What tubas were in your section/studio?

[arpthark]

A comment on another thread made me wonder this. What tubas were/are in your section/studio?

In high school, we played on a set of three Cervenys: a 681 (my preference) or newer 686s. Kids in middle school started out on the way-too-big Yamaha 201s. I think my senior year, the director finally bought a 3/4 Jupiter BBb for the smaller kids.

When I was in college at Kentucky (late 2000s/early 2010s), the studio consisted of:
- my PT-20 CC (first couple years) and PT-6 CC (last couple years)
- Hirsbrunner HB-21 CC
- MW 2145 CC
- MW 2155 CC
- MW Thor CC (big bell)
- MW Thor CC (small bell)
- Miraphone 1291 CC (x2)
- Miraphone 1292 CC
- Miraphone 1293 CC
- Miraphone 188 CC
- Yamaha 822 CC

Some guys had F tubas: I had a JBL and later a Willson 3200, and others had a Firebird, Miraphone 181, MW 45SLP, 45SLZ, MRP F, and a B&S PT-10 anniversary model.

As you can see, this was pre-Eastman, and generally the size of the tubas being played was quite conservative. At least four of those guys are professional tuba players now, one guy who went on to get conducting degrees from Indiana and Michigan and is now a college band director, and a few people with university teaching positions.

For euphonium, virtually everyone played on a Yamaha 642 or 842, with two guys on Bessons.

School-owned horns included a couple of Conn 2Js, a Yamaha 621 F, a GDR-era B&S Perantucci model F, an ancient MW 46 F with the sixth paddle snapped and the rotor taped up so that it was essentially a 5v F , a bunch of old Rex Conner-era Meinl-Weston BBbs with loose rattly kranzes, and several Conn 12Js that were used by non-majors and people playing in the big no-audition/non-music-major band.

In grad school at Louisville I mostly quit playing in groups, but took some lessons and did a few recitals just for fun, so I don't know what the other youths were playing. I was in the Brass Band of Louisville for a year, which consisted of my Willson F (later the Vienna-system Alex F) and MW 2250 F on the Eb bass part and a Wisemann PT-6 copy CC and another big CC on the BBb part (sacrilegious, I know). When I moved to Connecticut, I joined the Charter Oak Brass Band, which was quite good, and played a real compensating Eb on the Eb bass part, although I think the other guy was playing a Miraphone 1291 CC on that part. I wish I could have stayed with that group, but I moved to the far northeastern (and later southeastern) part of the state which meant that group was about a 45 minute commute away.

These days, the community band I play in, the other guys play on a Conn 4J BBb, a King 2341 old style w/ upright bell, and a Dillon/Miraphone 1291 5v BBb copy.

Feel free to share your memories or current experiences.

[The Brute Squad]

High school we had a couple 3/4 Yamaha converibles (105?) and an old Cerveny (we knew it as a Kaiser but I think it was a 681).

In college, the studio horns were a couple 186s, a YCB-822, and a YFB-621. I remember the 5XJs being popular for personal horns but there were a few others.

[Sousaswag]

I had several in college.

B&S/VMI 3302, Miraphone 1293, and MW Thor

Everyone else:

2x Eastman 632
Miraphone 1291 C
Kalison DS
B&S Pt-606
B&S Pt-6
Some weirdo De Prins?? 4v BBb

Very few had F/Eb tubas.

I had an Eastman 864 and my original bad 2141.

There was also…

One Elektra
A JP Pt-15

[bloke]

If you're talking about college, only two of us owned instruments.

I had a four-valve 186 (because I started hustling solo guitar gigs at cocktail parties when I was 15), and another guy had a four valve King 1241 with recording bell - which his parents bought for him.

The University had to figure out how to supply me with a locker for my tuba, because the lockers and cages were for the school-owned instruments. ie. "What are we going to do about this guy who owns his own tuba and wants a locker?"
My friend with the King probably just put it in the backseat of his car. (This was back when there was civilization, and far fewer car break-ins. Armed robberies and murders were actually big news.)

[AggieDan]

Back in the day...

We had some older 3 valve Kings that were mostly used for 6th grade and maybe a lower band if one of the 4 Miraphone 186s was not available. I don't know what the Kings were other than three valved, heavy, silver looking, and had detachable bells. It was 1985, after all and I've slept since then.

