Re: New King 2341 review?


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Posted by Rick Denney on November 20, 2002 at 13:01:31:

In Reply to: New King 2341 review? posted by Andrew Loree on November 20, 2002 at 10:51:17:

I've played several, including a new one just last night. The new one seemed the best to me so far, but its owner had rejected the first one delivered because of poor workmanship. Thus, I conclude that they are variable, so be prepared to play several, or to get a pro to help you make sure the one you are looking at is a good one.

The bad ones seemed dead and lifeless to me, but the good ones have a warm, open, and clear sound with a lot of character. They are easy to play, and play in tune without too much work.

My one design beef is the fourth valve, which seems a bit stuffy compared to my regular tuba. Some examples seem worse at this than others. This tuba is marvelous in the upper register, but the low notes require a bit more care than on my large-bored tuba.

The bell shape is, to my thinking, the secret to its success. The valve bore is medium-sized, and the outer branches on the small side of 4/4. But the bell flares rapidly from the bottom bow, rounding out to a 20" bell. This bell shape originates with an Eb monster bass, and it's a winner. I'd love to find a bell of that shape, scaled up to fit my larger York Master, whose bell is a bit straighter leading up to the throat.

The new models have very large valve buttons which are nice once you get used to them. The valves do not have the silky precision of the Tanabe-tuned Nirschl-ancestor valves on my York Master, but then I haven't felt any valves like those, and I haven't played any King whose valves were fully broken in (i.e., the casings fully oxidized).

The ergonomics seem right in the middle of front-action piston tubas.

The King has a strange mouthpiece receiver that is supposed to take a broader range of shanks. My Elliott, which is a perfect fit for both my YM and for my Miraphone, sits all the way in on a King, and if it was a few microns smaller on the taper, it would not seat before bottoming out. Take several mouthpiece when you try it out to make sure one will fit.

For those who have always wanted a G-50 in BBb, good examples of the King 2341 meet that need about as well as could be expected.

Rick "who has played six of them so far, with more bad ones than good ones" Denney


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