Posted by Concerned on August 25, 2002 at 12:48:44:
In Reply to: B & S PT-20 vs. Willson 3050S posted by Tuba Mom on August 25, 2002 at 11:18:10:
I'm a bit concerned about your saying that the PT-20 will go "off sale" next week. It sounds like you're getting a bit of pressure to buy quickly. There are quite a number of tubas available that would be excellent and appropriate for a college student. There's no need to feel rushed into making a decision. IMHO, the PT-20 is a fine tuba, but there are lots of other choices as well. And for many of those other choices, there's no "buy now before the sale ends" pressure.
Both the Willson 3050S and B&S PT-20 are fine tubas. They are also in different size categories. The Willson is quite large and heavy, weighing in at almost 25 lbs., with a 19 3/4" bell. The PT-20 has a 16 1/2" bell, and is just not as large a tuba.
http://www.degmusic.com/willson/w3000tubas.asp
http://www.vogtlaendische-musik.de/tuba
As Jay mentioned, it would be nice to have someone assist the buyer in making the decision, preferably a disinterested 3rd party.
As far as the players' needs are concerned after college, it depends largely upon what he/she decides to pursue. One tuba will likely be insufficient to cover all the playing situations he/she will encounter. It's no fun to be hauling a 6/4 tuba to quintet jobs and stand-up dixieland gigs. That said, it would be great to have that 6/4 tuba when going in to audition for an orchestral job or for a spot at a music festival. Of course, the players' success in these situations depends primarily on his/her ability to play, no matter which tuba they own.
Good luck with your search, and please don't feel rushed into making a decision!