TubaForum.net

cjk wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:33 am Drool. If this were the least bit local to me, I would have already figured out a way to buy it.

Der google tells me it's only a 37 hour drive each way.

Could be worse, it's got to be like 50 or 60 each way to Yellowknife for you to get that PT-6.

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:51 pm

cjk wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:33 am Drool. If this were the least bit local to me, I would have already figured out a way to buy it.

Der google tells me it's only a 37 hour drive each way.

Could be worse, it's got to be like 50 or 60 each way to Yellowknife for you to get that PT-6.

True, but I don't have any desire to own one of those.

I've driven straight through from Memphis to places like "podunk" Montana and Denver, Colorado (more than once each).
I already drive straight through to places like Pittsburgh, DC, and NYC/Philly.

I've also driven straight HOME from Salt Lake City.

I don't like sleeping in nasty motels, and I don't like spending super-high-$$$ dough on might-not-be-nasty-but-probably-are hotels.

tubanh84 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 22, 2022 2:37 pm I wax poetic about mine all the time. I have this exact model. Probably not the same year, and the lacquer on mine is more worn, but it's a joy to play. I haven't picked up my other CC or my F in months.

You probably weren't around in the days when I had one like this --- including long 5th. It was in fine shape mechanically, had vented valves. I had a major health event and sold most of my instruments under the assumption that I clearly was not going to recover. Wish I still had that one, but I also wish I still had the NStar which I sold a few years ago under the same assumption. I seem to be good at recovering but it takes me years and years and the tubas say bye-bye during that time.

Whoever brought up valves, yeah that is definitely a question to ask, and I am clueless how one would figure that out over Zoom if the seller were less than clear about it.

So if I have him pull valve slides over zoom, should I be able to hear whether the valves are tight? My (french) horn is decades old and there is still a quite discernible POP if I pull a valve slide quickly without depressing the valve. I don't know how accurate that is for determining whether the valves are good or not, and a tuba is not going to pop like a horn does.

My 57 year old 186 that survived an Arizona public school has rotors that still pop. Well, a deep thump, anyway. That's certainly a fair expectation.

The rotors on the 188 don't do that, but it's vented.

I would be concerned if there was not a pop. (unless he can show you the valves are vented)

What are the specs of the 184? I just bought what was supposed to be a 184 on Ebay and I'm pretty sure it's not. It is 40" tall and has a 16" bell. Not a 184, right?

bozman wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 6:59 pm What are the specs of the 184? I just bought what was supposed to be a 184 on Ebay and I'm pretty sure it's not. It is 40" tall and has a 16" bell. Not a 184, right?

I believe a 184 would have a 14" bell. The 186 has a 16" bell (older vintages anyway).

And so far, still waiting for the zoom test.

ah, zoom happened today. It looks in fine shape but the fifth valve is left hand operated, which makes me a bit unsure. On the tuner, the in-staff E was flat as usual, but he had his 3rd slide set so it was in tune, which is likely what I would do. This isn't a cheap enterprise and I'm asking for "thoughts" about it, not knowing if it really WOULD be more usable in some scenarios than my current Eb, which has an amazingly open and playable low range, if I do still struggle a bit with the low Bb if I'm not blasting. (Blasting, it works fine.) He is a college student, has had this tuba for about four years, and switched to a 1291 because he needed something bigger. All understandable and I'm convinced this is a legit attempt at a sale. But he's had it on Craigslist for a year! I'm guessing that the price is more than people want to pay, or it would have disappeared by now.

The 184 is not en vogue. There are a few people here extolling the virtues of this tuba, but out in reality, newer designs are more popular for “expensive” buys and Chinese tubas are far less money for “cheap” buys.

Understood with the hesitation on the left hand 5th. I’d probably eventually have it switched. That being said, if there is minimal slide pulling needed, it’s probably not a huge issue.

On my previous 184, also with 5th = 2+3, it was right thumb operated. I used it in the octave above the pedal octave for single-valve notes that otherwise would have been 2+3 (Ab and Eb) and had it tuned for that. I didn't do a lot in the lowest octave at that time, and may not have the air for it now either on a CC. I thought about a Mack 410 but there is someone locally about my size (bigger even) who has one and she struggles with its size and weight. So I figure I would too. But even the 184 is going to be heavier than what I've got, longer bugle and one more valve. So I hesitate. I really do not know what would be a reasonable price to offer, and am looking for input on that. Could be he has been told he cannot budge on the price, because likely it was purchased by his parents who have now sprung for a bigger CC and likely want their investment back.

.

matt g wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 12:19 pm The 184 is not en vogue. There are a few people here extolling the virtues of this tuba, but out in reality, newer designs are more popular for “expensive” buys and Chinese tubas are far less money for “cheap” buys.

Understood with the hesitation on the left hand 5th. I’d probably eventually have it switched. That being said, if there is minimal slide pulling needed, it’s probably not a huge issue.

I'm one of those extolling the virtues of my 184. I don't care about "big" anymore, and it's a crazy flexible horn.

The intonation on mine, with the right mouthpiece, is great. With the wrong mouthpiece, it's awful. With my Olka CB1 and my TU-28, I only need to finagle the C#, D, Eb, and E in the staff. That does present an issue in some of the Snedecor etudes, for example, where I go from that mid-range down into the pedals, so my left hand has to go from working the first valve slide to working the fifth valve. It's a tradeoff I'm willing to deal with because I love the horn, and with one or two practice runs, I can get my choreography down. I've never loved having #5 on my right thumb, so it doesn't feel like a tradeoff, just a different issue to deal with and one I'd rather deal with.

I get that I'm weird for opting for a horn with a lot of tradeoffs instead of a point-and-shoot, but the sound and flexibility is SO GOOD I can't put it down. And no one pays me to play anymore. So "can't put it down" is my primary factor.

My guess is that the two primary issues buyers have with the 184 in question are the size and the price. Everybody, it seems, want bigger horns at a lower price point. I'm not saying those are valid objections, just my guess.

hrender wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 2:08 pm My guess is that the two primary issues buyers have with the 184 in question are the size and the price. Everybody, it seems, want bigger horns at a lower price point. I'm not saying those are valid objections, just my guess.

I didn't buy mine at that price, and I don't know if I would even have sought my wife's blessing (permission?) to do so.

TOPIC: hard cases and small cars

I had been driving a 2002 Toyota Corolla.
(It would not quit running well, so I've loaned it to a colleague.)

A Walt Johnson 6/4 fiberglass case will fit in the back seat of that car.

I have to believe that Camrys (as well as later-model Corollas) are larger, and that 184 hard cases are smaller.

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:22 pm TOPIC: hard cases and small cars

I had been driving a 2002 Toyota Corolla.
(It would not quit running well, so I've loaned it to a colleague.)

A Walt Johnson 6/4 fiberglass case will fit in the back seat of that car.

I have to believe that Camrys (as well as later-model Corollas) are larger, and that 184 hard cases are smaller.

Expanding on this - I got a PT6 in its hard case into the back of a 2-door Civic a few times.

tubanh84 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 12:14 pm ...

Expanding on this - I got a PT6 in its hard case into the back of a 2-door Civic a few times.

hatchback?