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Bought a 3/4 BBb to play in a community band from a little old lady who recovered from cancer but couldn't handle the instrument anymore. It plays OK, I guess, I am not professional enough to notice subtle differences. Turns out that it is a Jupiter 378, kind of the bottom of the food chain. I want to get into a better horn but I am befuddled by the myriad of what's available. I thought about buying used on-line but am wary of getting scammed.
I was wondering, conversationally, if anyone could recommend a tuba brand and/or vendor that has anything 5K and under. I was looking at a Holton Model BB450 but was told that it is not much better than what I have.

Any comments, advice, or general related discussion you might have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.....

Basic starting point…

BBb rotary:

Used Miraphone 186

BBb piston:

Used King 2341

Not anytime super soon, but I will have a 186 with really good rotors and a brand new (vintage/old-stock) 16-1/2 inch bell (which is sort of regarded as the "cool" one), available for sale, eventually.

Pretty darn good brand-new BBb tuba for under $3,000: https://us.wessex-tubas.com/products/bbb-tuba-tb210

matt g wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 4:37 pm Basic starting point…

BBb rotary:

Used Miraphone 186

BBb piston:

Used King 2341

Whole heartedly agree with brs. Try as many different horns as you can get your hands on before you buy something.

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk

...but/yet all suggested (so far) are things that work well.

strategy 1:
Get something widely said by a majority or plurality to be "good" and (based on prices advertised) seems to be competitively priced (according to condition).

strategy 2:
Drive all over the USA/Europe/Asia, and check out every single model of tuba, prior to getting something...IF that can be managed prior to croaking.

OVER AND OVER, I've seen people choose strategy 1.
AS their interest/dedication to the hobby increases - and they have opportunities to play other models - they move on to other (perhaps more boutiquey and easier-to-play) models.

I've watched @Schlepporello (and MANY others...sure, including myself) go through this, over the years.

Went to Baltimore Brass today - Played a Miraphone, Packer, a Chinese named horn, and looked at many others. Gonna try a couple of Yamahas in the next few days....

2bahawk wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:40 pm Chinese named horn

Did they name it Bill, or something?

I do wanna say this, since it seemed nobody else said it:

My first tuba was a VERY beat-up Conn 12J. Took me about a year to sound like a tuba player, rather than a euphonium player on tuba. Even then, I wasn't great. Between my chops and the horn, my friends used to tell me "well, you should get yourself a better instrument."

Since I didn't have that kind of money at the time, I had friends make sure the valves are aligned, corks were new, and some of the larger dents were rolled out. I spent tons of time with long tones and daily routines...and people started loving the way I played, even on that ugly-ass tuba.

I do have a bigger tuba that looks prettier now, but only so I can look like an orchestral player when the need is there, but I really dig playing my Conn. It's got a nice, punchy sound, a good high register, and it's light enough I can stand while playing. It still played awfully, though...it took really learning the instrument to get my chops on it.

I bet the Jupiter will work better for you than you're giving credit for it.

Not trying to dissuade you from buying if you really want, but you already have a horn, it's playable, and it's small. It might not be the greatest large ensemble horn, but learning the ropes on something like that might work out pretty well.