It was a small school system servicing a town of roughly 5,500 people. High school had 100 kids out of 361 students my senior year. The marching horns were indestructible King tanks that were most likely purchased some time in the 80s as it looked like fiberglass was the horn choice when my mom graduated back in '72. Most members of my family cycled through the school system roughly 20 years after their parents.

Once I got to college, I avoided joining the Corps of Cadets, so I never got to touch a Texas A&M sousaphone. They've got a rule which was strictly enforced. But, the available concert horns were again Miraphone 186s. Texas A&M didn't even have a music minor. But, it did have a University Symphonic Band (which I joined) and a Jazz Band to balance the Texas Aggie Band which does all of the fun military marching.

When I got into Frontier Drum and Bugle Corps, it was pretty much a "whatever you can get your hands on in the key of GG." Though, I did pick up an old DEG of my own which I sold years ago.

As for my community band, I usually play my Miraphone 186 for indoor and my Dynasty M875 for outdoor. There's a kid that plays an Allora. My daughter will bring her school Miraphone 186. I'm not sure what Ken plays. He told me, but it's completely slipped my memory.

[tubanh84]

During my time in college:

Me, over the 4 years - MW 2155 then Rudy 5/4 then PT6, with brief stints on a Scherzer (basically 186) and a Miraphone 184-5U; F tuba I played a PT10 that the school owned until my last semester when I bought a MW 182. Played a Conn 2J for a week when my 2155 was in the shop.

Colleagues - Miraphone 186 BBb; Kalison Daryl Smith; Rudy 4/4 piston; PT-6 rotary silver; PT6 rotary lacquer; Miraphone Firebird; a B&S 4/4 rotary that I can't recall

[Bob Kolada]

Small high school, about 100 kids a grade- beater 3 valve baritone, decent condition 3 valve King tuba, the band bought a front action Yamaha baritone, my parents bought me a 3 valve Amati which I still have, I wanted the 4 valve model but it was a hundred bucks more and Mom was starting to hesitate. The only people that played tuba were my younger brother and an older trombonist. We got a new bass clarinet (none of the clarinetists wanted to play it so I doubled on it) and a baritone saxophone so that helped with our tiny low brass section. Band was maybe 30 kids total.
Big high school we moved to my senior year- Yamaha 321 euphs and I think Miraphone 186s, I played my Amati.

My one year as a music major the only other tuba player had a rotary PT 3 or 4. I played a beater school Miraphone (slides were frozen but thankfully frozen in a good enough spot) until I bought my King Eb which I played until I bought my 4 valve Conn Giant Eb (the King was a better horn).

In the Army we had maybe 4 187s, the band got a Conn 56J, a PT 606, two rotary PT6s and a Miraphone Star while I was in. I think we had Conn sousaphones. I got a Miraphone 1281 F a year or so before I got out and played that for everything the rest of my time (marched euphonium because of shoulder injuries). The guy that had the 606 and Star got a GOMOR, demoted to E1 and kicked out so I don't know what happened to his horns, the other two tuba players didn't play bass tuba.
I had an old Willson euph for a while, that got sent off somewhere and I don't remember what replaced it. The trombone section had .547 Yamaha tenors and iirc a Bach bass, I played a Yamaha for a while and thought it was a fine instrument. They eventually got a Greenhoe bass and I think Greenhoe tenors. The Bach bass wasn't that great but I thought the Greenhoe tenors were an unnecessary switch. I think they kept the Yamahas for marching.

The 187 I had was a fine instrument with a great sound. imo staying with them and perhaps adding a bass tuba would have been more than acceptable; having Johnny Taxpayer pay for 6 tubas over approx 5 years is a little off-putting. I got put on the 56J for a while because the guy that got kicked out wanted everyone playing C, it had a number of issues including intonation and a very unusual response. I know a lot of people like a big tuba in brass quintet but a 4/4 tuba would have been a better fit for the band since we played a lot more brass quintet gigs than concert band gigs. I think the band was slotted for ~40 musicians, we had 4 tuba players for a while but thankfully one was a professional bass player and I could sub on euph and trombone when needed, 4 tuba players is a lot for a 40 piece group.

