Dorchester, MA (FB): Meinl-Weston 45 $3k

[arpthark]

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DeG5WcHci/

Those of you familiar with this instrument will notice it is the more "modern" style version of this model, with the different fourth valve circuit layout (less B&S-ish). Maybe a slightly larger bell, too?

[MiBrassFS]

Some years back I had a really early 46 that passed through my hands. Got a great deal on it and sold it to a nice college student. Shoulda kept it. I like these.

[arpthark]

Some years back I had a really early 46 that passed through my hands. Got a great deal on it and sold it to a nice college student. Shoulda kept it. I like these.

I might've ended up with the same one. MW 46, got it a year or two pre-COVID and then sold it to help pay for a house down payment. Bought it from a college student.

I was really chasing an Alexander 157, but those never appeared and this was an approximate next-best-thing. I had no issues with it at all.

[bloke]

My experience with those was hit and miss. The Miraphone 80 - which was about the same size - were always the same with the same quirks. (also far from perfect, only more predictable.)

I got stupid lucky with what I bought for myself (neither of the previous) in the early eighties. Prior to that, I was one of those who was so unimpressed with F tubas in general that I was one of the "fake F tuba" Miraphone 84 owners (and even those are problematic).

[arpthark]

I find it really interesting that up until recently (maybe the past 10 years or so), the MW 45/46 (no "S" or "SLP/SLZ") was billed as a "6/4" F tuba. It is noticeably smaller than a Symphonie or a PT-10 or something like that (which, I guess was once a "big" F tuba but I now think of as a "normal" F tuba), and the bore is something like .728" straight through the valves. It is also way smaller than the later 45-SLZ which I do think of as a "6/4" F tuba, if such a thing exists.

Mine was a really fun little horn. My one regret is that I took it to a hack repair shop and they really messed up the rotors. I had to pay a lot to get it un-goofed.