Posted by Rick Denney on October 20, 2002 at 21:34:40:
In Reply to: King posted by Ed on October 20, 2002 at 20:56:10:
There is nothing wrong with the Conn, except that it is too small for many applications.
Many of the newer tubas on the market have aspects of the American designs, including the Willson 3100, the VMI 3301, and even the Jupiter 582. The King is even moreso, but it is also not a large instrument. I played one the other night, and thought it was marvelous everywhere but the fourth valve, which felt to me like it had quite a lot of resistance compared to what I'm used to. I think the King would be even better with the larger-bored fourth valve that the Conn 5xJ has, but it would probably not line up properly with the rest of the taper. What the King DOES have, that none of the others have, is the short, fat, aggressively tapered Monster Eb bell.
Compared to my York Master, the King has the same bell diameter and throat, but it is four or five inches shorter overall, and the diameter at the ferrule between the bell and the bottom bow is MUCH smaller. It feels like the smaller instrument that it is, but it doesn't sound like a smaller instrument--that wide bell taper really seems to be a good approach to a bell. My little Yamaha follows almost exactly the same plan, except that it doesn't round out to as wide a bell flare, but it makes a sound much bigger than the size of the instrument would suggest. It's also similar to the Besson EEb tubas of later vintage with the big bells.
I would try the VMI before drawing too many conclusions, but I like the good examples of the King better for that easy warmth. But the King is no BAT. For that, you need the Willson (bring your checkbook). The pros I know who play BBb have gone nuts over the King, so my opinion ranks pretty far down on the list.
Rick "who has gotten used to a more open feel but still likes the sound of the King" Denney