Posted by Joe on April 18, 1999 at 15:03:43:
In Reply to: older Wm. Bell tuba posted by john visel on April 18, 1999 at 13:00:21:
It is fairly clear that today, that the CC sousaphone-in-the-shape-of-a-tuba* (6/4 York craze) is the '90's definition of an orchestral tuba. It has been this way in Chicago for many decades, and this neat sound offered up there by two great orchestral players has been enjoyed by all of us. However, that sound has not been the "only" orchestral tuba sound that has been effective. If YOUR primary concept is of that big Yorky sound - or something similar, I don't think that a mouthpiece exists that will make your (very neat -- similar to the cool Miraphone 184 in many ways) Bell model sound like that
If you go for an instrument with a big fat body and bell, I would suggest that you hold on to that nifty Bell model. Your "tie" will come back in style.
*Hey guys, don't bother to sub-post here arguing about my "sousaphone" definition of the York-style tubas. First, ignore the discrepency in price between sousas and these tubas. Some of that is workmanship, some is the extra two valves, and most of that is production quantities. I can easily defend the sousaphone-in-the-shape-of-a-tuba definition by referring back to an instrument that is no longer made: The Conn 20J 6/4 size BBb with a 20" upright bell and huge body. First, it had a .734" bore -- very close to the .750" bore of the York tuba. Secondly, its body branches (extremely similar in breadth to the York CC) were exactly proportional to its "sister" sousaphone, the Conn 20K. Finally, I just sold a Holton-York that I owned for about fifteen years and LOVED playing. This definition is NOT a criticism, it is just an accurate (but perhaps not "elegant") definition.