POLL: Holton 6/4 BB-flat model BB345 tuba - 5th valve?

[bloke]

I do not believe there's been a 4-valve version of the Miraphone 98...

I still may (??) convert its fifth valve to (sensible for BB-flat tubas) F semitone, someday...
It will require some consideration.

[Inkin]

Someone will pay you more for it if it has 5 valves.

[bloke]

Someone will pay you more for it if it has 5 valves.

What's their name and phone number?

[bloke]

Fafner started as a 4v.

Added 5th valve… then… PIIIIIIIISTOOOOOOOOOOONS…

‘Murica…

Not that it’s a bad thing or a negative at all. It’s just taste or preference.

When I owned and (of course) regularly used a piston C tuba, I tried one of the piston 4+1 195 B-Flats and really liked it.

Recently, I played a piston version of the 195 again. It's been quite a few years, and people who read my way-too-many posts all know that I've been playing a kaiser bore rotary B-flat for a while, now.

I didn't like the piston 195 very much at all, this time. I also noticed quite a few tuning anomalies that the really resonant room (in which I played one years ago) sort of sprayed glitter over and cloaked. Now, I'd really like to try a rotary 195 with the kaiser bore (rather than the 19 mm piston bore) and see what the original version one is really all about (as I've only played one of those one time for less than a minute when they were first introduced) as that's the version that several full-time working Europeans use.

What I have now (which is a basically a continental European kaiser instrument outfitted with an American shaped 6/4 bell) maybe (??) Is not the very easiest to play contrabass instrument I've ever played (after all, it's quite large in every way), but doesn't trip me up in the intonation department, and - when my aging mind and body are "on" (when I'm not ill, when I've had time to play every day for a while, and when I'm well rested) - it's ready and willing. At those times, it's no more work to play than any other instrument that I've ever played or owned. I can't say that it sounds like any other make or model that I've ever played. I sure like it, and I've liked it ever since I first tried one out at the Bloomington Indiana tuba shindig so many years ago. The ironic thing is that - on that day - I actually had double the amount of cash in my jacket (zipped up securely in a couple of inner pockets) that it would have taken to buy one of those, all those years ago, but I didn't have the courage - at that time - to jump over to B-flat, and nor to such an unusual (though undeniably amazing) B-flat.

I'm aware that I post way too often about the experience ("journey"...??) of playing this instrument, but I still find it fascinating.

[Tubeast]

Bloke wrote:

What's their name and phone number?

I´ve been there and done that, and if I ever have to buy a BBb again, 5-valved it will be.

When you´re an orchestral tubist, maybe not: rarely do you see a 5v-BBb in German concert halls, and if a 5th valve were SUPERIOR in that setting, they´d be standard.

Then again, here is a setting where a big ol´ American BAT with a 5th valve might shine the most, in my opinion:
Wind orchestra- and movie literature.
Lots of highly dramatic doomsday moments and 8vb passages.
It´s bad enough I need a 3- to 4" slide pull to play contra-C (2345) and subcontra-B (12345) in-tune.
And contra-Eb and contra-Db are commonly used, being played 45 and 345 respectively.
I´m glad I don´t need any slide pulls on those.

In 2009, I ordered a 5/4 from the guys in Flums, had them install thumb-operation, put down the dough and never looked back.
If you´re in a position to spend money on something you don´t REALLY need (a 6/4 tuba), you might as well dig slightly deeper in your pocket.
To me, the equivalent of maybe 10 nights out is a BARGAIN considering years of enjoyment and self-patting my back for having access to superior equipment every day.

[MiBrassFS]

I'm aware that I post way too often about the experience ("journey"...??) of playing this instrument, but I still find it fascinating.

Fascination is good for the old brain!

[Mark]

If you add a fifth valve, it would be cool for it to have interchangeable slides for the most common fifth-valve tunings.

[bloke]

How many thousands of dollars extra should I charge for the fifth valve for you who think it will really be cool to add one?

[Oedipoes]

I like my B-flat (and E-flat) tubas either have 5 valves or 4 valves and compensated.
I hardly ever push or pull slides, I find false tones and slide pulling utterly slow for what today's composers write for wind band/ brass band.
I have added 5th valves to 4 valve instruments for this reason, and consistently like them better with 5 valves.

I don't really care what YOU like best in YOUR B-flat tuba so have fun and enjoy no mather the number of valves!

[matt g]

How many thousands of dollars extra should I charge for the fifth valve for you who think it will really be cool to add one?

I personally think it’s worth at least $1,500 to $2,000.

There’s three main reasons to have it:

1. Chromatic to the fundamental “in the valves”.

2. Additional alternate fingerings for intonation.

3. Additional alternate fingerings for timbre.

If I were paying to have this horn finished, I’d have no issue sending you an additional $2,000 for this, possibly more if there is some trickery involved with locating the valve and the tubing. I’d also keep it as a flat whole step for consistency across the community. Knowing how these big horns are, even when well-behaved, it’s nice to have options.

[bloke]

I suppose so...
E-flat is already at pitch with a BB345 played 1-4, as the BB345 #1 slide offers generous pull, and and an F wholetone still leaves the B and E-natural tuning problem unsolved.

( over-fixes - as we know - with 2-3-5)