Posted by Sean Chisham on June 10, 2000 at 17:54:25:
In Reply to: 6/4 tuba: Hirs vs. MW vs. PT-7 vs...etc? posted by Curious...... on June 10, 2000 at 13:36:42:
For me, the Yorkbrunner is the best fit. It has the tonal versatility, with various mouthpieces, that I am after along with an ease of playability I have not experienced in other horns. Part of that could be because I am used to the Hirsbrunner response since I have played on one since 1994.
The Nirschlbrunner seemed to have some of the same sound characteristics, but was not as intune as the Yorkbrunner and also seemed to be a bit squirrelly in how it responded. These could most certainly be overcome with more exposure to the horn, though.
The PT-7p is a very good buy. If you are in a tossup between the PT-7p and the 2165 for a $10,000 6/4 tuba, then the PT-7p is a lot better horn, IMO. Make sure you are purchasing a new PT-7p, because like all the Perantucci line they are always evolving. The newest 7p's are fantastic, but the older ones still had some kinks in them which made them less than desirable.
The 2165 is an acquired taste. I don't care much for the taste, but others do and have been successful with them. The 2165's I have played have been uncomfortable to play and don't seem as versatile as the other offerings. Since the evalution of the PT-7P, the 2165 has become even less appealing.
The Culbertson Neptune 6/4 rotary valved CC is a very fine instrument also. It has a different sound then the piston horns, but is still very desirable. I was actually surprised how much I liked it. It is a different approach than the other instruments listed, so it may take some getting used to.
Another couple of horns to look at are the Rudy Meinl 5/4 and the Perantucci PT-6p. The Rudy is more of an old school horn, but produces excellent results when masterred. It is not the easiest horn to play, but the sound is there. If a 6/4 is too much horn for all your contrabass tuba needs, then also consider the PT-6p. It is slightly smaller than the 7p, but certainly more horn than most 4/4's.
I am receiving my new Yorkbrunner in a week or two. The cost is high, but was well offset by the sale of my previous horn. After the sale I only had to contribute another $6000 or so to get it. For what I like and my goals, it is a good match.
In the end the choice will come back to a balance between how you sound on the horn coupled with how comfortable it is to play. The financial part should not be the major deciding factor if you plan on using the instrument as a tool of your profession. I would go with 80% sound/product, 15% playability, and 5% financial when making the decision for a professional instrument.
sean