# My new tuba arrives today! I'm so excited! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806 "2020-03-02T18:31:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/41 "2020-03-09T17:43:24Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > My high school also had a new Miraphone tuba. A 186 for you tuba nerds. My main horn is also a Miraphone. (It’s mounted on the wall to the left of my basses.) Great brand of horn. easy to blow, well made. (mouth watering) ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/42 "2020-03-09T18:06:09Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Preemptive disclaimer: I don’t know how to do the multiple quote thing in one post, so here goes a stream of them. Assuming you’re logged in, click on the icon next to the “Multi Quote” link (not the link itself - that doesn’t work for some reason) in each of the posts you want to reply to at once (the icon should change to a white double-quote inside of a black square); when you have selected them all, click on the “Reply” button at the bottom of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/43 "2020-03-09T18:30:37Z")
pm sent ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/44 "2020-03-09T18:47:39Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Assuming you’re logged in, click on the icon next to the “Multi Quote” link (not the link itself - that doesn’t work for some reason) in each of the posts you want to reply to at once (the icon should change to a white double-quote inside of a black square); when you have selected them all, click on the “Reply” button at the bottom of the thread. Ah. thanks! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/45 "2020-03-30T21:02:59Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Wow, thanks for the great responses! When I get to know the horn a bit better I’ll post a review. > > To clear up the BBb thing- it does designate it’s low fundamental pitch as **Musicat** said. A CC tuba is just pitched a whole step higher. They both are concert pitch non- transposing instruments. if you want to play a concert C, that’s what you play: C. There’s none of the fooling around with calling it something else like a trumpet or french horn does. In fact, pretty much all bass clef instruments are non- transposing. The exception is bass, upright or electric. Those are transposed up an octave to put the music on the staff more. Tubas have to read a bunch of ledger lines below the staff. > > **Chronos** - helicons are actually better balanced than a sousaphone. They don’t have that big bell waving around above you. > > **BigGirl** - I don’t mind talking about the[price](https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/sousaphone-and-helicon/products/bbb-helicon-hb24) aspect. the horn was about $3300, the gig bag was $250 and the tax (because I’m in CA) was about $200. Free shipping- from England. That’s a very good price for a brand new tuba. Wessex has them made in China and they go there every four months or so and play EVERY horn before they ship it. They also make small [travel tubas](https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/bbb-tubas/products/bbb-travel-tornister-tuba-mighty-midget-tb160),[cimbassos](https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/cimbasso), [contrabass trombones](https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/trombones-and-sackbut/products/f-contrabass-trombone-pf588), [sackbuts](https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/trombones-and-sackbut/products/tenor-sackbut-s2) and regular brass instruments as well. I finally got around to seeing this, good on you! That video was fun and exciting! I believe it’s Carl Kleinsteuber out of Texas who does their testing for them. Carl knows his business. It’s always great to have a new baby in the house, let us know how it goes! Jenny your humble TubaDiva PS I’ve always thought helicons were a bit softer than sousaphones but I’ve been told by people that had them that’s not the case and they can get plenty loud. Now that you have one, what do you think? Is it more of a directionjal kind of thing? As opposed to a sousaphone which is in your face, pretty much. Or over your head, depending. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/46 "2020-03-31T17:44:07Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > I finally got around to seeing this, good on you! That video was fun and exciting! > > I believe it’s Carl Kleinsteuber out of Texas who does their testing for them. Carl knows his business. > > It’s always great to have a new baby in the house, let us know how it goes! > > Jenny > your humble TubaDiva > > PS I’ve always thought helicons were a bit softer than sousaphones but I’ve been told by people that had them that’s not the case and they can get plenty loud. Now that you have one, what do you think? Is it more of a directionjal kind of thing? As opposed to a sousaphone which is in your face, pretty much. Or over your head, depending. 😃 Well, it seems that helicons are just tubas bent differently, and sousaphones are meant to be loud. I think it has to do with their particular timbre. Sousas have that more mid range belch than most tubas, making the sound carry. Plus, being that sousas are primarily meant to be used outdoors, manufacturers emphasize that feature. I know that if you contrast a brass instrument from say, the 40’s, to a modern horn, they’re definitely made louder now. I have a couple instruments from the 1910’s and 20’s and they’re undoubtedly softer. It would be an interesting experiment to see if a helicon is louder than a sousaphone.When I get back to teaching and have access to one I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/47 "2020-04-01T01:25:19Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I watched the whole video. Very cool! I was in band in high school and I miss being able to play in a group (though my instrument, the flute, is much more easily transportable). > > I have been meaning to make an appointment to visit the [Tuba Museum](https://simonettitubacollection.com/) here in Durham … better put that on my to do list for sooner rather than later. Yes, don’t put it off. Last I heard he was fine but Vince Simonetti is not a young man. Lotsa great stuff to see there; Vince always hated to sell a horn unless it was a fresh new St. Petersburg; I think he managed to hold on to everything else that passed through his shop. I bought a used horn off Vince at a convention a long time ago; I practically had to force him to take the money. [What Trip Advisor sez about the Tuba Museum.](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g49092-d10606521-Reviews-V_E_Simonetti_Historic_Tuba_Collection-Durham_North_Carolina.html) My best to Vince, though these days he couldn’t pick me out of a lineup, I’m sure. Justanothercustomer. Jenny your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/48 "2020-04-01T01:32:21Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Well, it seems that helicons are just tubas bent differently, and sousaphones are meant to be loud. I think it has to do with their particular timbre. Sousas have that more mid range belch than most tubas, making the sound carry. Plus, being that sousas are primarily meant to be used outdoors, manufacturers emphasize that feature. I know that if you contrast a brass instrument from say, the 40’s, to a modern horn, they’re definitely made louder now. I have a couple instruments from the 1910’s and 20’s and they’re undoubtedly softer. > > It would be an interesting experiment to see if a helicon is louder than a sousaphone.When I get back to teaching and have access to one I’ll check it out. The alloys today are totally different from those classic Conns and Kings and etc. That also has some effect, I’m sure. Thanks for letting me “talk shop.” Since I have no rehearsals and no gigs these days I’m getting pretty antsy. Next I’ll be asking you what mouthpiece you use. 😃 And congrats again on that new horn; the mouthpiece that came with it looks like your standard Helleberg style to me. Jenny your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806/49 "2020-04-01T15:56:34Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > The alloys today are totally different from those classic Conns and Kings and etc. That also has some effect, I’m sure. > > Thanks for letting me “talk shop.” Since I have no rehearsals and no gigs these days I’m getting pretty antsy. Next I’ll be asking you what mouthpiece you use. 😃 And congrats again on that new horn; the mouthpiece that came with it looks like your standard Helleberg style to me. > > Jenny > your humble TubaDiva Heh, I’m not a big mouthpiece tinkerer. I have accumulated several, but I don’t know much about them. I didn’t care for the mpc that came with the horn, which is like a Helleberg, but I’m using a…(goes and checks)… a Blessing 18, whatever that means. This is like bass players… “what kind of strings do you use?” Guitar players… "What kind of amp is that?’ Dopers… “why isn’t the board working?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tuba-arrives-today-im-so-excited/848806.md?page=2)