Posted by Mary Ann on October 23, 2003 at 14:30:20:
In Reply to: WHICH F TUBA? posted by BIG PHIL on October 23, 2003 at 12:56:13:
Well, what you do want to use it for? Solo work? Small ensembles? Substitute for your C in high orchestra parts?
I love my little MW 182, stuffy low C and all. It has a gorgeous sound, especially up high, that keeps me playing it. It IS a learning curve to get a low C of most rotary F tubas. If you want an F that plays a lot like your C....my small experience would still suggest a MW SLP or the larger Yam 822 F. I know nothing about Willsons.
If you really want to learn a whole new instrument...I've played five different rotary F's; my 182, an older B&S Symphonie, a Meinl 4/4, an old 4-valve Amati, and a really old 6 valve MW F. The C's, in descending order of difficulty: MW6,182/Meinl (equal), Amati, B&S. None of them played like a piston. I hear the new Miraphones have got it much better but have not tried one.
Oh, I did playtest the Yam 621 piston; the C was there, like Rick says, but my hand did not like the pistons, and my ear was not that fond of the sound. Just as a comparative comment, the same relative note on my 184 CC, the G below that low C....is open and easy to play. If it was just a "rotary problem" you'd think that note would be stuffy too, but it is not.
As for intonation, I have not noticed any particular difficulties in F tubas, just differences from C tubas. Individual instruments vary so much that it is hard to generalize. The newer ones may be more consistent.
Advice worth exactly what you paid for it.
(Uh...and the usual: playtest.)
MA