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From my recent posts I'm sure you know I'm playing a small Eb bass tuba.
I'm primarily a trumpet player, and also play trombone/bass trombone regularly and double on Eb cornet and Eb alto/tenor horn for fun (the alto is used when I help our lone french horn player on some pieces in the symphonic orchestra I play in).

I'm joing a wind band (around 30 people) on tuba in a few weeks.
As far as I know, I will be the only tuba player (they have 2 Bb saxhorns/euphoniums I think).
For a start, my small Eb will be more than good.

If I stick with it for the long run, I'm wondering to what kind of tuba I could upgrade to.

Being a trumpet player, I learnt the transposing fingering and am not willing to learn any other fingering.
F tuba is out of the equation for this reason (there is no tuba part written for an instrument in F).

Also I'm not a big guy, I would drown in a 6/4 contrabass tuba.

I could stick with Eb and go for a 5/4 or 6/4 (Wessex Gnagey or Tubby). This would still allow me to play parts written for Eb tuba with a fuller sound, and parts written in bass clef concert pitch.

I could go for a 4/4 CC tuba, playing in bass clef concert pitch.

Or I could go for a 4/4 BBb, playing parts in Bb.

Eb and C would also allow to play parts in a symphonic orchestra at some point if the occasion arise, but that's not a necessity.
Bb would feel more natural in the context I think, but transposition for symphonic would be a pain (mezzo-soprano clef is not natural).

I will probably go for a non-compensating instrument (I think it's better for my usage, correct me if I'm wrong).
Probably more piston than rotary, but 100% closed on rotary.

WDYT?

What do you think ?

Find a fully chromatic 3+1 compensating E-flat tuba with a 19-in bell. Those do a pretty good job of passing for a fake contrabass tuba, as far as the type of sonority is concerned, and the valve system (again) defines them as fully chromatic.
If a German made or good condition English made one are out of your budget, there are some Jinbao made ones floating around that range from mechanically marginally okay to pretty darn good, depending on how recently they've been made.
(As a very biased and conflict of interest opinion), I sell the JP Chinese made ones which I believe to be equal and build quality to the German ones. If your abdomen is tall, the only JP one that will fit you properly will be the more expensive one made of gold brass and with a fancy case, due to the mouth pipe tube configuration. The less expensive JP model is built just as well, made of regular yellow brass with a less fancy case, but features one of those completely horizontal mouth pipe tubes which are more suited for people with shorter upper bodies.

Retired school band director here. I think your own size is not that relevant to the size of the tuba you want to play. A tuba stand enables a player to lower the tuba to your comfortable position. There are some bigger tubas that are not that heavy. It's mostly a matter of getting used to it and your own personal preference. I have no doubt you could put out a big sound on a big tuba if you wanted.

I'm not trying to argue with Mr. Sweaty (who I personally know to be a kind, generous, and wise person).

I'm only referring to the two specific model options that I offered as far as "fitting a particular person".

First, I assumed that you would sort of prefer to stick with E-flat instead of having to start over (yet without running out of pitches in the low range), and the second consideration is that the horizontal mouth pipe version of the make of tuba that I offered as a second choice (which sadly is the more economical choice) is the one with a type of mouth pipe that was specifically designed for a wonderful tuba player of the last name of Fletcher - who was also short of stature. Personally I prefer to try to play tubas without using stands to hold them. One of my tubas I sort of cheat and have figured out how to set it on the same surface on which I personally sit, but I've had to contrive my own personal sitting apparatus to achieve that.

To each his own, and - yes - I made a couple of assumptions:
- an assumed preference towards remaining as an E-flat player
- an assumed preference to be able to simply set an instrument in your lap and play it, rather than having to use a stand

Actually, I'm also playing my Eb in my community band now. I use a tuba stand, but of course, it's one more thing to carry around. My son just acquired a Kaiser BBb that is 10 inches taller and weighs just a few pounds more. Lots of options out there. For me, I just need to make time to relearn how to play.

I'm not necessarily locked into Eb, I already play instruments in Bb, C and Eb.
I would prefer not to use a stand, the big metal thing is already a lot to carry.
To be honest, I'm not Fletcher-small, roughly 5'7 and 132 lb, but I don't want to be the little guy smaller than his huge 6/4 kaiser Bb

Keep your posts coming, I find them all interesting, thank you

I can't comfortably play most top action tubas without resting them on top of my left thigh - pretty much as far back as I can tuck the bottom bow, but - once placed in that position - some of them (particularly E flats) become more comfortable to hold and play than a lot of bigger/longer instruments).

