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Besson 983 Eb
Besson 993 Bb

They are both front action compensating tubas. The Eb is for brass band, quintets and other small groups, and the Bb is for concert bands and orchestras.

Not much band and orchestra activity right now, so it's mostly Eb. But I'm still playing the Bb at home.

Hu[p

The King "Symphony" Recording Bass and the Holton "Mammoth" tuba have both had their visits to my repair technicians for the ultrasonic treatment and maintenance check. I do this twice per year. They are now both sequestered for an unknown amount of time as the King 2341 and I really get to work. Hopefully I will be playing the other two horns by the fall!

I received an instrument today that, if first impressions hold true, I’ll be keeping up on it regularly with the intent of playing it on the job regularly.

Doc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:39 pm I received an instrument today that, if first impressions hold true, I’ll be keeping up on it regularly with the intent of playing it on the job regularly.

Nice drum roll.
How long will you keep us in suspense before you give us the "ta-da!" moment?

pjv wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:02 am

Doc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:39 pm I received an instrument today that, if first impressions hold true, I’ll be keeping up on it regularly with the intent of playing it on the job regularly.

Nice drum roll.
How long will you keep us in suspense before you give us the "ta-da!" moment?

Maybe tomorrow? Playing/reviewing it for posterity as we speak.

pjv wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:02 am

Doc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:39 pm I received an instrument today that, if first impressions hold true, I’ll be keeping up on it regularly with the intent of playing it on the job regularly.

Nice drum roll.
How long will you keep us in suspense before you give us the "ta-da!" moment?

Today is the “ta-da!” moment. Check the Music Chatter Forum.

I only own one tuba (3/4 Mack 422 4v BBb), and I'm not anywhere near up to speed on it yet, as far as playing in public. I work at it a couple times a week. I also own a euphonium (Wessex festivo), and I'd almost play it in public, depending on the gig. I keep that going mainly to develop some valve chops, which I can see becoming valuable some day, as shoulder problems persist. Aside from that, I've got several small and large bore tenor trombones plus a bass bone. Tenor is my main axe, bass bone is my first double, euph is second double, and tuba comes in after that. Interestingly, the thing that helps me keep my bass bone chops up is occasional tuba playing. I don't actually practice bass bone much, but it's the one I get called most to play.

I try to keep up on all of these...
Schiller (JinBao) JBBB-520 BB-flat
Holton Monster E-flat
Yamaha YCL-20 B-flat clarinet
Martin Freres (Paris) Model 1 E-flat clarinet

And practice on these only if there's gigs to play or lessons to give:
Yamaha YEP-321S euphonium
King Silver Flair 1055T trumpet
Boosey & Hawkes 8-10 B-flat clarinet

I think I play my Getzen CB-50 the most. It's a great horn for brass quintets (I mean yeah, it was built for Canadian Brass) and putting the bottom on a band.

I use my Getzen G-60 F or my York monster Eb for solo work and adding color to a tuba section when there are already a couple contrabasses. It depends on how I'm feeling for which one I'll pull out.

I use my King 1291 string-linkage rotary 6/4 BBb in orchestra and when the band director wants a big sound from the section.

I also have my "trunkba" which is a good do-it-all horn. It's a rotary F tuba body mated to a Conn 20K valve section. It's in BBb, and kind of like an American version of the piggy (huge valves on a small body). This is the horn I keep in the car to pull out for last minute gigs.

I wouldn't be surprised if I have more instruments than anybody here; not really a collector, I've just scored a lot of pretty good deals over the years, and in some cases bought a few instruments brand new because I really liked them. There are several instrument families that I maintain enough skill on to play at an acceptable level in an average community band:

horn
tuba
bass/contrabass clarinet
trumpet
euphonium

I have professional-level models of each (and except euphonium, multiple pro horns). I also play electric bass but almost never read charts for that.

The amount of practice that I give any one instrument usually depends on the gigs that I have at any given time. Right now I am playing in two Texas community bands that are still rehearsing and performing - one I play tuba, and the other bass clarinet.

Of my tubas, I rotate among my Alexander 163, Meinl-Weston Thor, VMI Neptune, and B&S Symphonie, with the Alex getting the most use.

Having retired early and relocating from California to Texas, I am looking forward to improving my playing skills on all my instruments.