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So every time the Hilgers Bohland-and-Fuchs inspired Melton 197-2 is mentioned here (earlier thread about "N@zi tuba") I go poking around looking at the big popular rotary BBflat kaiser tubas for a while. I'll never forget being impressed by the Fafner Keat Johnson had, he sure could blow the Shirt out5 of that horn. Occasionally (like now) I start to wonder about the few of these beasts that were from time to time made in CC, and usually the Cerveny 691 and 696 are mentioned, also the 601 but (I think) that is a different flavor of beast, yes? I read that the 696 Cerveny also was available in CC, with the big difference from the others being a vertical main tuning slide. Are there other pre-war-ish kaiser-style CC rotary tubas that you are generally aware of? B&S/Lignatone/Wunderlich? And if you have played one of these B&F style, Cerveny or B&S knockoffs, how does it compare to a PT-6 or an Alex 164? I'm pretty sure the RM 45 and 50 are different enough to not be included, what do you think?

Wow, those are some thick tubas!

Dp: I’ll be taking and sending those pictures we talked about this weekend.

dp wrote: Fri Nov 07, 2025 5:20 pm what do you think?

Bueller...? Bueller...?

I'm pretty positive an older alumnus of my alma mater had a 696 in CC. It played well, but the intonation was wild. A previous owner added huge, whacky second valve lever that stuck out too far to the left. It was somewhat manageable but took work to play really in tune. He liked it and sounded good on it, but I could never figure it out the couple of times I played it.

Tried a very beat up BBb 691 this week, I found the intonation very good.
But maybe it was the crack in the leadpipe and the whacked bell that made it play in tune