Horns at IET

[Billy M.]

This past week was a fantastic dive into tuba playing of all types at the International Euphonium and Tuba Festival in Atlanta, GA.

The last 2 days we had vendors from reputable companies and I got to try a plethora of things. In particular, Buffet Crampon (Besson/B&S/MW), Eastman, and Yamaha were represented. There were also multiple mouthpiece companies as well (Robert Tucci, Laskey, Giddings, Mercer & Barker).

Special shout out to @chite from Buddy Rogers Music for doing a quick fix on my Packer F tuba.

In no particular order, here were the horns that I remember on display:

B&S -
MRP-C Rotor
MRP-C Piston/prototype
International C
MRP-F

Meinl Weston -
Baer (Production model)
2250
Thor

Adams -
6/4 C
Piston F

Eastman -
836
832
866F
825V

Yamaha
623 4/4 C

Lots of stuff to check out. Here are my thoughts on what I try:

B&S MRP-CC rotor - Nice instrument. Kind of diffuse sound. Mine is subjectively better - more direct sound, better response, intonation a little easier.

MPR-CC Piston - lots of good things including the way it played. Couple things still seem off for it, resonance missing from a couple notes... or at least it felt that way. I've never been a fan of the long reach to get to the pistons on a PT6 and this is the same thing. However, this will be a genuine competitor as a non-York CC against all the York copies once it's ready for market.

MRP-F - generally not a piston guy, but could easily get used to playing one as my F tuba and still maintain the German F sound and have a solid low C, Db, and D.

International CC - A genuine surprise. Played well, easy to manage in all registers. Nothing stood out as genuinely odd or awkward. Great buy for the price.

MW Baer - Nice tuba and someone will own it soon, I'm sure. Just not my cup of tea. Mr. Baer can make it work, I can't or just don't want to put in that type of work.

2250 - An Eb pitched in F. Fun horn, but not what I think for an F tuba. Prefer a German F tuba sound and not to blur the lines between a contrabass tuba and a bass tuba

Thor - Same thing it has been: Good horn with that 'hammer' sound. Never quite been what I've wanted in tuba sound.

Eastman 836 - Sold before I could try it. Since I'm not in need of something this big, not a big loss to me. They play good and each have their quirks, I don't think I missed anything.

832 - Nice sized 4/4 with a pillowy sound. Would be a great horn for someone wanting to move to a CC that can do everything. Big enough to cover larger orchestras without too much push

866 F - Played better than my Packer F but not better than the MRP-F. Low range spoke better than my Packer but I bought a few mouthpieces that brought it closer in line. This horn responded more quickly and easier to softer dynamics.

825V - Since my CC plays and sounds someone like a big BBb, I didn't spend any time with it. A couple friends said they liked it.

Adams 6/4 CC - If I were looking for a 6/4 horn, this would be at the top of my list. Distinctive sound in all registers, very responsive for a big horn and could be super soft or loud almost effortlessly. A few quirks but par for the course with a handmade 6/4.

Adams F - Great horn, somewhere between an Eb and F in sound. I think I'd have to do a face off between it and the MRP-F in a separate room to see which would come out on top.

Yamaha 623 CC - Wow. This horn is ridiculously good. Best horn of show for me. The dual main tuning slide system is cool (you have to see it, sorry, I took no pics). I would make only a few changes to this horn (change the finger buttons to something a little smaller off the top of my head). Not what I need in my arsenal right now, but if I were looking for the 4/4 piston CC I'd be hard pressed to find something better.

[MikeMason]

Thanks Billy! Could you compare b&s international,Eastman 832, new Yamaha? Seem to look quite similar. Seem to hit right at the “ c tuba for college “ crowd,the Yamaha price tag notwithstanding.

[Sousaswag]

Thanks for writing this! I always enjoy reading what different people think about different horns.

I agree 100% with the MRP F. I wouldn’t even touch the Eastman or Packer F’s if I had MRP money.

I’d love to try the piston MRP. Seems like it will also fill the high-quality big horn role that the rotor one does, but won’t cost Nirschl-York money.

As you all know, I owned the rotor MRP. Really still like those horns. I think I like the Baer better. I’m curious what you didn’t like about it- In general I’ve thought it’s about the most in-tune big tuba I’ve played aside from the MRP. Certainly better for me than the York copies.

Adams- I generally like their tubas, but they’re priced way out of most of our budgets. I’d almost always pick something from Buffet before them even if prices were matched.

[Billy M.]

Thanks Billy! Could you compare b&s international,Eastman 832, new Yamaha? Seem to look quite similar. Seem to hit right at the “ c tuba for college “ crowd,the Yamaha price tag notwithstanding.

The B&S International is a Chinese remake of the Nirschl designed Besson 995. It retains the same .748 bore so popular with the B&S/MW cluster. The 832 with its slightly smaller bore made it seem a bit more nimble. Both have the pancake bell that give them the broader, poofier sound. Similar intonation characteristics from what I remember between 'elephant calling' times. I still wonder what would happen if they put the smaller bore cluster of the 832 on the 836.

The wrap of the Yamaha is a little different and the accessible secondary tuning slide which is further in the horn and in a way larger part of the bugle didn't seem to affect in terms of intonation or blow. The valves were amazing on it (excluding the oversized finger buttons). The response on the horn was so much more immediate than either of the other two, didn't require any work to get it to speak, and had just enough resistance to get the lowest range to have color (and burn if needed) without getting barky or feel like you were blowing into a brick wall. It played plenty big and the sound was clear and defined.

[Billy M.]

Thanks for writing this! I always enjoy reading what different people think about different horns.

...

As you all know, I owned the rotor MRP. Really still like those horns. I think I like the Baer better. I’m curious what you didn’t like about it- In general I’ve thought it’s about the most in-tune big tuba I’ve played aside from the MRP. Certainly better for me than the York copies.

What I had to do to get it to do what I wanted is just something I wasn't familiar (comfortable?) with. I mean, I sounded like me on all the horns but this one needed a different approach for the same result. Every tuba has an owner, best I can tell, and in the right hands, I'm sure it'll be just fine. My hands just won't be the ones it'll be in for that.

With everything there, my MRP is still the best horn for what I'm doing. I've generally jokingly said that if Miraphone had put out a true 5/4 rotor CC with the intonation of a 188 and a larger but still distinctly classic Miraphone sound, I might've owned it instead of a B&S. But that's a discussion or another time.

[JC2]

I’d love to see a picture of the MRP-C piston prototype!

[bloke]

comment off to the side:

I'm wondering if tuba players would like holding and playing more models of tubas if more manufacturers designed or redesigned some of their models putting all of the fourth circuit tubing on the front off to the side, thus allowing the instrument to be slimmer - front to back.

...and I'm not referring to jamming stuff together made of available spare parts - such as with those 5xj Conn/King C tubas.