Posted by Rick Denney on August 30, 2001 at 17:17:30:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Getting the kid a tuba. posted by Tom T. on August 30, 2001 at 16:56:05:
There is no reason to get him a CC tuba, unless he has the talent, drive, and determination to become a professional tuba player. And it takes an extremely large measure of each of these traits to succeed. If he is one of the very few in that category, then a CC tuba will be more acceptable to potential college professors and employers, though by a margin that is perhaps overblown (okay--bad pun).
If he is a good tuba player without determinedly professional aspirations, then he will enjoy a lifetime of making music on a BBb tuba, and he will avoid having to learn all new fingerings for the music he already knows how to read (this is not that hard, but it takes a few months to master). Even if he turns pro at some later date, if he has what it takes, switching to a C tuba will present him no problems if he chooses to do so (many professional stay with BBb tubas, too).
From a musical standpoint, the BBb tubas are just as capable as CC tubas, with relative strengths and weaknesses that are easily overcome. But there is an economical consideration, too. With only a few exceptions, C tubas tend to cost many hundreds and up to a thousand dollars more than an equivalent BBb tuba, because of the professional image associated with them.
In his budget, he will have good choices of used, professional-quality BBb tubas. CC tubas in his range will be more difficult to find, especially since a CC tuba really needs a fifth valve to reach the notes frequently seen in band music, where a BBb tuba only really needs four valves. An example of a good choice is the Miraphone being offered by Chuck G above, which is very similar to the BBb Miraphone recommended to your son in this thread, but about 25% higher than your budget.
The difference between them, by the way, is two feet of tubing, out of 18 feet in a BBb tuba. Both look the same to the non-expert observor, sound basically the same, and are usable in the same situations.
Rick "hoping you won't be confused by this issue" Denney