Miraphone Eb Tuba For sale - SOLD

[York-aholic]

I have a 183 here (serial number 170x) and played around with one that my college owned (serial 170y). The school horn had its original mouthpiece (“Miraphone F/Eb” stamped on it) with a small shank.

I have an old York Eb mouthpiece (original to a York Monster Eb) that sort of fits. It nearly bottoms out with the bowl nearly touching the mouthpiece receiver.

I’ll take a set of calipers to the next rehearsal (June 1 as we have a concert tonight) and measure the original mouthpiece for you.

[gnimoyw]

Thanks for everyone for their thoughts.

I was able to measure the bore as @bloke suggested and it was right at 17mm on my calibers (the more I moved it around it varied from 16.9 to 17.1 but I assume 17 is the magic number), which suggests it might be one of these much older versions that a few people have mentioned.

On the large shank trombone mouthpiece - I have two here and they both fit exactly the same, going in about 3/8" into the horn so I assume one of the D. Wick mouthpieces wouldn't fit (I used to have one but sold it a few years ago along with another Eb I had). The mystery deepens...

[bloke]

That’s the bore size that I was thinking it was, but I didn’t want to state that size, because I couldn’t remember for sure.

Again, the receiver on those instruments is formed from the mouthpipe tube itself, and is simply covered up with a cylindrical tube - for reinforcement.

If a repair shop near you owns a pair of Jarno reamers (both trombone receiver range and tuba receiver range - one being 1/2 inch and larger, and the other being 1/2 inch and smaller - and serendipitously, this is how those reamers are offered for sale), they can actually ream out that receiver to the standard bass trombone shank size, even though it’s only made of tubing. They simply need to be careful.
Even though there are far fewer choices of tuba mouthpieces with that shank size, I really wouldn’t recommend (only my opinion) altering the instrument to accept anything as large as a standard shank mouthpiece.

observation:
That odd in-between shank size - between standard trombone and large shank trombone (aka “euphonium” size) - is not only something that was used in the UK. I’ve seen it on continental European instruments made in up into 1960’s… and of course Kurath uses it to this day.

[bort2.0]

and of course Kurath uses it to this day.

You know, I had written this and then deleted it... but my question was, is this the same (few mouthpieces are made this size) receiver that Willson uses with their euphs by default, unless you order it with a large receiver?

[bloke]

I’m pretty sure that the “euphonium” size receiver is still supplied with the 2900, whereas the 2950 features a large shank receiver.

Quite a few years years ago, I ordered a genuine 2950 receiver to install on my 2900. I’m pretty sure that the mouthpipe tubes themselves - on those two models - are the same, because the 2950 receiver fit snugly over the 2900 mouthpipe tube.

It has occurred to me that it’s possible to put any “euphonium“ size back bore inside a large shank, but it is not possible to put every large shank back bore into a “euphonium” size mouthpiece shank.

[gnimoyw]

Thanks @bloke and @bort2.0, good info on this horn. Now I just need to decide what to do - appreciate the help!

[gnimoyw]

Channeling my inner @bort2.0, I've decided this one is going to be part of the catch-and-release tuba program. I had really been on a hunt for a nice Yamaha 321, decided to buy this 183 when it popped up, and then @greenbean posted a really nice 321 just a day or two later. I bought the 321 this morning so I am going to move this 183 back along. I'll make a new "for sale" ad shortly but in case anyone still reading this thread is interested, send me a note. Just trying to recover my costs and still have all of the shipping materials from the original seller.

I would also consider partial trade for a Euphonium (maybe a Yamaha 321 or King 2280) but cash works just fine.

Thanks everyone!

[bort2.0]

Congrats, and there's no shame in that! Might be an even quicker sale than I've ever had! :)

What's the new location of the 183?

[gnimoyw]

Thanks - and good point, it now resides in the Denver area.

[jtm]

This time we'll remember to tag @Mary Ann

[Mary Ann]

Turns out MA has one in the works, courtesy of someone here. Should have it in a couple weeks, at which point I'll do the Big Reveal assuming it all occurs as planned.

[gnimoyw]

This time we'll remember to tag @Mary Ann

I actually messaged her directly first, wanted to be sure she had first crack at it!

[Mary Ann]

To continue the story, we had a quintet rehearsal this afternoon (I play euph on the tbone part; we are "recreational.")
The tuba player, who has the NStar I played that made me decide that was the perfect tuba for me, and who has been told that I'm getting another Eb (smaller one this time) -- said he KNEW I would get another tuba, that I "can't not" have a tuba. And is gung ho to start up another TE quartet. Willing to play the contra part on his NStar, happy to have me on the bass part that I like; the first TE4T I was in, I still had my MW 182 and played that in it. So we're off on the hunt to try to find two euph players willing to have at it on the funzie level. Wish us luck in that. TE quartets are some of the prettiest sounds out there. I wish Wade had TE quartets in his stable of arrangements. I could do arrangements but seem to have lost fervor for that level of effort.

[York-aholic]

Those things don’t play like English-style E flat tubas at all… more (to me) like an elongated small F tuba.
…and I’m thinking that they were made in two bore size it’s over the years, and that the later/larger bore size was the same as a couple of other models – 18mm.
I’m thinking that the really old ones - with a smaller bore size - also sported a small shank receiver.
Assuming the valves are good - and assuming that someone doesn’t expect it to play like a compensating E flat, someone’s going to really like this instrument.

I have one made in 1962 (serial number 170x) that is 18mm bore and ‘normal’ wound springs, so the smaller 17mm bore model didn’t last very long.

[gnimoyw]

I did get the calipers out and measure the mouthpiece and it’s 0.50”, so just a hair smaller than standard bass trombone shank size - which makes sense given that the bass trombone shanks I have both only go in 3/8”. I think the “medium euphonium” shank size is just about right. I’ll post a proper for sale ad on Tuesday as I just received the Yamaha 321 I bought and it’s great so this one’s got to go!