Re: WTB: CC tuba max $8k
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:46 am
It could be me. I've had to push those longer slides all the way in, and - when I owned an early 88 with a normal looking slide - I didn't have to pull it out very far for good tuning. I've actually flipped a few of those long tuning slide 88 instruments and have been tempted to shorten the main slides - because the tuning gave me trouble with them, but I ended up shrugging my shoulders, sending them off to the buyers, and got no complaints. I believe I've seen "443" used with a lot of Miraphone advertising on a lot of models, even though I'm seeing pictures posted of two different slides... and of course I've had both lengths of slides in my own hands.
My mind is now trying to imagine different types of uses for the same popular model of tuba. It seems to me that community bands play a bunch of concerts outdoors in the summer, whereas orchestras and such play most of their concerts in the fall, winter, and spring indoors. If I had a tuba with a main slide that just barely played to pitch pushed all the way in, I would find that to be a problem. Even sitting in a hall in February through a movement or two and waiting to play again causes the instrument to cool - particularly in drafty concert halls in the winter, unless I continually mess with an instrument to the point of distracting the audience. The model 98 B flat main slide was shipped with fairly long ferrules and I shortened them roughly an inch a piece. It was a fairly complicated job, being that it's an inside/outside slide and includes a brace.
... so I'm wondering about the mostly wintertime concerts versus the mostly summertime outdoors concerts. I also wonder if I'm one of those that tends to play tubas at an overall lower pitch level than some people. Yes, of course I have tendencies to play out of tune and sharp (just as with most everyone else, if we're all honest) but I'm talking about the median.
summary:
Striving for 440 tuning, I've never had trouble with the normal looking model 88 slides, and the long ones always give me trouble, but whatever.
My mind is now trying to imagine different types of uses for the same popular model of tuba. It seems to me that community bands play a bunch of concerts outdoors in the summer, whereas orchestras and such play most of their concerts in the fall, winter, and spring indoors. If I had a tuba with a main slide that just barely played to pitch pushed all the way in, I would find that to be a problem. Even sitting in a hall in February through a movement or two and waiting to play again causes the instrument to cool - particularly in drafty concert halls in the winter, unless I continually mess with an instrument to the point of distracting the audience. The model 98 B flat main slide was shipped with fairly long ferrules and I shortened them roughly an inch a piece. It was a fairly complicated job, being that it's an inside/outside slide and includes a brace.
... so I'm wondering about the mostly wintertime concerts versus the mostly summertime outdoors concerts. I also wonder if I'm one of those that tends to play tubas at an overall lower pitch level than some people. Yes, of course I have tendencies to play out of tune and sharp (just as with most everyone else, if we're all honest) but I'm talking about the median.
summary:
Striving for 440 tuning, I've never had trouble with the normal looking model 88 slides, and the long ones always give me trouble, but whatever.