Posted by Matt G on August 04, 2002 at 15:00:36:
In Reply to: which tuba should I get?!?! posted by richie on August 04, 2002 at 04:00:53:
Your best bet is to go somewhere that has a lot of the horns you want to try. I know Dillon's usually has a good selection of both Meinl-Westons and Mirafone's and they usually have some VMI's also. I personally would look at the Mirafone 186/188 or a Meinl-Weston 2145/2155 or a 32 if you like rotary valves. All of these horns are very versatile and will give you a very effective "bang for the buck" ratio. You should go somewhere to try these out so that you can get an idea of the differences and also if they have some selection within models as one tuba can play in a different league from another, even though it is the same model. The VMI 5198 will probably be too large for your needs as it is a 6/4 tuba. You should aim for a 4/4 size horn to be as versatile as possible.
If you could continue using the school's 186 for a while, you could also buy a used F tuba to perform in brass quintet and other chamber/solo stuff for circa $3-4K and save your dollars for a CC tuba later when a good used horn comes up for sale. It is easier, in my opinion, to find a good CC than an F.
As always seek out a professional's advice as a $50 lesson can prevent a $5000 mistake. A knowledgeable pro has probably played on a lot of horns and knows the inherent differences between them.
Good Luck.
Matt G