Bort's Rudy Meinl 5/4 BBb (it is here!)

[bort2.0]

Oh, I think I might have an idea...

Something different from what we talked about the other day

[bort2.0]

He's not doing a bell swap or front bell conversion, is he?

Good question... Nothing wild, just repairs to the instrument.

[Crymzon1980]

Maybe a Miraphone PythonTuba in BBb ?

[bort2.0]

Maybe a Miraphone PythonTuba in BBb ?

No (mine is going to be in CC).

[bloke]

…you mean like Elvis ??

[bort2.0]

…you mean like Elvis ??

Not sure what you're talking about...

[bloke]

Of course you’re not.



…a nice rendition of CC, introduced by Walt Johnson

[Stryk]

OK, my last guess. If not a new 163, it must be a 4/4 Rudy.

[Oedipoes]

OK, my last guess. If not a new 163, it must be a 4/4 Rudy.

4/4 Rudy BBb?

[bort2.0]

Sure you don't want just ONE more guess, @Stryk?

[bort2.0]

OK, my last guess. If not a new 163, it must be a 4/4 Rudy.

4/4 Rudy BBb?

Wanna take one more guess?

[Oedipoes]

OK, my last guess. If not a new 163, it must be a 4/4 Rudy.

4/4 Rudy BBb?

Wanna take one more guess?

5/4BBb ?

[bort2.0]

@Oedipoes is the winner!

It's a Rudy Meinl 5/4 BBb.

It's from the 1950s/1960s, and marked with a badge for "Reisser, Ulm - Donau" instead of the typical Rudolf Meinl engraving (which started around 1969). Reisser was a music store in Ulm on the Donau (aka Danube river) that sold and distributed the tubas at the time. Probably a pretty early piece of Rudy Meinl history, and while there are a few differences between it and the current Rudy 5/4 that is made today... Lee says that it's really pretty much the same. Uwe used to have a section about Reisser on his website, but I don't see it anymore... I emailed him, but no reply yet.

In the shop for some bell/kranz attention, so I don't have a photo of it fully assembled. Otherwise, everything else is in really good shape and needs very little attention.

Is it March yet?

[bort2.0]

Ok, I did have a few "before" photos. I've never seen the horn in-person, so I can't say much more about it.

[Stryk]

@Oedipoes is the winner!

It's a Rudy Meinl 5/4 BBb.

HOLY CRAP! The only Rudy I ever played is a 4/4 - which was HUGE! I would imagine the 5/4 would likely be bigger than most 6/4!! Congrats! I wanna see pictures and the whole story!

[Rick Denney]

@Oedipoes is the winner!

It's a Rudy Meinl 5/4 BBb.

HOLY CRAP! The only Rudy I ever played is a 4/4 - which was HUGE! I would imagine the 5/4 would likely be bigger than most 6/4!! Congrats! I wanna see pictures and the whole story!

A 5/4 Rudi is the standard "kaiser", in my view. It's not quite as fat as a 6/4 Yorkophone. My HBS-193 is just about as big as the Rudi 5/4.

Here is Ray Grim's Rudi 5/4 C next to my Holton Bb. His would be a couple of inches taller, probably, were it in Bb, but maybe not. Certainly the upper bow would be higher on the bell stack. But the Holton is still a bit fatter in the half of the bugle (at least) closest to the bell.



Rick "everything Rudi makes is about a half-size larger than what we are used to" Denney

[bort2.0]

@Oedipoes is the winner!

It's a Rudy Meinl 5/4 BBb.

HOLY CRAP! The only Rudy I ever played is a 4/4 - which was HUGE! I would imagine the 5/4 would likely be bigger than most 6/4!! Congrats! I wanna see pictures and the whole story!

Thanks! I have only tried the Rudy 5/4 CC before, which was very large but surprisingly easy to play. I sort of wish the one I got was in CC, but I have no problem with this one being in BBb. After so many years of trying to find the best large rotary CC option for me, and basically exhausting those possibilities, it's good to open the door to the BBb side and give this a try.

It's going to be big.

I hope I love it.

There is only one way to find out!

[Tubajug]

I'm going to jump on the Rudy train too.

Edit: I posted without refreshing from the last time I read this. Looks like I was right! Congrats bort!

[humBell]

Reisser! That was the name i was trying to recall... (mildly confounded with Riesen as in here: viewtopic.php?t=3136) When i couldn't quite remember it, i just thought of it as a Grandpa (Opa?) Rudy, even if that isn't entirely accurate.

Thanks!

And glad the bag no longer contains a cat, so i need be less cautious about revealing privileged info.

[bort2.0]

Reisser! That was the name i was trying to recall... (mildly confounded with Riesen as in here: viewtopic.php?t=3136) When i couldn't quite remember it, i just thought of it as a Grandpa (Opa?) Rudy, even if that isn't entirely accurate.

Thanks!

And glad the bag no longer contains a cat, so i need be less cautious about revealing privileged info.

And so everyone isn't totally confused, "Roadtrip Rob" was the tuba taxi that dropped off the Rudy in Iowa and the Besson in Minnesota. Again Rob, very grateful for your help, and to avoid shipping for these and the Alexander.

Side note... I believe that Reisser is still in business today in Ulm, Germany. The city of New Ulm, MN is like 90 mins from here. I should take my tuba there some day for a very obscure visit.