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A guy showed up with a Conn BBb rotary tuba at community band. It is similar to a 186, and looks like it was made somewhere in the 1970-90 range. Who would have manufactured that horn?

Doesn't it look like it was made by B&S ?

Selmer USA (same company as later renamed UMI and then Conn-Selmer) was buying tubas from them all the way back in the 70s, and I think they went back to buying some for a short time again after reunification.

Conn international were rebadbged Cerveny tubas. They were selling them in the late 90's

The cerveny 686 is very similar to the miraphone 186.(for a very good reason)

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Aug 25, 2023 5:47 pm Doesn't it look like it was made by B&S ?

Selmer USA (same company as later renamed UMI and then Conn-Selmer) was buying tubas from them all the way back in the 70s, and I think they went back to buying some for a short time again after reunification.

My first thought was B&S. I will get some pictures next time. I was pretty dang sure Conn didn't make it nor would it have been a Chinese clone back then.

Conn didn't make no rotary tuba the last 30 years.

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Aug 25, 2023 7:01 pm Conn didn't make no rotary tuba the last 30 years.

I'll get a closer look at it Sunday and get some pics.

If it's like this, it's a cerveny

https://yorkmaster.org/yorkmaster/photo ... index.html

I read a blurb that said it was a B&S Musica. Makes sense!

VMI 103

bloke "I done tolt-cha..."

bloke wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 11:47 am VMI 103

bloke "I done tolt-cha..."

VMI 103 has a vertical MTS; this 'un has a horizontal MTS. Valve wrap on the backside of the tuba is a bit different, too. But I think the "Musica" instruments were basically a cobbled-together assortment of random B&S/VMI/whatever parts to create sort of in-house frankentubas, right? This probably used some 103 components. The bells look similar, at least.

Dents Be Gone! wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 12:24 pm The precursor to the 103, the 101…

Here is a thread. Looks like Terry's Conn: viewtopic.php?t=3791

Yeah.. I think it's sort of an in-between model. The 101: I tend to think of as having that low sweeping fourth circuit loop (in harm's way) that follows the bottom bow, whereas the 103 has a vertically-oriented 4th circuit of tubing bunched in the back - as does this tuba. I think it's a transitional version retaining the horizontal tuning slide) of 101 heading towards 103. Do you think I'm wrong? (which would be fine, and an opportunity to learn)

I had a Musica CC that was a nice player. Tall as heck, though. I think it used parts from the VMI 103.

I read in a German forum that Amati/Cerveny had sold their tubas in Austria under the brand Musica, later Stowasser.