Červený CBB 603-4R (Piggy)

[hrender]

https://reverb.com/item/48456447-cerven ... gy-lacquer

[bloke]

Looks nice.
Instinctually, I would have to guess that they play better in tune than the C versions, but (getting real) I’ve never played a B-flat version.
Hey… I betcha it offers a good low F without a fifth valve.

[hrender]

That is a CC tuba

[hrender]

That is a CC tuba

I wondered about that, but I try not to second-guess the seller.

[bloke]

Thanks for setting me/us/whomever straight...
Now, I can stop wondering whether I should buy it...ie. "nope".

That is a CC tuba

[LeMark]

The model number makes it look like a BBb, it the description makes it sounds like a CC

The BBb versions of these are unicorns. People say they exist, but nobody has ever seen one. (835 bore and vertical tuning slide)

[hrender]

Yeah, should be listed as a CCB-603. I noticed it's branded Sanders Artist which Custom Music used to sell, correct?

[Casca Grossa]

Correct. For years Custom denied they were rebranded Cerveny tubas, which really chapped my hide. I don't like being lied to

[The Big Ben]

The description in the listing says "great first C tuba".

[bloke]

Correct. For years Custom denied they were rebranded Cerveny tubas, which really chapped my hide. I don't like being lied to

those types of lies:
When someone is so stupid as to believe they can pull off lies as transparent as those, it just tells me (well, again...) how stupid THEY are.
OTOH...As we've all seen, there are those who are actually stupid enough to embrace transparent lies (approx. 100% of those who vote - enthusiastically - for whomever).

unicorn:
I wonder if there are many to be found (either length, but - in particular - B-flat) close to where they were/(are?) made.
It seems as though the C-thing was barely sold anywhere other than the USA, though I did encounter an Australian Youth Symphony kid (back when I was probably 20 years old) who had one (in C).

(defacto) B-flat version:
St. Pete.

[DonO.]

I can state with certainty that the BBb version of the Piggy used to exist. I played one. I almost bought one, although
I did not intend to. I think it was early 1975. It was my freshman year of majoring in tuba at my college and still using a beat up school horn. My teacher made it plain that my first priority should be getting my own horn. So I was still shopping around. That year there was the Mid-East Band Conference in Pittsburgh (an attempt to duplicate the success of the Mid West) and Custom Music had a huge display of tubas. I brought my mouthpiece with me and played many. Of everything I tried I really liked the Cerveny BBb Piggy the best. I found it good sounding and oh so easy to play. Alas, I had no money, which was probably a good thing, because I was too ignorant to realize that the Piggy would not be an appropriate all purpose horn. But the gentleman who was helping me said he understood and would I mind filling out a form so I could be put on their mailing list. I said sure, why not? A couple of weeks later I got a letter in the mail with an invoice enclosed, saying that the new tuba I ordered would be ready for delivery soon. A frantic phone call solved the problem but the way they attempted to do business with me left a bad taste in my mouth. But I digress. I can personally attest to the fact that in early 1975 Custom Music was indeed in possession of at least one BBb Cerveny Piggy:

[LeMark]

Back then I think they closest thing they had to a piggy was the Cerveny Arion, which was piggy sized, but had a 795 bore and a horizontal tuning slide. Good tuba, which I had a vintage one.

[DonO.]

That being the case, either I was playing a CC Piggy and was mistakenly told it was BBb, or I was playing an Arion and was mistakenly told it was a Piggy.

[Casca Grossa]

There is a gentleman local to me that owns a BBb piggy. I see him playing gigs around town every so often. The first time I saw him play it was a Christmas tree lighting about 5 years ago. I asked him about it at that gig. I couldn't believe I had seen one in the wild.

Correct. For years Custom denied they were rebranded Cerveny tubas, which really chapped my hide. I don't like being lied to

My first tuba teacher had bought a Piggy CC from Custom Music back in the mid 80's. I found that horn funny because it had a diamond shaped Cerveny logo that was soldered over the engraved Sanders logo.