Posted by Ken Sturgeon on August 03, 2000 at 06:58:59:
In Reply to: Ideas for tuba performance student!!!!!! posted by Donovan Suko on August 03, 2000 at 02:33:18:
Are you looking for a CC horn or are you sticking to BB flat? If you are going for a good all around CC tuba, I would recommend the Meinl Weston 32. It is a great horn that not many people talk about. 4/4 size, 5 rotory, .768 bore 17 1/2" bell. It is a surprisingly heavy tuba(Meinl Weston's brass is usually gauged pretty thick) and projects a thick solid sound that doesn't break up or start to sizzle and crackle like some other brands of the same configuration. Both Warren Deck and Sam Pilafian used this model tuba for the NY Philharmonic audition back in the late 70's. If you prefer piston valves and have about 8K to spend, the new MW2000 (patterned after 2155) is a very nice horn as well. I have owned in the past, MW2165 which I acquired from Jeff Funderburk, a B&S PT7P, an Alexander CC 5 rotor,(which I wish I still had) and a Miraphone 188. The "BAT" tubas I had were great for the large ensembles, but was a chore to tame down for quintet and small brass ensembles for me.
If you are stickin with BBflat, there are many good choices as well. Of the larger BBflats, Miraphone makes some good "Kaiser" tubas as well as Meinl Weston and Cervany. 4/4 BBflats are excellent all around horns as well. Check MW, Miraphone, VMI, Cervany, B&S, Willson, etc..they all make fairly good BBflats. The Getzen G50 is interchangable between a CC and BBflat and makes a good all around horn.
The choices and variety of tubas now a days are mixed blessing. Almost like choosing a favorite cereal or brand of multi-vitamin accept alot more expensive and much harder to switch if one doesn't work out. Before buying, what your teacher recommends and what matches best for you is most important. Take your time and don't be pushed into any hasty purchases by anyone, especially yourself. It's easy to get excited right away about a horn you are trying at the moment, but try as many as possible. Best of luck!
Ken "your dissertation response" Sturgeon