Posted by Alex C on December 31, 2002 at 16:08:35:
In Reply to: Re: Re: BAT-Specific Playing Techniques? Rick D? posted by Frank on December 31, 2002 at 08:01:07:
As far back as I can remember, American instrument companies referred to a tuba with a bell front as a "recording bass." In the early days of recording, one mike was set up for all to use so an upright bell would not get recorded well. You had to have a bell front for recording, ERGO "recording tuba."
To answer your question with definite ambiguity, the forward facing bell makes your Conn 2X-J a recording tuba. What you call it with the upright bell is dependent on whether you want to go with the manufacturer's advertisement of the 50's when they called it a concert bass or just call it a tuba and let it go at that.