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Just got back from tmea. For the first time in my life I wasn't really tempted to buy anything, I have pretty much the horns I feel like I deserve or better than I deserve.

I mean I wouldn't turn down a Norwegian Star if somebody wanted to give it to me, I can't really remember playing too much else that tempted me at all

The Adams F tuba was pretty amazing but it wasn't worth three times the cost of the packer F

The new miraphone 3/4 B flat is probably one of the most fun B flat tubas I've ever played in my entire life

The Wessex tubby played a little bit better than the last one I played, but it still does not have a low f that I would consider effortless

And the Packer 377 E flat still plays like a dream and I wish I could justify buying one but I can't

Wasn't terribly impressed with the shires euphonium, which I had never played before this weekend


The miraphone Bruckner might still be my favorite CC TUBA, don't think I played anything that I would rather play on a daily basis. The tuono is close, but it's so heavy and long that I think I would be tired of it soon enough

I stopped at the Miraphone booth to try a Firebird long enough to see what I'm missing compared to my old 181, and it was lovely and easy. The fellow helping me, who played with the San Antonio Brass Band a couple years ago, also urged me to look at the Norwegian Star. It's really hard to tell how things sound in that noisy cavern, but it felt awesome! If I hadn't just sorted out my F tuba situation, I'd be figuring out how to get a Norwegian Star.

My daughter found an Adams cornet she loved, so I spent a while in the Adams booth. Their F is indeed brilliant and great fun.