Second vote for a 3+1 comp. Eb… Just not the Fletcher style ones.

Or… Front piston comp like Besson’s or Eastman’s comparable models. 983 or… 853, I think.

Or… A 5v non-comp from Willson. Their compact model is really good. This would be my #1 choice.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my 5v Meinl Weston, but finding a good one like what I have is more challenging. Willson’s are pretty much ALL good.

What do you mean exactly by "Fletcher style"? Is it only the 19" bell ?

Would the lower register in a non-compensating horn be more open that on a compensating one? Are the fingerings tricky on a non-compensating instrument lower register?

claf wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 2:56 am What do you mean exactly by "Fletcher style"? Is it only the 19" bell ?

Would the lower register in a non-compensating horn be more open that on a compensating one? Are the fingerings tricky on a non-compensating instrument lower register?

"Fletcher" defined as having a straight horizontal mouthpipe tube, so as to engage the player at a lower vertical spot.

There are things that so many instrumentalists embrace just because one high profile player decided to do things in particular ways.

Putting 19-in bells on the overwhelming majority of post 1960s compensating E-flat tubas isn't a particularly good idea, but seems to be done because Mr Fletcher did it.
Putting horizontal mouthpipe tubes on a considerable percentage of the same type of tubas also isn't a particularly good idea, but seems to be done because Mr Fletcher did it.
Playing these instruments with 24AW mouthpieces possibly/arguably (??) isn't a particularly good idea for many players, but it is done by a large percentage of players because Mr Fletcher did it.

claf wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 2:56 am What do you mean exactly by "Fletcher style"? Is it only the 19" bell ?

Would the lower register in a non-compensating horn be more open that on a compensating one? Are the fingerings tricky on a non-compensating instrument lower register?

Non-comp in my experience is more open than compensating tuba, naturally, because the air isn’t going through the valves essentially twice.

You’re going to have finger woes with any bass tuba in the low register. Just work it out until it’s not a problem anymore.

Compensating makes things easier because you can just lock that 4th valve down with your other hand if it’s a 3+1, but the front action compensating tubas are more challenging than the non comp, in my opinion.

Most non-comp tubas will require some amount of slide pulling in that lower range as well.

Sousaswag wrote: Sun Jan 25, 2026 6:45 pm Second vote for a 3+1 comp. Eb… Just not the Fletcher style ones.

Or… Front piston comp like Besson’s or Eastman’s comparable models. 983 or… 853, I think.

Or… A 5v non-comp from Willson. Their compact model is really good. This would be my #1 choice.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my 5v Meinl Weston, but finding a good one like what I have is more challenging. Willson’s are pretty much ALL good.

I also suggest a 3+1 comp Eb...but I am very very biased.

I have to say, I'm disappointed in a good way.

I was expecting a lot of votes for a BBb, but seeing so many advice for an Eb make me thing I made the right choice with my current tuba.
I will stick with it for some time, and potentially upgrade to a 3+1 comp 17" at some point. I think 17" can be a good compromise here, right?

claf wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 3:10 pm I have to say, I'm disappointed in a good way.

I was expecting a lot of votes for a BBb, but seeing so many advice for an Eb make me thing I made the right choice with my current tuba.
I will stick with it for some time, and potentially upgrade to a 3+1 comp 17" at some point. I think 17" can be a good compromise here, right?

Sure. Whatever you want, but a 17-in bell sort of limits you to a couple of not-inexpensive makes/models.

Then what, 19" or 15" ?

Most people play on a 19” comp. Eb, that’s what is readily available.

Many non-comps have 17” or 18”-ish bells.

Don’t put too much stock into bell size. An inch or so difference doesn’t matter much. Just get a good quality instrument and play it!

Dillon Music has a great great Willson Eb 3+1 comp., but I think it’s on the wrong side of the Atlantic for OP.

claf wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 3:24 pm Then what, 19" or 15" ?

I'd looooove a Satin Silver 3+1 B&H 15" Eb from back in the day. Between that and a 17" BBb, I know the next couple instruments I'll never be able to afford.

I love the quality of sound from my Besson Eb with a 15" bell- solid and focused.

arpthark wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 3:56 pm Dillon Music has a great great Willson Eb 3+1 comp., but I think it’s on the wrong side of the Atlantic for OP.

Indeed, and it's a little bit too pricey for my budget, maybe....