Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on August 24, 2000 at 10:09:11:
In Reply to: King-UMI Model 2341Four-Valve Tubas posted by Jim on August 22, 2000 at 21:53:18:
It's interesting to see that the comments on the King 2341 (and predecessor 1241) are very consistent. I've had one for about four years now, that I bought at Dillon when I started playing again after a 25 year lay-off. Working with Matt (I sure hope he gets better soon, he's a great guy as well as a master tuba tech), I picked a horn out of a group of six or eight that had just come in. The horn certainly has the characteristicly 'sweet' sound that is traditional with King tubas, I constantly get complements on the sound of the horn in every band I play with. I also agree with others comments about the stuffiness of the low register, but in fairness to the horn, a professional who plays with me (who normally plays one of the old Navy giant Martins) was able to take it right down to the BBBb pedal tone and below with not problems. And the horns are pretty sturdy, though when you use a gig bag as I do (boy are those double cases a pain), you will get some dings.
The most striking thing about the horn, though, is the intonation, which is remarkably good. It is only when I play other horns that I fully appreciate how easy the King is to play in tune. I practice long tones with a tuner regularly and the King requires less (read virtully no) slide pulling than almost anything I've ever played and not much lipping. Alternative fingerings also usually work well enough that you can pick the fingering for smoothness without worrying about being way off.
As to mouthpieces, some one mentioned using a Conn Helleberg or a 7B. Good choices. I've tried a Bach 18 (perhaps the most popular mouthpiece generally), a 24AW (original issue now with the 2341), a King 26 (original issue on the predecessor 1241), a Conn 2 (original issue with the Conn 20K sousaphone and formerly original issue with the 2XJ series of tubas -- the cup is supposed to be pretty much the same as the Helleberg 7B) and a Schilke Helleberg II. I settled on the Schilke, but the Conn 2 works well for me also and Bach 18 works reasonably well.
My bottom line: if you want a new 4 valve BBb piston tuba, the King is your best value for money. I'd rather have the new Conn CC 52/56J which Matt worked with UMI to develop, but it costs almost twice as much. The only BBb's I would consider as better alternatives would be the 5 valve BBb Alex I once owned (but boy did it have intonation issues!) or maybe a Conn 34/36J (Grand Orchestra) or a 25J or 27J.