Posted by Ted Cox on March 28, 1999 at 19:50:23:
In Reply to: Alexanders tubas... posted by Paul A on March 28, 1999 at 17:53:35:
Paul, I agree with you completely. If you have never heard Chester play his Alex live, in symphony hall you have really missed a beautiful sound. I play a 5-valve solid nickel-silver CC built in 1964. I spent four years looking for an Alex until I lucked into the horn I play now. The Alexander Tuba is considered a 5/4 size horn and works great for most orchestral situations. Dave Kirk in Houston, Ron Bishop in Cleveland, Mike Thornton in Cincinnati and of course Chester Schimitz in Boston still play their Alex's from time to time. Alex's take a bit of work to learn to play but they can teach you how to play correctly. Dave Kirk put it best when he said that playing and Alexander is a journey through sound. I couldn't agree with him more. The phone number for Alexander is 011-49-06131-288080. The PT-6 seems very similar to a classic Alex. It's my understanding that you can still order a tuba from the factory. The problem is you won't know what you have until it is built. I have played several Alex's, both CC and F and they are all diferent and unique. My very first tuba teacher played an Alex and I think that is where my concept of sound began. I will probably be buried along side my Alex when the time comes.