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At the risk of becoming flame bait, I'd like to ask a serious question about a choice for a new tuba. A little background so you will know why - I will be 70 next year and while I'm still quite active, I will soon be having my 5th surgery in 5 years, knee, colon resection, both shoulders, and now one to fix a big hernia over the colon surgery site. Since I have taken immunosuppressants for the last 21 years due to a kidney transplant, the doc says my muscle tissues are weakend and will need a mesh implant (not the TV lawyer kind). If I can, when I recover I will keep playing my Mack 410 CC that I love, but I am seriously looking at replacing it with a smaller bore, lighter "old man tuba" in CC.

Since I can't justify spending big money (at least my wife says so) just to play in a community band and a tuba quintet, I am looking at two horns, the Mack 421S and a Schiller American Heritage 3/4 CC. I have a good friend who plays the Wessex-branded BBb version of the Schiller and do like the way it sounds when he plays it and when I play it. I also prefer the rotary valves with my arthritic fingers. Yes, I know about the Schiller reputation. Does anyone have personal experience with either or both of these tubas? Differences in response and sound? Any serious advice or observations are appreciated. Thanks.

A used miraphone 184 would be ideal; great instrument, good tuning, light weight etc.etc. Tuba Tinker just sold one at a very attractive price. I think Bloke also had a "smaller" CC for sale lately.

The Mack 421S (YBB-621 clone) is likely what I’d pick. Small, light, and easy to hold.

Chuck Daellenbach is older than you and he prances around on stage still with a Yamaha YCB-621. (He also has something with a carbon-fiber bell, but that was custom-made).

Rick “who might also consider an Eastman EBC-832/632” Denney

4-valve 186 C tubas weigh less, sell for less, and (often) are less beat-up.

If you can get the L-O-N-G- #4 slide working very smoothly and quickly (...well...) there's your "LOW F", "LOW E-flat", in-tune 2-4 pitches, and other miscellany.

I believe you sent me a fb friend request (yes?).

I can't find it right now, but it will probably pop up again.

I've got the Mack 422, the Bb equivalent of the 421. I'm just a trombone player, but I like the 422. I use mine with a strap, so it's easy to hold. It's 17 lbs, but the 421 will be heavier because of one extra valve (and a little less bugle tubing). You can access slides for tuning easily, especially with the strap. It only has one spit valve, so trombone players don't get confused. The sound seems good high and low, and I'm told it's pretty forgiving when it comes to your choice of mouthpiece. I use a Kelly 25, but an 18 sounds better. The valves have been good, but the slides have needed some work with sandpaper. It even comes in a decent case with wheels.

There are two things I'd change about it. First is that I've got a bit of a paunch which pushes the bottom bow out too far, and the angle of the leadpipe makes me lean my head back a bit. So either I loose a bit of weight, rotate the horn 30 degrees ccw or get the leadpipe tilted up. Second , the valve cluster (4 in the front - the 421 has 5, with a thumb trigger, I think). could rotate a few degrees for comfortable wrist angle. The 4th valve hits my pinky right at the knuckle, and I don't have huge hands. Of course, maybe I'm holding it wrong, which might fix both problems at once :roll:

Mirafone 184 4 valve. Extremely good intonation, but don't expect to balance a 50 piece band alone with it. I'm 63, with issues, and am still schlepping around full size horns and will as long as I can. But I figure my 184 will be my old man horn. I do have an 1890 horn from Bohemia that is even smaller with a larger bore and about 1/3 lighter than the 184 that has an OMG sound, but it is pretty badly out of tune in the low register.

A GOOD 4 valve Cerveny Piggy would probably do the trick.

I love the miraphone 184.

Gronitz tubas are very light. A PCM CC tuba might work if you can find one and like it.

I would definitely check out the mac brass 5v, bigger belled version of the Yamaha 621.

I have an older friend who has a 621 BB-flat and a Jupiter 4/4 BB-flat. He plays the 621 day to day and only brings the larger Jupiter for dress rehearsals and performances. He also wheels around both of these with a luggage cart and some bungee cords so he only has to lift them minimally.

The horns you are considering are all Chinese horns so go with the most respectable dealer.

theres a yamaha 3/4 ycb-621 professional C tuba. I've heard good things about this tuba.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324251214297

Dan recently had a used 184 for sale (sold now?) Those are super little tubas. Easy to play and have a full sound (Ever hear of that Roger Bobo fella?). I played a brand new one earlier this year - light, responsive, fun, and had those DREAMY new Miraphone valves that were absolutely effortless. I wanted it badly. If I ever get to the point to where I physically require a small tuba, this one will be on the top of the list to consider.

