Using an F tuba for everything

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
Forum rules
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
User avatar
bort2.0
Posts: 5258
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 1001 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by bort2.0 »

@Tubeast -- thanks for sharing. What is your latest acquisition?


Tubeast
Posts: 184
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2022 3:05 pm
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 46 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by Tubeast »

Bort, I thought no-one would ever ask... :smilie8:

A few weeks ago, I bought a nice brand new ADAMS Solo F.
The light-weight-version with .6 mm brass.

It comes with two very different leadpipes.
The "solo" one is for, well, solos.
The other one adds a lot more Oomph down low at the cost of a not-quite-as-easy access to high range.

Best F tuba I ever touched.
Yes, i am very proud :tuba:
User avatar
bort2.0
Posts: 5258
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 1001 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by bort2.0 »

Tubeast wrote: Mon Aug 22, 2022 8:32 am Bort, I thought no-one would ever ask... :smilie8:

A few weeks ago, I bought a nice brand new ADAMS Solo F.
The light-weight-version with .6 mm brass.

It comes with two very different leadpipes.
The "solo" one is for, well, solos.
The other one adds a lot more Oomph down low at the cost of a not-quite-as-easy access to high range.

Best F tuba I ever touched.
Yes, i am very proud :tuba:
Congrats!

Pics, or it didn't happen! :laugh:
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19396
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3866 times
Been thanked: 4131 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by bloke »

When someone is happy with their instrument, that makes me smile.
--------------------------
On the topic of Hirsbrunner designs of F tubas (re: Adams)

I recall - YEARS ago (was it in the 1990's...??) when the every-two-years big-friggin'-tuba-shindig was at U of Ky...
I don't believe the Hirsbrunner's had a both, but son and father were there, and they pulled out (either in a hallway or outdoors) an VERY small F tuba with a VERY small bore size, and were showing it to a handful of "celebrity" tuba-istes. It really played nicely (though no tuner was available). I'm thinking that the prototype may have been the only one ever made. (After all, bigger is better, and that one was small, so...)

Does anyone know what happened to that tuba?
Does Peter, Jr. still have it?
(I can't even remember whether they had bothered to put a 5th rotor in place...I'm pretty sure it was raw brass.)
User avatar
jtm
Posts: 1110
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 2:51 pm
Location: Austin, Texas
Has thanked: 705 times
Been thanked: 209 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by jtm »

bort2.0 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:32 pm
LargeTuba wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:16 pm You should’ve kept the Besson Eb. I reckon that would’ve been better equipped to handle everything.
Played well, but ergonomics were a no-go. I like F fingerings better than Eb, too, feels more natural.
You’ve got past the Eb fingering issues now, right?
John Morris
This practicing trick actually seems to be working!
playing some old German rotary tubas for free
User avatar
bort2.0
Posts: 5258
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 1001 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by bort2.0 »

jtm wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 7:39 am
bort2.0 wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:32 pm
LargeTuba wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:16 pm You should’ve kept the Besson Eb. I reckon that would’ve been better equipped to handle everything.
Played well, but ergonomics were a no-go. I like F fingerings better than Eb, too, feels more natural.
You’ve got past the Eb fingering issues now, right?
Not really, but only because I haven't really tried. That is to say,I've barely played anything at all in the last year or so, And I honestly can't remember the last time I was sitting behind to piece of music reading music period

I would imagine that my skill level is somewhat like people who are learning a language... you can speak it before you can read it.

I can play the instrument just fine, I really have zero trouble doing anything on it, except for the limitations of having 3 valves. But if you stick a piece of music in front of me, I'll probably get a little confused because I haven't forged that mental connection of what I'm seeing, what I'm hearing, and what I need to physically do to make it happen.

I've never had trouble with that before, and know I won't have trouble with Eb as well. I just don't have the time to practice, and again, have barely played in the last 12-18 months. But once I force myself to look at music and play what's on the page, it'll work out just fine.

Someday :eyes:
These users thanked the author bort2.0 for the post:
jtm (Sat Sep 02, 2023 8:41 am)
TheHatTuba
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2023 5:44 pm
Has thanked: 12 times
Been thanked: 28 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by TheHatTuba »

bloke wrote: Mon Aug 22, 2022 9:26 am I recall - YEARS ago (was it in the 1990's...??) when the every-two-years big-friggin'-tuba-shindig was at U of Ky...
I don't believe the Hirsbrunner's had a both, but son and father were there, and they pulled out (either in a hallway or outdoors) an VERY small F tuba with a VERY small bore size, and were showing it to a handful of "celebrity" tuba-istes. It really played nicely (though no tuner was available). I'm thinking that the prototype may have been the only one ever made. (After all, bigger is better, and that one was small, so...)
Piston or rotary? I think I remember seeing a tiny rotary at some point.
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19396
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3866 times
Been thanked: 4131 times

Re: Using an F tuba for everything

Post by bloke »

TheHatTuba wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 9:39 am
bloke wrote: Mon Aug 22, 2022 9:26 am I recall - YEARS ago (was it in the 1990's...??) when the every-two-years big-friggin'-tuba-shindig was at U of Ky...
I don't believe the Hirsbrunner's had a both, but son and father were there, and they pulled out (either in a hallway or outdoors) an VERY small F tuba with a VERY small bore size, and were showing it to a handful of "celebrity" tuba-istes. It really played nicely (though no tuner was available). I'm thinking that the prototype may have been the only one ever made. (After all, bigger is better, and that one was small, so...)
Piston or rotary? I think I remember seeing a tiny rotary at some point.
It was a small piston F tuba with the Holton/York front-action config, but SMALL bore. I wouldn't be surprised were it that the bore of that valveset were only .669" (more likely .689", I suppose...??), but I didn't even ask to play-test it and I also didn't inquire as to the bore size. It was sounding pretty nice and fairly in-tune when others were playing it. I offer no comment - regarding intonation - in reference to their more customary-sized F tubas which made it to market. Those years were the bigger-is-always-better years - and even with obviously-smaller instruments (whereby I believe - from which - we have not really emerged)...(but look at me - buying a Miraphone model 98... :red: )
Post Reply