Posted by Klaus on August 24, 2000 at 15:18:40:
In Reply to: Re: Sovereign or Yamaha? posted by Mike Ross on August 23, 2000 at 18:00:18:
To be honest I have not tried an old Imperial Eb since 30 years ago. I only remember it as easily playable, even if it was my first try on a tuba, when I filled in at a rehearsal. I played bassbone then.
At that time it was used in 3 or 4 of our symphony orchestras, in some cases with a wider bell mounted later on.
That said I have to add that the ugliest tuba playing I ever heard was done such an instrument. If overblown it really breaks up. The offender was a very clever amateur player.
The personal aspect of tuba buying should be emphasised. Use your brain for planning and research, but use your heart for the final decision.
For some years I had owned a Conn 26K Eb sousa, which I mostly used for Claude Gordon style warm-ups intended to enhance my bassbone and euph low range.
When I went for a good F or Eb tuba I made some math calculations to find out, which valve system would give me the most notes that could be expected to be in tune without slide pulls during playing situations.
The 4 valve compensating system came out as the best choice, as only F and E natural just above the pedal could be expected to be sharp.
I had 3 models to choose from: Besson 983 and YEB 631 in one store and a Besson 981 in another store. (The Besson 982 was not taken into consideration).
The 983 was very good, but not the real thing for me, as it was to lean and elegant in sound for my fundamental wishes.
The 631 was better in bore, but far too light in material strength for my way of playing. Which was fully consistent with the advertising done by Yamaha. Other players like that. I don’t.
When I tried the 981, it was like a revelation to me. Full, open, alive, dark, in tune. For some reasons I could not buy the tested specimen. The one I got 3 months later was even better. My single complaint is that the main tuning slide is very short. Which probably has some well founded acoustical reasons.
Back to the old Imperial Eb: Would I buy such one?
If the price to appearance ratio was OK, and if it could be played as is, then probably yes. Because I am no so happy about bringing the 981 to any street concerts. If I found such an old Imperial, then I might have a spare leadpipe from a 981 mounted on it. (The reason for that can be read in another posting of mine on this thread).
During the wait for my 981, I had a 700 series Besson Eb on loan. Bell and all branches are similar to the 981/982 models only it is not compensating. The leadpipe is the same as on the 982 I guess. That instrument was better for me than the alternative YEB 321, but it had some funny notes that hyper-resonated or broke up early. Top line Ab was the most prominent sample.
I talked to a B&H person at the factory about that. He told that the reason that nothing like that happened on the compensated models, was the compensating system. Even if that system not was applied in playing these mid to upper range notes.
The reason for that was alone the added weight of the longer pistons and of valve casings (plus the added loops) did help to stabilise the acoustical system of the compensated models.
I think that the heavy gauge brass of the old Conn sousas has the same effect on those instruments.
Long once more, but I really tried to tell about some considerations of getting instruments suiting me. Others of course could have other ideas.
(My mpc on my Eb and BBb basses is a PT-50 with a custom enlarged backbore).
Klaus