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Midnight Miraphone, playing impressions
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:58 pm
by 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 1854 times
- M-83 Front.jpg (196.51 KiB) Viewed 1854 times
- M-83 Bell.jpg (2.51 KiB) Viewed 1854 times
Re: Midnight Miraphone
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 1:40 pm
by bloke
MN_TimTuba wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:58 pm
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...??)
Re: Midnight Miraphone
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 1:54 pm
by 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
Re: Midnight Miraphone
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 3:49 pm
by Three Valves
I hope I don't catch it!
Re: Midnight Miraphone
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 4:02 pm
by 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
Three Valves wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 3:49 pm
I hope I don't catch it!
It's brutal! The only cure is "no money"
Re: Midnight Miraphone
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 5:12 pm
by 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
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 8:31 pm
by 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!
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 9:05 pm
by MN_TimTuba
LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 8:31 pm
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
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 10:40 pm
by prairieboy1
Rejoice, Indeed! Congratulations, that looks like a terrific horn!
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 12:25 am
by York-aholic
I have a couple rotors from one of those, in case you decide you want a fifth valve.
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 12:40 am
by tofu
.
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 8:06 am
by Three Valves
The bell appears to be made of leather.
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 8:54 am
by windshieldbug
LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 8:31 pmId 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
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 9:38 am
by Mary Ann
Have fun with that!!
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 10:18 am
by 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.
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:25 pm
by JRaymo
MN_TimTuba wrote:LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 8:31 pm
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.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:04 pm
by 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 1666 times
- bag rear 2.jpg (100.09 KiB) Viewed 1666 times
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:30 pm
by 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.
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:40 pm
by 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!
Re: Midnight Miraphone, pics added
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2022 6:27 pm
by MN_TimTuba
bloke wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 5:30 pm
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