Posted by Lew on December 22, 2002 at 07:45:55:
In Reply to: Re: Tuba Returnee seeks Eb advice posted by Dan Schultz on December 22, 2002 at 00:30:51:
I too play in a community band, but find that we play many pieces that require playing as low as the low F, below the Bb you mention. Yes it is easy enough to just take it up an octave, but having a 4th valve on your Eb tuba to allow you play those notes easily would be useful. You can easily play any of these notes on a 3 valve BBb tuba. I believe that a 3 valve BBb tuba is the only 3 valve tuba that one could use for everything in a community band and not feel limited by it's range.
That said, the least expensive tuba that one will find, everything else being equal, will be a 3 valve Eb. Good ones are often available for as little as $500 or less. The difference in price between a 3 valve and 4 valve Eb seems to be much more than between 3 and 4 valve BBbs. Used 4 valve Eb tubas are also harder to find. Given all of this, and given that you prefer Eb to BBb, there's no reason not to start out on a 3 valve Eb. If you find it limiting you could keep an eye out for for a 4 valve Eb. In the mean time you will have something to play and won't have a lot of money out of pocket.