Re: pro level BBb's


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Posted by Rick Denney on July 05, 2001 at 11:19:31:

In Reply to: pro level BBb's posted by anon again on July 04, 2001 at 21:07:58:

I'd second Lew's comments, if you can't find one of the better old BBb tubas that are still occasionally available.

I have also not played the Miraphone 191, and am a little reluctant to, for fear that it might be as good as its proponents say.

As to the comparison of a 186 BBb and a 186 CC, I own one of the former and have played more than a few notes on one of the latter. I've also heard these same instruments played by far better chops than mine. Personally, I can't hear a difference. The CC felt a little different, but I really believe that had more to do with ergonomics (the 186 CC has a shorter body) and the difference in pitch, which forced my brain to think in ways it doesn't have to one the BBb, than with any real difference. When the other player played both, I could not tell any difference.

What will really hurt your brain is that when you think about it, the 186 BBb and CC are more different than you might think. The 186's all have a similar leadpipe and they have the same bore. The main tuning slide arrangement is the same. So they have about the same length of cylindrical tubing before the tapered branches. By my measurement, that is a little over 62 inches. And they have the same bell, which is about 30-odd inches long. The overall length of the BBb is around 209 inches, and if we subtract the cylindrical part and the bell, we have about 117 inches left. So, the tapered branches between the tuning slide and the bell stack are about 117 inches long on the BBb, and about 92 inches long on the CC. Of course, the CC therefore has a taper that grows at an approximately 25% faster rate. That ought to make a difference, but it doesn't much.

And to Mr. Anon who thinks all Miraphones sound lousy, then I respectfully suggest a more open mind. Lots of folks prefer a different sound these days, but lots of folks don't. And no so long ago, the Miraphone had a sound that satisfied the demands of most working pros. Tastes change, but who's to say the current tastes are better or worse than those they replaced?

Rick "who likes short skirts" Denney


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