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Along with the recent posts about Cc and Bb tubas; Permanently switching back to Bb has been floating around in the back of my mind for a few years now. Trouble is, I really like my Mienl Weston tuba. But I keep leaning more towards the switch. I also dont have a 4 valve bell up Bb tuba...

So I was chatting with my friend about it and he said he would consider selling his Conn 24/25j with both bells since he doesnt really use it.

What would be an acceptable price? I'm thinking $2500, $3000.

I'm not jumping on this, but it's a possibility.

It's in this video, not played.

I like having a 20J... it is a blast to play. It is a great lap Sousaphone..

I wouldn't want a 2XJ as my only tuba. The 20J is unwieldy and the 24J doubly so with the weight of the 4th valve circuit. Just my $0.02

With both bells $2500 seems a very fair price to me..

He is interested in my meinl weston so there's real possibility for a trade with cash. The tuba on the left in that video is a meinl weston Cc and he really loves it but it's a real beast and he'd like something smaller to use also. That's why he bought that french Cc tuba.

Grumpikins wrote: Wed Nov 19, 2025 3:35 am He is interested in my meinl weston so there's real possibility for a trade with cash. The tuba on the left in that video is a meinl weston Cc and he really loves it but it's a real beast and he'd like something smaller to use also. That's why he bought that french Cc tuba.

The tuba on the left of the video is actually a big Rudi Meinl BBb, but your point stands.

2 grand or so seems like a fair price for that instrument. 2500 isn’t unreasonable, I’m just a haggler

Trading your CC for it? I mean, that’s up to you, but I probably wouldn’t do that. Trading your CC for that RM? Yeah, I’d do that.

Rather than the most convenient B flat with four valves, what about locating one that's a little more practical with four or five valves?

Or do both. what Joe says and get the Conn. Buy your wife something first.

CCC

Charlie C Chowder wrote: Wed Nov 19, 2025 10:55 am Or do both. what Joe says and get the Conn. Buy your wife something first.

CCC

Getting the deal past my wife is a whole other can of beans...

If I was to do this, it would be a trade with money coming my way. And yes i would also look for another smaller horn to fill in between.

Not sure about the whole thing. I really love my meinl weston; it's a wonderful horn. I'm thinking we could do a loan/swap for a couple months next summer.

A year or so ago, I looked at a 25J with an asking price of $1500. It was in nice shape and the finish was pretty good. He also had a Martin Mammoth for $1800 and I bought that instead. A Couple months later he had sold the 25J for his asking price.

He is a big man, 6-2 or so now thin and 85 YO. He could no longer heft either horn and so was playing a helicon. I'm 77, 6'0" and 200 lbs and I don't heft the Mammoth. It sits on the stand I bought from the seller and I just pull up a chair and a music stand and start to blow.

I didn't think 24 lbs would be a problem when I bought the Willson but now with a pinched nerve in my back, I'm thinking of using the old 14 lb Martin Eb for rehearsals. Ten pounds makes a BIG difference when you're hefting it a dozen times in a rehearsal.

Yup. 10 pounds, is 10#s. Probably why the 1/4 ton truck is favored in western WA. But with the living situations, one really needs the 1/2 ton.

One thing that's a bit particular about a 25J is that due to the wrapping of the 4th valve slide, any time water accumulates in it (the 4th slide) you need to rotate the whole tuba to actually get it out. False tones are very good, too, which I find necessary for low C and B (unless I have all the other slides out most of the way I find low Db to be the 4th valve limit). Also, 31 pounds is a lot, and the 2 separate cases total about 30 as well (10+20), I take it on public transit and old ladies offer me their seat!

All that being said, I think it's got a great, big sound, got lots of compliments at an orchestra rehearsal Monday. For jazz, I used to use my Boosey and Hawkes Imperial, upright bell, and would need a microphone, but with the recording bell on the Conn, you can hang just fine with the horn's real sound. I say go for it!

Personally I find the false tones easy enough on the 20J that I've never felt the need for the 4th valve. Eb down to 1+3 (false) pedal Bb just pop right out.

Canadian_tubist wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2025 11:22 am One thing that's a bit particular about a 25J is that due to the wrapping of the 4th valve slide, any time water accumulates in it (the 4th slide) you need to rotate the whole tuba to actually get it out.

Is there a place a water key can be added to solve this issue? I'm definitely going to try it out next summer.

Grumpikins wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2025 4:59 pm
Is there a place a water key can be added to solve this issue? I'm definitely going to try it out next summer.

The part where the water pools is behind the main tuning slide, would be tricky to reach a water key there (either reach with left hand going between two braces on the main tuning slide or reach down with right hand) and I think it'd mostly fall onto the bottom bow, but maybe there's some way to cleverly engineer around that.