Posted by Morris Kainuma on August 23, 2002 at 17:04:20:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Fafner posted by Rick Denney on August 23, 2002 at 09:34:34:
Rick,
The Fafner sound, IMHO, is not particularly "American". The Alexander sound is darker and richer than that of the Fafner. For me, the Fafner is very clear and centered, and at the same time has a huge, weighty sound. The Rudy Meinl 5/4 BBb sound is broader and darker. I haven't played the Willson BBb, nor the Mirafone 190 BBb. The Fafner is in a different league with regard to the Mirafone 186 (Fafner produces much more tone, and a very different sound).
The Fafner is very efficient, it produces a lot of sound, easily, with very little effort. If a player is looking for a tuba that will produce a broad, resonant, buoyant and transparent tone, like some of the Yorks and Holtons, IMHO the Fafner is not the ticket.
I wouldn't want to play Fountains of Rome or Till Eulenspiegel, nor the band transcriptions of Oberon or Merry Wives of Windsor on the Fafner. It would be fantastic on Prokofiev, brilliant on Brucker symphonies. It's a great tuba with a great sound.