Posted by willie on September 27, 2001 at 18:11:32:
In Reply to: Looking for a 5v CC tuba posted by Matthew D on September 25, 2001 at 20:48:33:
FWIW, I played a 186 BBb for a good while, and it served me well. When it came time for college, I upgraded to a Meinl CC 5 valve Bell model. It was also a great horn. But both did have their limitations, but overall I was very satisfied with each of them. After a long hiatus, I found myself looking for a quality horn, and I was a bit concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get anything of comparable quality or capability. I was afraid that I would have to settle for something that I would have to justify to myself or make allowances for. My budget just didn’t allow for those $4k plus deals out there. I watched patiently for a used Meinl or Miraphone that had potential (something very much used, but in very playable condition). After months of waiting I found a Cerveny CC 5 valve (model 686) for $2500. This horn was played very little, and for the most part looked and played like a new horn. I just had to give it a try. I’m sure glad that I did. I checked it out with a tuner, and was very pleased. It seemed to be a great fit for me. The valve linkage was smooth and quiet too. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the horn. I would have no reservations about using this horn in college, or anything else that I have done.
Bottom line, you can get a real good horn out there without breaking the bank. I have seen other 686’s out there for under $3k. Any one of those might be a real keeper too. It just might be worth checking. I do have issues with my new (used) horn, but no more than I had with my Miraphone, or my Meinl.