Posted by DS on September 04, 2003 at 23:31:38:
In Reply to: Conn 52-J posted by CROM on September 04, 2003 at 22:11:55:
I just purchased a used 52j last week. I'm a trombone/low brass teacher at a university who wants to evenutally double on tuba at a professional level. After talking with a local pro (who posts on this BBS with great insight and frequency), he suggested the 52j as being one of the good all-around CC tubas to look at. The only limit to what I hope to accomplish on this horn will almost certainly be due to a weakness of the player, not the tuba.
Both the seller (who doubles on bass bone at a professional level) and my friend talked about the 52j as being a well balanced horn that is easy to play. It is capable of putting out more sound than its size would indicate.
You might ask js for more information, as he took the horn for a test drive which left my jaw on the floor. After hearing Fountains of Rome, I almost decided to just give him the tuba--very impressive.
Two people I know who have owned 52j's mentioned that the valves were a bit sticky from the factory. The person who sold me his polished the valve guides and guide-channels to fix the problem. I saw on the archives that others have installed stiffer valve springs.
I am really excited about my purchase. Even though I'm not a true tuba player (yet) I have found it easy to center pitch on the 52j.
Cheers,
DS