If you had to go Chinese on the 3/4 CC, You might call Tom at Mack Brass. I haven't tried the 3/4 CC (it's piston, btw), but he has a trial/return policy that simply can't be beaten. I've been impressed with Wessex tubas, but I don't know that they have a CC that fits your requirements. You could always look for a used Yamaha 3/4 CC, but those seem to be awfully rare these days.

Good luck on the surgery, and let us know how it all goes.

LargeTuba wrote:there a yamaha ycb-621 professional C tuba. I've hear good things about this tuba.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324251214297

I've never liked these very much, but they are small, light, and easy to play.

Best thing I ever did for my back is my Cerveny Piggy CC. I also recouped some space on the back seat of my truck. I still pull out the Big horn when needed, but my regular player is the Pig.

What about an Eastman 632 or 832 (I don't remember their weight)? Maybe a 4 valve miraphone. Maybe the new 5 valve Mack brass Yamaha like thing with the 16in bell?

Pauvog1 wrote:What about an Eastman 632 or 832 (I don't remember their weight)? Maybe a 4 valve miraphone. Maybe the new 5 valve Mack brass Yamaha like thing with the 16in bell?

Oh the MW 30 or 32 might be good choices too.

Jperry1466 wrote:At the risk of becoming flame bait, I'd like to ask a serious question about a choice for a new tuba. A little background so you will know why - I will be 70 next year and while I'm still quite active, I will soon be having my 5th surgery in 5 years, knee, colon resection, both shoulders, and now one to fix a big hernia over the colon surgery site. Since I have taken immunosuppressants for the last 21 years due to a kidney transplant, the doc says my muscle tissues are weakend and will need a mesh implant (not the TV lawyer kind). If I can, when I recover I will keep playing my Mack 410 CC that I love, but I am seriously looking at replacing it with a smaller bore, lighter "old man tuba" in CC.

Since I can't justify spending big money (at least my wife says so) just to play in a community band and a tuba quintet, I am looking at two horns, the Mack 421S and a Schiller American Heritage 3/4 CC. I have a good friend who plays the Wessex-branded BBb version of the Schiller and do like the way it sounds when he plays it and when I play it. I also prefer the rotary valves with my arthritic fingers. Yes, I know about the Schiller reputation. Does anyone have personal experience with either or both of these tubas? Differences in response and sound? Any serious advice or observations are appreciated. Thanks.

I'm 84, and until recently I was playing a Weril 3/4 CC before selling it to a professor at University of California at Davis (near Sacramento). I felt the horn had considerable body of sound without draining the lungs, and it was fairly light weight at 14.5 lbs. The purchaser said he uses Sellmansberger mouthpieces on all his horns, but I had been getting good results rangewise using the Faxx 18.

Ace

Zo makes that "Pocket" 5-valved CC tuba. I don't know who sells it in your area. It won''t win an sound quality awards,but it'll be something to play.

I unfortunately don't have any experience with the models you're asking about.

However, as always I'm a huge proponent of the old East German B&S 101 stencils. They are full sized contrabass tubas but handmade from very light sheet brass. Most are in BBb, but you do occasionally see them in CC (albeit with the "CC tax" in full effect). I believe bloke actually sold one of these in the recent past. (I just weighed my 4v BBb by holding it and stepping on a bathroom scale and it's roughly 18 pounds. Not sure how much your Mack weighs in comparison.)

The Rudy Meinl 3/4 is also a favorite of many. I can't recall how much that one weighs; it might just be slightly more compact.

Levaix wrote:I unfortunately don't have any experience with the models you're asking about.

However, as always I'm a huge proponent of the old East German B&S 101 stencils. They are full sized contrabass tubas but handmade from very light sheet brass. Most are in BBb, but you do occasionally see them in CC (albeit with the "CC tax" in full effect). I believe bloke actually sold one of these in the recent past. (I just weighed my 4v BBb by holding it and stepping on a bathroom scale and it's roughly 18 pounds. Not sure how much your Mack weighs in comparison.)

The Rudy Meinl 3/4 is also a favorite of many. I can't recall how much that one weighs; it might just be slightly more compact.

I owned a 3/4 Rudy for many years, and it is more like a 4/4 than a 3/4, although it was not that heavy. Not unwieldy either, although a 184 or Mack 3/4 CC would be much smaller and maneuverable and probably lighter.

But the Rudy sound makes it exceptional. And it can sing. It’s the one tuba I wish I still had more than any.