Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on April 03, 2001 at 15:42:37:
In Reply to: King UB tubas posted by Joe Ellis on April 03, 2001 at 13:08:44:
I played the new version of the King 2341 at the UMI/Dillon display at the New York Brass Converence this weekend. Trying it just befor me was Art Hovey, tuba legend Howard Hovey's son. Art (who normally plays a Bohm & Meinl) liked the horn very much (but wanted a longer fourth valve slide). I have an "old model (now) 2341, and was quite impressed with the new version. The response is quicker, the bottom is not stuffy and the horn sits better on one's lap. The intonation (always a strength on the Kings) remains good and the tone is a little richer. I asked Steve Dillon about a 5th valve, and he said there was some serious talk about using the same system on it as on the Conn 52/56J, putting the fifth valve in as an option after the main tuning slide. I want one.
An interesting point of comparison with the 52/56J Conns, which use the same valve set, is that the valve tubing does not stick out so far from the horn. Several of us noted that it would make the 2341 better for the school market, because it would be less prone to denting.
As to price, I would guess that with a gig bag the horn would be under $3500, which is a hell of a price for what you're getting. I would strongly urge UMI to make a hardcase available ASAP for the school market.
The question of whether this is a throwback to to an older design is interesting. If you look at King catalogs pre-WWII, they have 'monster BBb' basses, which would have had the .687 bore, that look a whole lot like these horns, available in front action and with fourth valves. Were very many of those horns made with 4 valvs front? Not likely. The typical 'monster BBb' of the '10s to early'30s era (pre King 1241-predecessor to 2341 and pre Conn 20J), Conn or King was a three valve top action horn. Many of us who learned
The bell on the horn is the same as on the Conn 56J, per Matt Walters and Steve Dillon. That bell is, I have heard but cannot confirm, based on an old King 'monster Eb' mandrel. Otherwise, the horn is basically a 2341, with a longer leadpipe and some branches changed to accomodate the shorter bell so that the overall length of the open tube is the same. There may be other minor differences, but that's what I could see as a person who looks at a regular 2341 every day.