Posted by js on August 05, 2003 at 21:55:42:
in brass instrument dimensions move here and there from decade to decade. Now, there are some many folks playing and so many "schools" of playing this or that instrument that no matter what is made, someone is likely to buy it. However, trends still exist.
The French horn community is slowly moving away from the woof-ball/Kruspe/huge bell throat/Conn 8D sound in favor of clearer more defined sounds and smaller bell throats.
Does anyone predict when tuba tastes might eventually sway away from the post-1970's woof-ball tastes (btw: guilty as charged here as well) and back towards clearer sounds? With Yamaha getting into the act with their quiet development of yet another B.A.T., I doubt if the current trend has yet peaked.
Perhaps the current trend will never subside(??)...since the B.A.T. "look" (actual physical appearance) has such a "Harley Davidson" appeal to tuba players?