Midnight Miraphone, playing impressions

[MN_TimTuba]

New tuba alert!
So, after owning 1 tuba for over 30 years, I just purchased my 5 th tuba in 3 years. Is there any cure for this?
I'll post a photo when I get home, but last night at midnight I sent a text to the Horn Stash that I'd buy their old Miraphone 83, and within minutes received a personal text from one of their crew. Good service!
I'd recently sold my YBB-103, wanting something a bit larger for our Dixieland group, and bell front would be nice for all our outdoor gigs. I've also been interested in trying Eb just for fun. Several nice horns were presented to me, and then I got a message from @bort2.0 asking if I'd seen this Miraphone. It's an old 83, no finish but almost no dents, clock spring rotors, bell front, recently serviced, at a reputable retail store just a few miles from where we lived for 7 years, 9 hours from home. I texted with them during the day, made the purchase at midnight. Now I just need to plan that road trip!
Oh, and a nice bonus - these little community gigs more than paid for the horn, so no dipping into the family coffers!
Photos later, but for now you can rejoice with me!
Tim

M-83 Rear.jpg (2.86 KiB) Viewed 1863 times

M-83 Front.jpg (196.51 KiB) Viewed 1863 times

M-83 Bell.jpg (2.51 KiB) Viewed 1863 times

[bloke]

New tuba alert!
So, after owning 1 tuba for over 30 years, I just purchased my 5 th tuba in 3 years. Is there any cure for this?
I'll post a photo when I get home, but last night at midnight I sent a text to the Horn Stash that I'd buy their old Miraphone 83, and within minutes received a personal text from one of their crew. Good service!
I'd recently sold my YBB-103, wanting something a bit larger for our Dixieland group, and bell front would be nice for all our outdoor gigs. I've also been interested in trying Eb just for fun. Several nice horns were presented to me, and then I got a message from @bort2.0 asking if I'd seen this Miraphone. It's an old 83, no finish but almost no dents, clock spring rotors, bell front, recently serviced, at a reputable retail store just a few miles from where we lived for 7 years, 9 hours from home. I texted with them during the day, made the purchase at midnight. Now I just need to plan that road trip!
Oh, and a nice bonus - these little community gigs more than paid for the horn, so no dipping into the family coffers!
Photos later, but for now you can rejoice with me!
Tim

That's cool, Tim.
The really old ones featured small shank receivers, and the bore size was a step smaller than 18mm (maybe only 17mm...??)

[MN_TimTuba]

Joe,
Fortunately this one has already had an American shank sized receiver installed. I may be asking for mouthpiece recommendations after I try my few.
Tim

[Three Valves]

I hope I don't catch it!

[bort2.0]

Congratulations, Tim!

No clue why I remembered it! Until then, I was kind of hoping you'd buy the 3+1 version of my Martin that's at Dillon right now

I hope I don't catch it!

It's brutal! The only cure is "no money"

[MN_TimTuba]

Brett,
It was either that 3+1 Martin or Norm's silver York Master Eb, until the M-83 fell onto my lap. Norm's reply to me was, "Well, it's hard to out bid tubas from Heaven."
Tim

[LargeTuba]

I tried that horn. While your there try the 6/4 Cerveny CC they have. The Cerveny felt like the rotors weren't properly aligned so go give it your own shot.

The shop is right next to the future home of the Arlignton Bears...

Id be interested to hear about a York Master Eb? Ive never heard of such tuba.

Glad you got a new horn!

[MN_TimTuba]

Id be interested to hear about a York Master Eb? Ive never heard of such tuba.

Glad you got a new horn!

Contact Norm Epley. The photos did not clearly show the bell engraving, I'm just going by what he said it is. I'd not heard of an Eb Master either, but it was smaller than the Monster for sure and very nice.
Tim

[prairieboy1]

Rejoice, Indeed! Congratulations, that looks like a terrific horn!

[York-aholic]

I have a couple rotors from one of those, in case you decide you want a fifth valve.

[tofu]

.

[Three Valves]

The bell appears to be made of leather.

[windshieldbug]

Id be interested to hear about a York Master Eb? Ive never heard of such tuba.

York (B&M) did, in fact make 3 Master Ebs:

Eb Sousaphone Grande Master 51
Eb Recording Bass Master 78
Eb Upright Bass Master 52

[Mary Ann]

Have fun with that!!

[hrender]

It's always exciting to get a new horn! Horn Stash gets some interesting horns. I saw that horn a while back and have wondered about it. I'm very curious to hear how you like it over time.

[JRaymo]

Id be interested to hear about a York Master Eb? Ive never heard of such tuba.

Glad you got a new horn!

Contact Norm Epley. The photos did not clearly show the bell engraving, I'm just going by what he said it is. I'd not heard of an Eb Master either, but it was smaller than the Monster for sure and very nice.
Tim

I briefly owned two York master Eb tubas. One was top action bell up fixed and the other was as front action recording bell. They were small but both really played well.


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[MN_TimTuba]

Someone really needs to call Norm and buy that M-52 Eb Master.
By the way, I really am glad this Miraphone fits in the bag below with the modest-sized bell front attached!
Tim

Bag front 1.jpg (100.36 KiB) Viewed 1675 times

bag rear 2.jpg (100.09 KiB) Viewed 1675 times

[bloke]

A friend of mine - a Miraphile, who buys most anything Miraphone if he doesn't already have one, and as long as it's under $1,000 - picked up one of those roughly a year ago. I added a whole bunch of length to the #4 slide ferrules, and it still isn't enough. I'm going to have to figure out something else to do for him.

Likely, yours is set up better than his.

[Sousaswag]

I bought my first instrument from Horn Stash. Good people. A stone’s throw away from Chicago. Get yourself over to Paradise Pup in Des Plaines right next to Dana Hofer’s for the best burgers you’ll have!

[MN_TimTuba]

A friend of mine - a Miraphile, who buys most anything Miraphone if he doesn't already have one, and as long as it's under $1,000 - picked up one of those roughly a year ago. I added a whole bunch of length to the #4 slide ferrules, and it still isn't enough. I'm going to have to figure out something else to do for him.

Likely, yours is set up better than his.

It'll be a couple of weeks before I can pick it up, but I'll keep your advice in mind for sure.
Thanks, Joe!
Tim