Re: buying horns for high schools


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Posted by Brian Paul on June 25, 1999 at 17:01:47:

In Reply to: buying horns for high schools posted by Dave Zerkel on June 25, 1999 at 14:16:40:

Buy the best tubas the school can afford. If the school has a 6 figure band budget, they might be able to get some amazing horns.If they have a $6000 budget they have few options.

If I were to consider buying a BBb tuba for myself I would look at the following:
Rudy Meinl 4/4 thru 6/4 sizes,
Mirafone 186, 187, and 191 (S-series and regular),
Meinl Weston Kaiser Model and Model 25,
Besson 993,
VMI 3302 and 3301,
Cerveny 693,
Yamaha YBB-621,and,of course,
the various Hirsbrunner models.

SInce I would buy a BBb for playing in bands, I would look at the Rudy 5/4 and the 6/4,
the kaiser tubas by Meinl Weston, Hirsbrunner, and Cerveny, and the VMI's.
However, I cannot think of an instance where a high school band would need several players on large BBb horns,especially given the proclivities of youth.

Don't count the Yamaha because,thought reputable,it might not cut it in a large ensemble.
The Cerveny's metal is too thin to survive rough school use.

So with those things in mind,I will say that the Mirafone,especially the S-191 would be first on my list.Then the Besson and then the 4/4 Rudy.






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