[iiipopes]

In the mid to late 1970's my high school had a limited budget, but the administration understood the need for quality instruments. So to be as flexible as possible, keeping in mind the weight, and so forth, our section was King fiberglass sousaphones. They lasted for decades, because our director was able to enforce taking care of instruments and parents paying for damage that was not normal wear, tear, or unavoidable accident. Once you were issued a horn as a freshman, that was your horn for the rest of your playing in high school band. No "upgrading" year-to-year as you worked towards seniority or placement. That only de-incentivized taking care of a horn. So, in the roundabout of classes through the years, the August I was an incoming high school freshman that it was my lot to be assigned, after others graduated earlier that spring and turned in their horns, the oldest, yellowest, most needed maintenance, souzy; probably a mid-1960's model; I don't remember exactly. I polished on that thing and almost babysat it at the local music store as the wear and tear was fixed for me to play. Yes, I played that same first-generation King souzy for all four years. By the time I turned it in at the end of my senior year football marching season, it was the shiniest, best maintained, best playing souzy in the herd.

[russiantuba]

Tuba
During my MM, we had other members with Gnageys, a Rudy Meinl 3/4, a MW 2145, and the studio owned a Rudy 4/4CC and a HB 2 and before it was sold at auction a very old Miraphone 183 and YEB 321 Eb.

During my DMA, several studio members had Miraphone 1291/1292, all 3 of the Conn 52/54/56J, Kalison DS, Cerveny 601 BBb, Cerveny Piggy,an older B&S Rotor, Miraphone 186/188s, an “Accent” BBb, and before selling them to go to other horns, a 3/4 CC and 4/4 BBb Big Mouth Brass. The school had a couple Tuba Exchange BBbs, a couple St Petersburgs, and a couple ancient cervenys, and the studio acquired a Petrushka F (Jim’s f tuba and LeBlanc’s original York 4/4 CC along with many other horns were stolen the year before I got there, and since Jim was asked to do a major concerto with the band, he said he wouldn’t do it without an F tuba).

I was the only person who used F tuba at both schools during my time. Jim was very adamant especially with undergrads about having a well defined sound and ability on the contrabass tuba.

[Jperry1466]

High school days - going back to the 1960s. We had 4 Olds fiberglass Sousas and one "50 medals of honor" Besson BBb which I played.

Small college days. at first 4 silver Conn 20K Sousas, then 3 Meinl-Weston (Getzen) Model 11 BBb and one Meinl-Weston Model 30 CC. When I graduated, I bought my own model 30.

Grad school U. of Ky. 22k Conn plastic Sousas (we called them Dixie Cup because that's what they sounded like) for marching band. As far as the bands and studio, I don't recall seeing anything but Meinl-Weston, most of them model 25 BBb, and one Meinl-Weston F tuba. Two of us owned MW model 30s; the other guy bought one from Rex Conner that had a copper brass bell and a beautiful sound.

[tofu]

HS we had Rudy Meinl 4/4 and some Conn 25J for indoors and Conn 36K for marching band / pep band

They gave me a new Rudy the beginning of my Junior year. That was a special horn which I would love to have today. Much better than the other 2 we had at that time. Those Rudy’s all played so differently. Such a wide variability with intonation and how they played. They bought a 4th one the year after I matriculated. They got 40 years out of those Rudi’s. I was very disappointed to find out the new band director a few years back - maybe 10 years ago - got rid of them for a bunch of Yamaha 321s. I would have loved to have been able to buy my old Rudi from them.

College - they supplied MW25 - this being the ’70’s and Getzen the US Distributor for Meinl-Weston at the time being just down south in Elkhorn. I assume they got a deal. They were pretty new and in great shape for school supplied horns. Decent horns, but nowhere as nice as my old HS Rudy though.

[gocsick]

In high school we had King 1140 convertible 3/4 tubas that were used for both concert and marching. This was 1990.. there were bought new my freshman year.. we were talk proud to have them. They did need to have the bells rolled regularly because our director had us stand them on their bells both on the field and in the band room. so they feel over and got learned on a lot.

There was also an ancient giant Kaiser tuba with leaky rotors and linkages that were louder than the percussion section. Thinking back it probably lost the cork bumpers and none of us knew that they were supposed to be even be there.

[bloke]

tangential:

I just picked up a whole bunch of tubas and a few other instruments from a middle school.
They have quite a few 3/4 size tubas, and a pretty good rack of good condition King (though badged Conn, but whatever on that) fiberglass sousaphones. (I've been repairing this school system's instruments for several years, and this is actually the first time that I've seen this rack of sousaphones. WHY...??? It's obviously because not much damage occurs to these things. . Did you read that, middle school band directors? I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM UNTIL THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET DAMAGED VERY MUCH AT ALL, IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY FULL SIZE TUBAS AND PRODUCE A NICER SOUND THAN 3/4 TUBAS.)

