Posted by Dan Malcore on July 20, 2002 at 00:32:20:
In Reply to: Re: What BBb tuba is good? posted by Frank on July 19, 2002 at 13:43:00:
I played a Conn 20J in high school, and it wasn't until my senior year that I finally got a handle of the monster. With its gigantic sound, I loved playing the 20-J, and I've heard that they can be found at a reasonable price, which sounds like an issue, at least to the people making the decisions at your school.
This summer, I'm renting a King 2341, which is in comparable condition to the 20J, and although I have not yet fully gotten a handle of it, I have to recommend the King over the Conn. The King is responds more solidly, with less of a fluff, I guess, despite the fact that I am playing on a mouthpiece that really isn't comfortable for me. Another thing about the King is that the overall intonation doesn't seem to be as problematic. The 20J, in my experience, and from talking to other 20J players, tends to be flat from the F right under the staff to the BBb below that, and there are a few other quirks too, all of which are fairly correctable, with practice.
Most importantly, I'm recommending the King because the 20J is not the most versitile instrument, especially for soloing. It takes a lot of air to get great attacks with the horn, and that makes playing technical stuff somewhat difficult, at least for me. I am finding that the King demands less air to get a solid sound going, which is quite nice on a song like Air and Bouree, for me anyway.
If you band is looking for a big tuba with the sound to balance a large group, the 20J can definitely do that. I know exactly why Frank's 20J caused a sensation, as the Conn really does have a huge "american" sound. The Conn just isn't the best all-around horn; I really think the King's versitility makes it the better choice for the overall development of a serious college musician.
I'd recommend trying out some of those other horns listed, I know I'd love to. The Miraphone, the new Kings, and many of the others mentioned sound like they could be a lot of fun, and they could likely fit your school's needs, if it wants to pay the money.
Good luck,
Dan Malcore