Posted by longtime lurker on November 05, 2000 at 00:27:57:
In Reply to: searching for a 6/4 tuba posted by Milton Maull on November 04, 2000 at 23:50:02:
Check the searchable archives (see the top of the page) for information on all of the above.
Having said that, I'll answer your questions.
If you have time to regularly practice, learning CC won't be hard. Or if you have an exceptional head for transposition.
Rudy Meinl, Mirafone, Meinl Weston, VMI, and others all make good large BBb horns.
It's all about price and quality as far as new and used are concerned. Tubas aren't cars, the depreciation and appreciation curves cross at 8 years (according to Sean).
The best big horn for the money is a toss up between Nirschl and Hirsbrunner. If you mean who makes the best big horn for less money, then try Rudy Meinl, VMI, B&S Perantucci, Willson, or Meinl Weston. If you want a true 6/4 BBb, check out Rudy Meinl.
As a non-pro, how much money would you like to spend? It is not unreasonable to find a 4/4 horn, BBb or CC, for between $3000 and $5000. A 6/4 will cost between $4500 and $30,000.
As far as "The tuba," I won't touch that one. Look in the archives under "St. Petersburg".
A 6/4 is overkill for almost any situation an amateur is likely to face. If you want a good BBb horn for a reasonable price, and one that has some size to it, try the Mirafone 191.