Posted by Scott Mendoker on March 01, 2001 at 20:49:06:
In Reply to: Beuscher CC at Dillon's (a question) posted by Mark McMahon on March 01, 2001 at 18:58:56:
Hi Mark -
The similarity begins/ends with the Meinl Weston valves and slides. The cluster was purchased already put together and the slides were as well - with some modification.
(Let me stop here and say that Matt is the expert - and as it has been said here many times - a true artist.) The branches are from a 5/4 BBb Nirschl and the bell is Buescher.
I view the bell as the "tone generator" of an instrument - Matt does, too. What he started out to do was to build a piston version of my Buescher - which is rotary. As with everything hand-made - this instrument took on a life of its' own. With some slight "tweaking", this is now a world class tuba that could hold its' own in any orchestra. It's extremely flexible - able to change colors, etc... This tuba is also heavier than a 2145.
Hope this helps.
Scott Mendoker