Posted by Barry Guerrero on August 23, 2001 at 03:40:43:
I did get to test play the Gronitz Eb at Lowbrass Werks. I liked the tritone setup on the 5th valve (A natural), but I really wasn't prepared for what came out of the horn. My embouchure was set for a m.p. that was probably too big for this horn in most applications. The low range was really fat, but the extreme high notes were a wee bit more difficult than they are on my B&H Eb. That fact, combined with the observation that the sound came across to me as a bit loud and "shouty", tells me that I probably had too big of a piece in there (Marcinkiewicz heavy weight H4). Remember, this is a rather squat horn - meaning that the bell is not far above your head, if at all. It's kind of like playing a smaller Piggy. My guess is that a cup or a bowl shaped (med. wide but shallow) Eb/F type m.p. might work much better. Would anyone second that thought? I really want to go back and see if I get this to work as a surrogate, less expensive Willson (mind you, I've never actually played the Willson). Next time, I'm going to try my Miraphone C2 on there, which is like a cross between a Bach 25 and a Conn 7B, but with the comfortable Miraphone rim. I'm also still considering a wide range of other good horns. It's great to have somebody who actually stocks quality tubas in the S.F. Bay Area. Tony, you're not rid of me yet.
Barry Guerrero