Posted by js on May 30, 2002 at 20:39:11:
In Reply to: The very smallest posted by Mary Ann on May 30, 2002 at 09:40:48:
I have a friend who lives in Brevard, NC - is probably about 50 yrs. old, might have attended Curtis, has an impressive brass instrument collection - who, while in Europe, had a very special version of a Miraphone 184-CC built.
Instead of the normal very tall 184 bell, he had Miraphone (or maybe someone else) install a Kaiser (w-a-y oversize) Euphonium bell. This euphonium bell was so fat that it fit into the Miraphone 184 tuba's bottom bow, and flared out to about 12-1/2 or 13 inches. To make up the lost length (as the euphonium bell was the customary length of a euphonium bell section), he had a custom mouthpipe built for this tuba which added back the necessary length. It plays in tune about as well as a regular 184 and fits easily into a hiking backpack.