Posted by 186 and 188 on April 13, 2003 at 07:58:13:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Mirafone Madness!! posted by Newman on April 11, 2003 at 19:10:10:
The nickel silver band is not always thinner on the 188 but has been for a while. They do make 188's and 187's with the wider nickel silver bands. The 187's and 188's usually have the narrowernickel silver band on the bell.
The best way to tell them is that the 188 and a shorter wider lower wrapped section and the bell has a wider throat and gets wider all the way to the end of the bell. The bows get gradually wider as well, the bore size is the same. The 186 has a narowwer wrapped section and is therefore taller. If you put the bell up and put them side to side you will see the shorter wrapped section immediately.