TubaForum.net

tobysima` wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:14 am

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 10:57 am

tobysima` wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 10:51 am But those Bessons play well??

mostly unknown, mostly suffer from top-action / BB-flat / recording-bell biases, and epically underrated.

The "bad" ones are only those which feature significantly-worn valves.

Where can I find one? Am going to sell my C tuba soon, since it has tuning issues, and it wants me to pull slides. If I wanted to pull slides I'd play trombone. So, it has to go. I am eyeing a Holton on Reverb from 1921 that is $300. Not sure how good it is, but maybe better than what I have.

https://reverb.com/item/40274798-vintag ... e-and-case

If this is it, it appears to be in E flat.

Yorkboy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 3:24 pm

tobysima` wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:14 am

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 10:57 am

mostly unknown, mostly suffer from top-action / BB-flat / recording-bell biases, and epically underrated.

The "bad" ones are only those which feature significantly-worn valves.

Where can I find one? Am going to sell my C tuba soon, since it has tuning issues, and it wants me to pull slides. If I wanted to pull slides I'd play trombone. So, it has to go. I am eyeing a Holton on Reverb from 1921 that is $300. Not sure how good it is, but maybe better than what I have.

https://reverb.com/item/40274798-vintag ... e-and-case

If this is it, it appears to be in E flat.

I thought it was a Bb. My bad. I'll probably end up getting something from Wessex or Mack.

tobysima` wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:35 pm
I thought it was a Bb. My bad. I'll probably end up getting something from Wessex or Mack.

The Mack YorkaZo is pretty nice... Not a BAT but big enough!!

tobysima` wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:35 pm I'll probably end up getting something from Wessex or Mack.

These have really good intonation, and a very resonant sound.

matt g wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:34 am

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:30 am ALMOST off-topic (but a response)...

The BMB B-flat is a somewhat-faithful Holton 345 copy, and (yes) the fact that the C-version is a copy of a cut-down may (??) have disappointed some potential consumers.
I've also seen a reissue (different brand name engraved on them) of the BMB's with some apparent upgrades. I didn't bookmark where I saw them, as I've no real interest in them.

I only remembered they were posted on Reverb, that led me to this:

https://reverb.com/item/37450791-melhar ... -4-cc-tuba

I actually talked to factory who makes these and they quote me much less to get me one.

And they'd put my name on the bell!

I tend to wonder if you could flip it for much over that quoted cost.

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:53 pm I tend to wonder if you could flip it for much over that quoted cost.

I bet you could, but at that point your probably just on a long list of importers without a reputation.

LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:56 pm

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:53 pm I tend to wonder if you could flip it for much over that quoted cost.

I bet you could, but at that point your probably just on a long list of importers without a reputation.

If it's made where I suspect it's made, I wouldn't care to - once shipped/received - have to expel all the energy required to address a consumer's list of concerns.

UncleBeer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:04 pm

tobysima` wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:35 pm I'll probably end up getting something from Wessex or Mack.

These have really good intonation, and a very resonant sound.

Hopefully when push comes to shove, the Wyvern is in my budget!

tobysima` wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:25 am
Hopefully when push comes to shove, the Wyvern is in my budget!

But it's CC.

Make up your mind, Son!!

The Grand is more BAT like and BBb.

Three Valves wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 7:22 am

tobysima` wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:25 am
Hopefully when push comes to shove, the Wyvern is in my budget!

But it's CC.

Make up your mind, Son!!

The Grand is more BAT like and BBb.

CC or BBb doesn't matter to me! Haha! I play both regularly, and I tend to prefer the one that plays better.

LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:48 pm

matt g wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:34 am

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:30 am ALMOST off-topic (but a response)...

The BMB B-flat is a somewhat-faithful Holton 345 copy, and (yes) the fact that the C-version is a copy of a cut-down may (??) have disappointed some potential consumers.
I've also seen a reissue (different brand name engraved on them) of the BMB's with some apparent upgrades. I didn't bookmark where I saw them, as I've no real interest in them.

I only remembered they were posted on Reverb, that led me to this:

https://reverb.com/item/37450791-melhar ... -4-cc-tuba

I actually talked to factory who makes these and they quote me much less to get me one.

And they'd put my name on the bell!

I'm willing to bet that it's around $3,000 for that one. What company is it?

Were I in the market for a(nother) large horn, I would look at the King 1291 at Baltimore Brass and the Dillon 1284 at Dillon Music. I have heard that for intonation the King and the Dillon are both very good. There are also a couple of large Cerveny (601 and 693) in the midwest that can be had for relatively little money, but I don't know about tuning issues they might have.

hrender wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:04 am Were I in the market for a(nother) large horn, I would look at the King 1291 at Baltimore Brass and the Dillon 1284 at Dillon Music. I have heard that for intonation the King and the Dillon are both very good. There are also a couple of large Cerveny (601 and 693) in the midwest that can be had for relatively little money, but I don't know about tuning issues they might have.

Yeah, that big 6/4 BBb that Dillon Music has looks mighty interesting.

Editing to add a photo. The slide layout on this looks really great also.

tobysima` wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 7:48 am What company is it?

Kind of hard to describe. Not a company, but like chinese contact wholesale amazon.
If that makes any sense.

LargeTuba wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:46 am

tobysima` wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 7:48 am What company is it?

Kind of hard to describe. Not a company, but like chinese contact wholesale amazon.
If that makes any sense.

LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:48 pm ....And they'd put my name on the bell!

I'm holding out for my name and portrait!!

matt g wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:46 am Yeah, that big 6/4 BBb that Dillon Music has looks mighty interesting.

Editing to add a photo. The slide layout on this looks really great also.

Agreed, I like long, vertical slides that are stacked neatly. It's one of the things I like about the King 1286/1291 and the two Cerveny.

Everything I've read about the Dillon 1284 has been good x/c for a few folks who thought it could/should have faster valve action or a euro receiver, but both of those are fairly easy mods.

The Rudolf Meinl RM1-B55 6/4 BBb tuba is the most massive production tuba out there. It is larger in all dimensions
compared to the Rudolf Meinl 5/4 BBb tuba, and Jakob Winter does not make a case large-enough to house it, so the
one I imported in the US was in a Kariso alligator-covered woodshell case. The case was big, and had only minimal
padding inside, just so the horn would fit.

Before I delivered it to it's original owner, I was able to play it with an orchestra in Atlanta, GA. The scariest thing
about this horn to me was that it started feeling normal to play it after about 15 minutes, scary because I loved it,
while knowing that I could not afford to keep one.
The bell is 22" in diameter, the valve bore was .870", and I measured the main tuning slide bore - .970" on the small side,
and 1.1" on the large tube.

That tuba had a profound response and projection. At the musical dress rehearsal, in a large pit orchestra, the conductor
started out looking quite happy, but then suddenly started looking alarmed, and I got "the hand." I adjusted as much as I could,
and at the first break, the conductor approached me and said, "I think it sounds great here, but the people in the A/V booth say
that you're peaking the VU meters every time you play." I suggested that, since they had me placed so that my bell was directly
towards the audience, maybe they could just eliminate the mike they had right in the bell. That tuba "don't need no stinkin' mike."

That silver 6/4 Rudi BBb was owned for about a year, and then the owner asked me to sell it for him. I resold it, then that instrument
has in more recent times been for sale at Baltimore Brass. To my knowledge, there have been three of these imported to the US. I
have worked on the silver one, and also a rose brass 5-valve model. I'm sure that there are more of them worldwide, and are not
expensive, when compared with professional string instrument or bassoon prices.