FS: 1970s Walter Sear Cerveny 601 CC Tuba, $3,000

[wolfhoundjesse]

Price: $3,000
Brand: Cerveny (Walter Sear)
Model: 601 CC w/18" bell (Thanks, Mark!)
Location: Annapolis, MD
No gig bag or case

Update: If you're in town for the Tuba and Euphonium Conference, I may swing by on Saturday afternoon.

This horn got me through college and into military bands. I bought an Eb for brass banding four years ago, and I rarely play this one now.

[LeMark]

It's a model 601, I own one in both c and b flat. Very good horns and a fair price

[wolfhoundjesse]

That was my best guess, but with my limited knowledge, it was hard to tell from the many different photos (many of horns with their lacquer still in place lol). I've updated the post. Thanks, Mark!

[bloke]

' cool looking, and really neat to have the Walter Sear engraving on it.

[York-aholic]

I love the look of the 3rd and 4th valve circuit routing on the rear view picture. Nice looking instrument!

[bisontuba]

How is the pitch? 18 or 20" bell?

LOVE that thumb ring....

[wolfhoundjesse]

How is the pitch? 18 or 20" bell?

Good questions! It's an 18" bell. I'll update the post!

I remember thinking C3 was just a tad bit high when I got it, but I've always been able to play it in tune without fighting it. I chalk it up to pitch sensitivity. After reading up on these horns the last couple of days, it sounds like some inconsistencies were the norm in the 70s?

It plays freely in every register. Some of the lower notes, Eb down to D, require a bit of control because they're so open. I started on a Hellenberg mouthpiece, and when I switched to the more bowl-shaped GWs it seemed to make it a little easier to steady those notes. Only two options for playing a low Db, pull two slides as far as you can and lip down, or lip up the fundamental. I always thought I'd have a 5th valve put on it someday, as if it were a common upgrade. Science! lol

[arpthark]

Where'd the pics go?

Cool horn! I wanted to ogle it again.

[LeMark]

I can still see them

[arpthark]

I can still see them

I cannot, and looking at @wolfhoundjesse's profile, I can only see the two most recent posts, not the initial advertisement.

Anybody else having issues?

[arpthark]

It was because he edited it, and when that happens, the post goes into limbo until the edit is approved.

It should be fine now

[bloke]

I love the look of the 3rd and 4th valve circuit routing on the rear view picture. Nice looking instrument!

The fourth circuit routing is really standard for Eastern German and Czech instruments made before the '80s, and that routing remains on a few legacy models. It's not the greatest for schools, because children flatten the tubing that lower curve 50% to 70% flat.

[Eric Murphy]

I would be interested to know more about those (for lack of a better term) "weights" that are soldered on the fourth valve tubing on the back of the tuba by the bottom bow. My (non-Sear) Cerveny Piggy has those in nearly identical spots. I haven't seen those on too many tubas. Just curious if anyone knows anything about them.

[LeMark]

I would be interested to know more about those (for lack of a better term) "weights" that are soldered on the fourth valve tubing on the back of the tuba by the bottom bow. My (non-Sear) Cerveny Piggy has those in nearly identical spots. I haven't seen those on too many tubas. Just curious if anyone knows anything about them.

They are guards to prevent damage, like bloke was talking about

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[Eric Murphy]

Honestly, I would have to check again, but I don't think that they do. I figured it had something to do with damage control, but I haven't seen them on too many instruments, so I thought they may also be considered to serve some other purpose as well.

[bloke]

We are all looking at two dimensional pictures, but it looks to me as though that elongated oval lower strap ring would not hit before that tubing would hit a flat surface such as a table top. Of course, we all know that we are supposed to set those down on top of Steinway pianos and timpani, don't we?

[LeMark]

I did something similar on my piggy when I owned it

Ill post a Pic later

[bisontuba]

Hi-
How is rotor compression?

Is that a long patch on the lead pipe? Hard to tell from the pic...

Gig bag?

Tnx
Mark

[bisontuba]

here's what I did after getting all of the dents out of my 4th valve tubing. After this, not a single dent. I think most of the dents came from a previous owner, so I dont really know how they happened