What is the Best EEb?

[LeMark]

Tried it. Too out of tune to be considered a legit option. Too bad. They tried to hybrid a cross between a miraphone starlight and the Norwegian star, and it just didnt work.

[LargeTuba]

I wonder if you used a Miraphone Bore profile and leadpipe, if it would improve intonation? I'd really like a rotary Eb without having to drop $12,500.

You could also attempt to buy some Miraphone bows and replace the ones on the Dunabe.

[donn]

Isn't it the "Dabenu"?

[bloke]

Isn't it the "Dabenu"?

the best reckoning that I can manage to reckon:
either "Donau" or "多瑙河"

==========================
...and - just as a barely-almost-not-at-all-related-to-the-topic-at-hand "blast from the past"...

...the venerable "Cb tuba":

[York-aholic]

Just to throw this thread off the rails: I still can't figure out how you made the roller-coaster crook coming out of the fifth valve...

[bloke]

Just to throw this thread off the rails: I still can't figure out how you made the roller-coaster crook coming out of the fifth valve...

"Those who can't, teach...??"

[Mary Ann]

Tried it. Too out of tune to be considered a legit option. Too bad. They tried to hybrid a cross between a miraphone starlight and the Norwegian star, and it just didnt work.

Just for the record, I tried the Starlight and would never buy one of those. It just didn't play for me.
Used NStars do come up now and then in the neighborhood of $6k; that's what I paid for mine (and sold it for,) and there was recently another that showed up at that general price. I did not have the air for the low range on mine but where I played, I rarely needed that range. I have never tried to hold up a concert band on tuba; way too good on horn to bother with that struggle.

[Doc]

I believe that choosing an E-flat has to do with what one plans to do with it.

(revisiting this thread)
Exactly. And those plans are different for everyone. This is why I haven't taken any interest in a Norwegian Star, HB, MW 2040, etc., despite being nice-playing tubas. I have an F tuba to make that kind of sound. Since I'm not an "Eb Player," I don't have some inherent need to play an Eb tuba just for the sake of staying in my home key of Eb. My interest in Eb is related to sound - reasonably wide bell, piston valves, somewhere between a British sound and a vintage American sound, facility, and purpose - brass band, maybe quintet (if I continue trying to read Eb), solo stuff, maybe some dixieland - if it ever comes along. And Christmas brass music, but that's rare as hen's teeth around here, so it can't be a consideration.

Doc (trying to find justification everywhere he can )

[humBell]

I have on occasion played with a group that teaches their music to new comers by copying valve fingerings.

So if i ever use an Eb for that, i will be sure to bring a compensating 4th valve and a tab i can flick to hold it down so i can treat it as a BBb so as not to confuse other BBb players that copy my fingerings...

[LargeTuba]

What's the most German F sounding Eb tuba on the market then?

[LeMark]

Norwegian Star would be the one I would say

[Doc]

What's the most German F sounding Eb tuba on the market then?

I second Mark’s motion for the Norwegian Star

And the most Eb-sounding F tuba?

MW2250

[bloke]

What's the most German F sounding Eb tuba on the market then?

I second Mark’s motion for the Norwegian Star

And the most Eb-sounding F tuba?

MW2250

https://www.jpmusicalinstruments.com/pr ... iston-tuba

[Vegasbound]

For me it’s the Edgware made 981

[Mary Ann]

Although certainly not in the contest for "best" Eb, I still want to try a Bombino and see if I can manage it physically. I'm sure I can blow it; it's just the lifting AND I'd have to have the leadpipe angle changed. But I don't want to pay shipping to find out in 30 seconds it ain't gonna work. Already did that once with Wessex with a BBb and they were not happy with me.

[Yadent]

Um, I own one of those derided Wessex 'Dubabes'. For the last 5 years, it has done what I wanted it to do perfectly well.....aside from some slightly noisy rotors. From British brass band, to selected quartets-quintets, to concert band. The 'Dubabe' horn I own was the lacquered, slightly smaller belled DEMO Wessex was using in the US. Being the DEMO, maybe slightly better construction due to first impressions, best first foot forward sort of thing? Dunno, just works when needed. Is it my go to horn? Nope. My previous Willson 3400 was, now the Besson 983 is. The Wessex doesn't work with symphony, not nearly broad enough and too bright. No way could it carry a concert band singularly. The Willson could do it all. Too bad it was so damn heavy. I will admit, the horn I REALLY miss though, is my Yamaha 381. My first REAL tuba. First love and all..........

[kingrob76]

What's the most German F sounding Eb tuba on the market then?

I second Mark’s motion for the Norwegian Star

And the most Eb-sounding F tuba?

MW2250

https://www.jpmusicalinstruments.com/pr ... iston-tuba

in a not-so-silent nod to this particular JP F tuba, you rarely see them up for sale used - an indicator that people who own them really like them.

[bloke]

A very young customer (kolij) bought a used JP PT-15 copy, and was disturbed by the learning curve. They traded it in to me on the JP 2250 copy, and they’re happy. I sold the JP PT-15 copy to a middle-aged accomplished professional player, who is also very happy.

[Mary Ann]

Stealing the thread, which is pretty well used up anyway.

Seems to be that old difference between rotary and piston F tubas, which I haven't seen discussed enough to stick in my head the "why" the pistons don't seem to tie average players in knots the same as the rotors do. I remember way back before my first F tuba, a local guy was selling a 3/4 piston F and I found I could play it, (Wilson, I think? did they long ago make a 3/4 F piston?) but he had commissioned it to someone to sell on ebay and it disappeared before I could buy it. Someone tell me again why the response is so different for the same bugle length and the difference apparently being how far it is from the mouthpiece to the valves....closer or farther from the mouthpiece to the valves, and then there was that guy who dropped his mouthpiece on his rotary F and suddenly did not have to struggle with the low range apparently due to a new formerly-missing node. I did learn to play the low range on my MW 182 F (and at this point in time wish I had it back, but that is certainly history now)....but it never felt good, always felt funny, which to me says I never really actually got it all the way.

Continuing to steal the thread....I just don't see tubas for sale like I used to. I keep looking for models I used to own, like the MW 182 F, the MF 184 CC, (and I don't expect to see NStars out there, but I still look) .. and wonder, what has happened to tuba sales? Is it that the Far East tubas are so ubiquitous now that you can't find the Euro ones any more? I would have no trouble getting another MW 182 F, if one showed up, although I now much prefer an Eb. I remember what I sold mine for, which was somewhat below market but not screamingly so, and yikes nothing is available in that range any more, even the Far East ones.

[bloke]

- A few rotary F tubas are easily played in tune.
- Very few piston F tubas are easy to play in tune.

I liken most piston F tubas - intonation wise - to most any 6/4 size C or B-flat tuba.
Owners/users tend to talk about the sound, and not the tuning. If you ask them why they like pistons, they start talking about C and B-natural… …It’s reminiscent of when you ask someone why they voted for a very unpopular ruler, and they then begin to talk about the person who ran against them.

bloke “ha-ha…just joking… ”