TubaForum.net

https://www.ebay.de/itm/115908507773


Small 3V F tuba. I don't expect many readers will be eager to possess this little beauty, just wondering if anyone has an idea what it's for? I mean, what kind of ensemble used little bass tubas of this sort, and what did they play? After beats? Lyrical melodic strains?

It's my understanding that 3v bass tubas like this were used to double the lines of a contrabass tuba an octave up. I've noticed that in a lot of Balkan brass bands, they'll occasionally have two tubas splitting octaves. I guess if that were your sole function in an ensemble, a 4th or 5th valve wouldn't be necessary.

It's for kids

That’s super cute. It sure waits a long time (distance) before starting to get conical, so maybe it’s easy to sound like a bass trombone.

I don't know, it looks perfectly conical to me, just not as violently conical as a typical F tuba these days. Like an F version of the Bb tenor horn.

“Not violently conical,” like a B&S Symphonie that grows 3mm from one side of the main tuning slide to the other.