Based on about 60 years of playing different size tubas and various types of sousaphones, it just seems to me that if they used those fiberglass sousaphones 100% of the time, their middle school's tuba section could potentially sound better than with those 3/4 things (about which the best thing that can be said about them is that "the bus driver allows them on the bus").

[tubatodd]

I graduated Ithaca College in 2001. I'll see if I can recall all of the tubas from fall of 1997 until I graduated.....mostly chronologically.

York Master CC (David Unland, prof)
Rudy F tuba (Unland)
Yamaha 822 F (protype?) (Unland)
Cerveny ACB-681-5MR (me, fall 97)
Rudy Meinl 3/4 CC (borrowed it for a month when between horns, school)
Kalison Daryl Smith (me, Spring 98)
Rudy Meinl 6/4 BBb named "Caesar" (Richard Denton, US Coast Guard band retired)
Kalison Daryl Smith
B&S PT6 (grad student)
B&M 4 valve rotary (not sure the model, grad student)
Meinl Weston 2145
B&M 5520 CC w/ 5th valve (Sweet horn)
2x Miraphone 186 CC (I believe)
Miraphone 186 BBb
Dillon Conn 4/4 CC (hand-made by @Matt Walters looked similar to 56J)
Dillon York 4/4 CC (hand-made by @Matt Walters)
Dillon Buescher 4/4 CC (hand-made by @Matt Walters) (I could swear someone had this. Maybe on trial)
Yamaha 822 CC
Cerveny 1980s style 601 CC (Eric Snitzer, US Miliary bands retired [?])
King 2341 (old style)
Kalison Daryl Smith (@RoseCityInstruments was that what you started with?)
Meinl Weston 2165 (I think? Ed Diefes old horn with smaller pistons. It was SWEET! @RoseCityInstruments)
(starting to get fuzzy)
York 6/4 CC Rusk Cut (Unland)
Meinl Weston 2165 (me, summer 99)
Yamaha 822 F (me, summer 99)
Yamaha 822 CC (I borrowed it from @RoseCityInstruments for wind ensemble tour when my 2165 got crushed)
Nirschl 4/4 CC (I think)
Marzan BBb Slant Rotor (school)
Marzan CC Slant Rotor (school, did I imagine this horn? @RoseCityInstruments )
B&S 5/4 4 piston CC (not sure model, school)


Keep me honest @RoseCityInstruments

[tubatodd]

In guitar/bass world there is a joke

"I don't remember your name....but I know you play a 1959 Gibson Les Paul through a Plexi Marshall"

[RoseCityInstruments]

You're right, I started with a Kalison Daryl Smith! And the Marzan was both a CC and BBb slant rotor in the studio. Trying to think about anything else that was there at that time, and I'm drawing blanks. It now has me thinking about all the tubas I've had in my life. Good thing I have a store now that I can just play things out of it!

[tubatodd]

You're right, I started with a Kalison Daryl Smith! And the Marzan was both a CC and BBb slant rotor in the studio. Trying to think about anything else that was there at that time, and I'm drawing blanks. It now has me thinking about all the tubas I've had in my life. Good thing I have a store now that I can just play things out of it!

I think I'm up to 11.

[Sousaswag]

@tubatodd your 2165 got crushed? Do share that sad story if you don’t mind! What happened?

[BramJ]

In my first community band we had 3 Willsons, 2x BBb and 1x Eb, all top action. The Eb was compensating the 2 BBb regular 4 valve. Not sure of the exact types

My current community band has 2 Besson 700 series non-comp and the Brassband has a Besson 983, 982, 994-2, 994-GS and a Sterling Virtuoso BBb (also 4 valve comp)

[gocsick]

My current section is kind of a rotating crew.. There are about 6 or 7 people with varrying degrees of availability .. so there is usually 2 or 3 of us for any gig.

The current lineup is a few Ohio State Alumni Marching Band owned or former OSU MB surplus 20Ks. @OhTubaGuy plays on a very nice king sousa with an added 4th valve.. and I am usually on the Holton BBb or Eb Sousa but sometimes bring the 20J. There is also a 4 valve DEG/Willson Contra available if anyone wants to jump in but needs an instrument.