Re: Walt Zeiss Tubas


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Posted by Leland on March 12, 1999 at 12:20:45:

In Reply to: Walt Zeiss Tubas posted by James on March 11, 1999 at 21:22:27:

I have a Czech-built "Master Modelle" Zeiss, but I hardly know much about its history. What I have heard was via this BBS and tubaeuph, and I've been told that quite a number of them were imported as low-cost ($900 or cheaper) school horns up through the early 70's. Mine was a HS tuba in its former life, so that seems reasonable. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a stencil horn, either (hey, if Radio Shack and Sears can do it, why not instrument builders? :-) ).

It does have a h-u-g-e bore (still the largest at my school!) through the valve section, but its flare isn't very big -- it finishes at about a 17" bell, with a decent-sized throat and a short flare at the end. It looks like the typical rotary-with-a-long-bell tuba.

Do I like it? You bet! It doesn't have the outright volume that would be needed sometimes, but the thickness of its sound is very nice (especially after I got the bell annealed -- see thread way below (can't remember the topic, though)). Tuning is pretty close, much closer than my friend's 186 for some odd reason. It responds tightly, and is plenty receptive to character tweaking. Definitely in its element as a "polka tuba" -- I may use it in jazz band for a song this semester. Its touch of dryness fits that role better than my 3302.

In general -- kinda like a St Pete, but I like the sound a little better (highly subjective thing to say), and it's built like a tank (not an opinion; that's a fact). If you find one, give it a blow. It might be just the thing for an extra horn for the theme park or whatever.

Seeya,
Leland


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