

Rebuilt pistons (if done well) are REALLY good.
Rebuilt rotors (if done well) are PRETTY good.

All this Alex talk........... where's the "drooling" smilie?

Regarding 164s, I've played what I think was a very old 164 BBb or its predecessor. A while back, Baltimore Brass had that one and an Alex compensating F for sale in their collector horn category. The BBb had string-action rotors with the strings underneath the valve casings, with a very short stroke which I liked. Like the F, and the BBb I already had/still have, it needed a valve overhaul- but what a sound! Someone got a real "diamond in the rough" when they bought it. I bought the F- one day, Dan Oberloh will finish the valve job.

[Heavy_Metal]

What about just buying a nice shiny-new F rotary valveset from Meinlschmidt?
Further (if the rotor port spacing geometry is the same), I wonder if they might be willing to transfer over your original Alexander bows, crooks, and slides at their facility.

Rebuilt pistons (if done well) are REALLY good.
Rebuilt rotors (if done well) are PRETTY good.

All this Alex talk........... where's the "drooling" smilie?

Regarding 164s, I've played what I think was a very old 164 BBb or its predecessor. A while back, Baltimore Brass had that one and an Alex compensating F for sale in their collector horn category. The BBb had string-action rotors with the strings underneath the valve casings, with a very short stroke which I liked. Like the F, and the BBb I already had/still have, it needed a valve overhaul- but what a sound! Someone got a real "diamond in the rough" when they bought it. I bought the F- one day, Dan Oberloh will finish the valve job.

We looked at that option and it wouldn't fit. By chance, he had another of these rare tubas at his shop for a valve job, so he's doing them both.

[Stryk]

This has probably been discussed ad nauseum previously, but...

How is the intonation on new Alex 163 CC tubas? I seem to remember discussion stating that they are WAY better with intonation, quirks, etc. Anyone have experience?

Has anyone played a new 163 BBb or a new 164 BBb (rare birds, to be sure)?

The intonation on the new 163 CC is MUCH better than the "vintage" one that I have - likely from the 70s. I now own 3 163s. The oldest is a BBb that was purchased by a friend in Pittsburg in 1969, and it was "very old" then. Someone told him 1917, but I'm thinking more mid 50s. It is absolutely spot on with pitch, and has the best sound of any tuba I have ever played. The 70s C is problematic, but manageable, when it comes to pitch. Adult fingerings help as does a lot of slide pulling. The new 163 seems to be as good as my 186, which is very well in tune. I've only spent a few minutes with the tuner on it, but I can tell the bottom line G is a tad low, but lipable - 1/3 makes it spot on. Same with mid line D. E and A below the staff are a couple cents high, but 3 is right on for them. I truly believe once I am used to the horn, I will be able to adjust with NO slide pulling and possibly with no adult fingerings at all. Sound? Pure Alexander. Best sound is the old BBb, a VERY close second is the new C. The vintage C I have to work at for that sound.