Posted by Chris B on January 01, 2003 at 20:25:18:
In Reply to: Miraphone 1291 "Big Babe" posted by Sam H. on December 27, 2002 at 13:10:28:
I own a 1291 5 valve that I bought in the last 2 months. The only reason I bought a 5 valve BBb is that it is only a litle more money than the 4 valve and does open up some notes. I tried out a lot of other horns including the Fafner. I really liked the Fafner but it has a very focused sound and is very sloted. Huge sound but very responsive. A great orchestral horn. I ended up with the 1291 because it fit my idea of a more characteristic tuba sound. I felt it might be more versatile fo rthose of us that are luck to afford one horn, much less a stable to suit various needs. The 1291 is a little less directional than the Fafner. As Tony E points out, it is also one of the most comforatable horns I have ever played. While it has a huge bore and a big bell, Miraphone still bills it as a 4/4+ size. It does play like a smaller horn. The thing I find really impressive about it is that it is more in tune than any tuba I have ever played. It is hard to find notes that are bad. I agree with Miraphoine that even the 5th partials are good. The 1st valve slide is easily accessible so any adjustments are quick and easy. It is a fairly heavy horn, but that seems to give it resonance. I tried out and bought a TubAssist form Walter Johnson and really like it. I am generally opposed to stands, et. al. but this one takes the weight of the horn off your body. The horn sounds good in ensembles. One of the bands I play in has a trumpet playing conductor with a good ear and he is in love with the sound of this horn. In the tuba quartet is blends well and does not dominate. I am eager to play it in an orchestral setting to see how it fits but have yet to find a local orchestra that needs a tubaist.
It doesn't seem to take that much air. I was playing on a St. Pete's in the interim and found that it takes a lot more air. The resistanc on the 1291 is about right. I have played rotaries for years and was a little skeptical about the pistons, but I like them now. It definitely takse more finger power to push the pistons down. Dan O. has suggested lighter springs, but I like the positive feel I get with these.
The horn allows a lot of flexibility around the ptiches but remains well centered and pitches are easily found and maintained. I was fighting the St. Pete's on single pitches because they kept wandering around (I know, player error :) ) With the Miraphone, the pitch stability of single notes is very solid. There is enogh resistence to give you feel but not so much as to get the impression that it is blowing back as hard as the air stream coming in.
I am very critical of horns and yet find myself liking this one better each time I play it. So many tubas are kind of the least evil of a bad bunch so it is nice to find a modern horn that actually seems to work.
Email me if you have any questions or want to see the stats as I have all the specs and a pretty picture, etc. in electronic format.
If you ever get to the Seattle area and want to blow this little beastie, email me and you're welcome to try it out.