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Today I was forced to get my old tuba out and practice for a rehearsal tomorrow evening. My Mirafone 186 took a tumble out of it's stand the other day. My heart stopped when I heard the crash. Crinkled the bell a good bit, but it's at the shop as I type, getting hammered back into shape. Anyway, in order to keep up with my sporadic practicing, I played the old tuba today. After an hour or so of playing it, I decided that with a few "minor " upgrades, I could play this thing everyday and make it my go to horn. All it would need would be an upright bell, some gentler valve springs, and an added fourth valve!!!

I like the sound, and it plays quite easily, and the intonation, to me, seems to be very good. I haven't played it in so long that I'd forgotten what it was like. The biggest problem is remembering that I only have three valves to work with. I keep pushing down on an imaginary fourth valve with the little finger.

I had been seriously considering selling it, but after today, I've changed my mind. And, although I was half joking about the "minor" upgrades, down the road a bit, I might consider actually making them....... depending on costs and practicality.

Any opinions?

I like my 1241 (modded by previous owner with a floating lead pipe and top 3d valve slide), and enjoy having an upright bell for straight gigs and recording bell for jazz. It’s a good enough horn that I’m not highly motivated to spend a lot of money for something better. Realistically, there are enough used 1241s to be had for low enough prices that if you are patient, buying a good used 1241 and selling the 1240 might make more sense, though used 1240s are much cheaper than 1241s. Depends on how cheap you can find parts and the skill to assemble them (or how much you are able to and/or enjoy doing it yourself,)

Great tuba. Keep it, shorten slides 1 and 3 and flip slide 1 so you can adjust while playing, and you've got a great horn that should handle 99% of your daily playing needs.

And then sell me your 186 for a couple bucks. Deal?

Paulver wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:37 pm I like the sound, and it plays quite easily, and the intonation, to me, seems to be very good. I haven't played it in so long that I'd forgotten what it was like. The biggest problem is remembering that I only have three valves to work with. I keep pushing down on an imaginary fourth valve with the little finger.

I had been seriously considering selling it, but after today, I've changed my mind. And, although I was half joking about the "minor" upgrades, down the road a bit, I might consider actually making them....... depending on costs and practicality.

I had a 2340 which is basically the same horn. (But 1st valve slide is up top). I played mostly concert band music and rarely found the lack of a fourth valve a problem. Intonation was good and I never found the need for alternative fingerings.

If your "upgrades" are necessary, I would suggest just getting a 12/2341 with an upright bell. The cost of adding another valve to the 1240, flipping the slides around and adding an upright bell might be more than the price difference between selling the 1240 and buying a 12/2341. I sold my 2340 when I bought a 186 and bought a 1241 later when I wanted to have a bigger horn than the 3/4 horn I played after the 186 got sold.

Half of my concert band concerts are outdoors and I would like a forward bell for those events but am not desperate to have one soon. If one comes up at the right price, I'd probably go for it. I'd get a fabric cover for it and have the name of the band printed on it. Or maybe my own name on it like the drummers do.

If getting the 186 fixed doesn't break the bank and you don't need to sell the 1240 to pay bills, I'd consider just keeping it and taking it out and playing it more often. If the difference between the 1240 and a 12/2341 with an upright bell are worth it to you and you can find a way to afford it, get one. (You can afford lots of stuff if you get over the idea of needing something new and shiny with no dents in it. A 1241 with some dents and a tad bit ugly will cost you anywhere from $1500 to $2500. Remember: the tuba section sits at the back of the band and no one but the tuba section knows your horn has dents and is ugly. You play in tune and on time and you are golden. The other tuba players don't care because they like you because you play in tune and on time. If you didn't, they would have ridden you out of town on a rail by now.) As you are finding, it's kinda nice having an acceptable horn sitting in the wings to be used when you need it.

Arp!!........

..........or No Deal!!

As suggested, I'm gonna keep it out and play it more. It's much easier to center the tones on it, the response is nice and easy, I don't tire as fast, and I need to get used to the 1-3 valve combination again for low C & F. I can't tell you how many times I pressed down my little finger and there was nothing there. That really screws up the scale-wise fingering patterns!!