Posted by ok on February 23, 2004 at 01:37:38:
In Reply to: Re: Re: yfb822 vs mw45slp posted by mike mason on February 23, 2004 at 00:09:15:
I did not have the valves lapped. Maybe I should have.....I've always heard that it is not a good thing to have done.
Anyway, my hand, wrist, and forearm would get sore as if I had arthritis from practicing technical studies for more than 10 minutes. The stretch for each finger is pretty huge. Also the ergonomics of the fifth valve placement and distance of the throw is really difficult to move in time. I thought that I was just a wimp and needed to practice more. However, the more I practiced the more sore my muscles in the valve hand got.
It's a shame, because the sound of that tuba is to die for....and the more I practiced the more I thought that is what might happen.
If you have big hands and strong ones. This instrument is absolutely amazing. The strength of sound is incredible at high volumes and yet it is easy to blend in a small ensemble as well.
I tried five of these instruments out side by side and picked the best one. As I recall, some of those 45slp were pretty inconsistant with intonation and low register response.