Posted by Joe S. on February 27, 2001 at 19:52:07:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: getting prepared to buy 6/4 posted by Carl Kleinsteuber on February 27, 2001 at 10:37:17:
Don't apologize. Let's just laugh. Surely you don't think (as much crap as I write here) that I haven't put MY foot in MY mouth plenty?
Klaus busted me one time for running down my old Holton (the tuba that got about 99 times more attention than it deserved). I commented that I got sick and tired of working around ITS intonation quirks, and sold it. Then, Klaus came back to me and said that by making that statement I had "devalued" the Holton for any and all future owners (now "paraphrasing"). Actually, that old Holton didn't have anything wrong with its overtone series EXCEPT the LOWER open G (typical Holton), which was so flat that I had to play it 1-3. I just got tired of having that "crack in the cement" right in the middle of the instrument.
The new owner is tickled pink with it, and wants to talk with me about it (???). Somebody else conjectures that Matt Walters "tweaked" it. Maybe so, but I don't think even Matt (with all due respect and more) could "tweak" a G up 35 cents. Anyway, I think those of us who either "want" or "need" a B.A.T. (if we are the picky types) keep looking for the ones that (obviously) have that big resonance, but ALSO have the highs in the sound that give a tuba energy, AND a friggin' SCALE - (probably too much to ask). I came across one of those big old Martin BBb's with a scary-good overtone series. Well, I'm going to try and make it into a successful CC B.A.T. with a shorty (chopped off on the bottom) Kurath 20" bell and an OLD King .750" front-action valveset. I'm hoping for the magical combination, probably won't achieve it, and probably will end up selling it, too, in a few years.
Joe "ain't buyin' no more and ain't MAKIN' no more (after this) B.A.T.s" S.