Posted by Matt G on July 25, 2001 at 13:17:16:
In Reply to: Re: Re: more on "getting my parents to buy tuba" posted by BoomerSooner guy on July 25, 2001 at 12:45:13:
The size to horn equation you use is faulty. Dave Gannet is a good size guy and I've seen him use 3J's to much success. Warren Deck used his MW32 to get into the finals for the NY Phil. Harvey Phillips mainly used 2 & 3J's. On the other hand, even though I have not stood next to him I have seen Matt Good when he was in the JSO. He is not a big guy at all and can use a 2165 to much success (he has an excellent air supply). Those yamaha 3/4's are on the same frame as the F tuba's which are extremely tough to overblow in some cases. "It's not the size of the tuba, it's how well you use it." That is why I recommend a teacher to help you with this decision, it doesn't sound like you have gone after that guidance yet. I have played a PT-3P, that besides intonation issues, you couldn't overblow it. I have played BIG (5/4,6/4) horns that were easily overblown even with large bores. Hey, don't knock 'Fones, a LOT of guys have been very succesfull with them. In fact I would venture to say that Mirafone's are probably the most recorded tubas their are between the work that Tommy Johnson, Jim Self, Roger Bobo, and countless others have done on Mirafone's. Do yourself a favor. Get a ticket to the tuba center of your choice; Dillon's, WW&BW, Brook-May's, Low Brass Werks, or any others and try out at least ten tubas of different types. Even try some F's or Eb's just to get a feel for them. This way your point of reference can broaden, and you won't short change yourself on a horn that you don't need/want. I have only owned one horn sight unseen and that is the first horn I owned, a Mirafone 186-4U, that I sold to switch to CC, otherwise I would own it still today.
Matt G