Posted by Lew on September 10, 2001 at 20:06:25:
In Reply to: 5valve BBb Are they worth the money posted by John S on September 10, 2001 at 19:09:15:
A 5th valve seems to add around $1000 to the price of BBb tubas. If it allows you to play better than on any other horn it would be worth the money.
I have played on a couple and have found that the 5th valve (I tried flat whole step 5ths) does make the low range, below the Eb an octave below the bass clef staff, a little easier to hit with better intonation. I have also almost never encountered anything below a low Eb in any of the music that I play. This is mostly band music with an adult amateur group. (That means that we are mostly adults, not that we do an "adult" show).
I owned a VMI 3302, which is a 5 valve BBb. I ended up selling it because I didn't like the way it played or sounded as much as my 4 valve horn. If I were buying today I would consider the 3301, but not the 3302. I have liked the way the 3301s that I have tried better than any of the 3302s. The only way to know this was to play as many of them as I could. On the other hand, I liked the way the Willson 3100 played, and that only comes as a 5 valve. I just couldn't handle the price.
So, the answer for you is what I said above. You have to try it and decide whether it is the horn for you. If it is, it would be worth the money. Don't just buy it to get the "top of the line" though. Buy it because it works for you.