B&S Apollo II F Tuba - New Pictures added

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Kontrabasstuba
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B&S Apollo II F Tuba - New Pictures added

Post by Kontrabasstuba »

Hi,

for a friend i will post a great tuba!
B&S Apollo II F-Tuba
Pictures here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3p52s6i7vbxa ... tosna?dl=0

This Instrument was played by a Professional Tubaplayer. Will be complete serviced before shipping.
Remove dents and valves will be cleaned!
Price is 4200 Euro OBO plus shipping (with DHL around 150/200 Euro)

Please give me a mail if you are interested!
danielridder (at) web (dot) de
Last edited by Kontrabasstuba on Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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matt g
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba

Post by matt g »

Nice! That’s the Mel Culbertson F tuba. It’s a big boy!

Specs if anyone is interested:

Graduated bore: 19-21mm (0.748-0.827")
Bell diameter: 480mm (19") 450mm (17.7”)
Height: 98cm (38-1/2")
F-Tuba "Mel Culbertson B&S-Apollo" 4100
6 rotary valves (4+2),
Double Unibal linkages,
Gold lacquer finish
Dillon/Walters CC (sold)
Meinl-Weston 2165 (sold)
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bort2.0
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba

Post by bort2.0 »

matt g wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:53 pm Nice! That’s the Mel Culbertson F tuba. It’s a big boy!

Specs if anyone is interested:

Graduated bore: 19-21mm (0.748-0.827")
Bell diameter: 480mm (19")
Height: 98cm (38-1/2")
F-Tuba "Mel Culbertson B&S-Apollo" 4100
6 rotary valves (4+2),
Double Unibal linkages,
Gold lacquer finish
Important distinction here -- is this the 480mm bell version or the 450mm bell version (<-- I'm thinking smaller, since it's Apollo II, not Apollo)?

Those earlier large bell Apollo F tubas were... not the best. Intonation was all over, and truly, an enormous F tuba (easily the size of a rotary CC tuba). Playing it to sound like an F tuba wasn't fun, and playing it as a contrabass tuba wasn't great either. As I understand it, Mel Culbertson designed it, and it made sense when using it in tandem with the Neptune tuba (an enormous CC tuba). A case where it worked for him, but not so much for others. After the original Apollo flopped, it was sent back and redesigned to have a smaller diameter bell and other improvements. A much better tuba, which still never became popular as compared to the other B&S F tuba offerings that have been great all along.

All that to say... it's very pretty, and if a it was owned and played professionally in Germany, that probably counts for quite a lot. With access to EVERYTHING F-tuba... to choose and use this one, it must be pretty good.

Not trying to knock the tuba Daniel, just trying to add some context and information. :tuba:
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba

Post by matt g »

@bort2.0, good point. I’m guessing based on the OP and the photos (since the 480mm bell looks almost comical), that this is the 450mm bell Apollo II as stated.

Since the smaller bell (based on the scant amount of reviews available) seems to have improved this horn greatly, I wonder if the throat is different as well?
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Kontrabasstuba
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba

Post by Kontrabasstuba »

Thank you gentlemen. I have add a new photo. It's a Apollo 4100 II
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bloke
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba

Post by bloke »

Image

unicorn...ie. "rarely seen"

:smilie8:
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba - New Pictures added

Post by bort2.0 »

Case or bag?

How is DHL shipping to the US right now? I've heard things, but no personal experience from Germany to the US ...

A beautiful tuba to see! For sure the F tuba version of the Neptune CC!
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba - New Pictures added

Post by Kontrabasstuba »

bort2.0 wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:39 pm Case or bag?

How is DHL shipping to the US right now? I've heard things, but no personal experience from Germany to the US ...

A beautiful tuba to see! For sure the F tuba version of the Neptune CC!
DHL is still shipping to US. But need some time.
DHL Express is around 300 Euro from Germany to US
Last edited by Kontrabasstuba on Thu Feb 25, 2021 12:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba - New Pictures added

Post by Kontrabasstuba »

bort2.0 wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:39 pm Case or bag?
Comes with soft bag!
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Re: B&S Apollo II F Tuba - New Pictures added

Post by bloke »

congrats!

...sold in Europe ?
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