BAT

I am back from a very productive trip to China. It was fast and grueling trip but worth it. I have a BAT! A Fledermaus? A Big Audacious Tuba. In fact I have two BATs in CC and two BATs in BBb, each available in silver or lacquer for a total of eight. Pictures posted in links. In keeping with the old system, J=tubas, digit one = scale degree, digit two is size and digit three is number of valves. So: J-865LQ is CC 5v, J-865SP is CC 5v, J-864LQ is CC 4v, J-864SP is CC4v, J-765LQ is BBb 5v, J-765SP is BBb 5v, J-764LQ is BBb 4v and J-764SP is BBb 4v. The instruments are not copies of any existing tubas but were certainly inspired by some great American tubas of yesteryear. (Return with us now to those thrilling sounds of yesteryear…) The point of departure was a BBb Holton from the twenties. I used the bell, bow and branches for the BAT dimensions. It is clear to me that Frank Holton and J.W. York had a symbiotic relationship and that is was Frank Holton that first developed the large bell that was later used by York. The valve cluster is that which I currently use in the 4/4 tubas so the bore is .750/.787 with an optional dependent fifth rotor. Because of the dependent rotor I could not tell a blowing difference or sound between the four and five valve models.

Having owned BATs with 20” and 22” bells and having compared the Conn 52J, 54J and 56J, I am keenly aware that too big a bell makes the sound diffuse and fluffy whilst too small a bell offers little depth but gives a quicker response especially in the low register. I chose 19” for these BATs and am confident most everyone will like the choice. I brought back with me one J-865UL and will use it as a trial sample for anyone who wants to test it. In Elkhart by appointment or at a conference near you. I will be traveling with a Gemeinhardt display to several shows, bringing along a variety of BMB tubas. Give me a shout if there’s something in particular you’d like to try. I will be in Ames, Iowa for the state convention Nov 15-17, New York State’s NYSSMA Nov 29-Dec 1, Wright State’s Low Brass day Dec 8, Midwest in Chicago Dec 19-21. Grand Rapids, Michigan Jan 17-19, Capital Tuba Conference in DC Feb 1&2, Ohio MEA in Columbus Feb 7-9, NAMM in Anaheim Jan 24-26 Minneapolis Feb 14-16, TMEA in San Antonio Feb 14-16 will have tubas but I will not be there. I would be pleased to do a complete display of all my tubas and Euphoniums at your college. Email me at bigmouthbrass@gmail.com. It is my intention to keep one each of the BBb’s and take orders as I have no feel for whether 4v or 5v in LQ or SP will be popular. I expect February delivery of 5v CC’s in both lacquer and silver and will secure orders with deposits. Oh, the price, around $7,000 depending on specific model. Includes a free case and a great Helleberg mouthpiece. Gig bag available. I will withhold personal evaluation here, but I am extremely encouraged by what I could tell with my dystonic (is that a word) chops.

New Sousa Band concert October 2012 J-345, J-744, J-744

Willie Clark, Jess Lightner, Mark Jones New Sousa Band concert October 2012 J-345, J-744, J-744

Trip East

First to Buffalo where Don Harry took delivery of his J-844 CC tuba. He used it in the Buffalo Philharmonic later in the week. Mark Jones who subs for Don in Buffalo got one as well. That;s three for Don: J-445, J-744 and now J-844. Don took a J-845 that is on it's way to Australia for Ed Diefes, tubist with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. Ed's tuba made the rounds in Don's studio at Eastman before traveling down under.

More pics in links

Then to Hartt School of Music in Connecticut. This is the first time I got to meet Scott Mendoker who in addition to teaching at Hartt, plays in the Philadelphia Brass. Great player and super nice guy. He invited players from the area to come in to try instruments. I got to meet Steve Lamb from the Coast Guard band who has a Nirschl tuba made from the same tooling that now makes the Big Mouth Brass J-845. Pictures in links. Both ordering J-445's and one of Scott's students took delivery of one as well. Then to Mansfield PA where Dr. Nathan Rinnert's studio now has a J-845 and a student has a J-345. A day of golf with my wife at Quail Hollow and finally John DiCesare's studio class at Kent State. John gave all the horns a good workout and sounded marvelous. Watch for his star to rise.

Mark Cox at CMU

I had a lovely day playing golf with Mark Cox and then testing tubas. Mark tried the J-734, J-744, J-844, J-445, J-345 and the H-808 Euphonium. Mark sounded fantastic on all of them. He confirmed what Don Harry and Gene Pokorny found, the new Helleberg mouthpiece worked well on all tuba models. Central Michigan University has a fantastic facility and Mark is a Marvelous player and teacher. I am honored to have Mark's stamp of approval on my tubas and Euphoniums. Tuba inventory is down to one F and one EEb but the next shipment is due by the end of September. I have a number of compensating Euphoniums on which I can pass a fantastic savings because I need to make room for the next shipment. When the next shipment arrives I will be on the road again. Contact me at bigmouthbrass@gmail.com if you'd like a showing at your college. (I'd love to arrange a Southern tour in the Winter.) pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/109504607471605137020/DrMarkCoxCentralMichiganUniversity

5/4 BBb and CC first samples from China

I had a nice trip to Columbus and Buffalo showing the new samples of the 4/4 (5/4?) BBb and CC. Tony Zilincik met me at Buckeye Brass where he and his student Gretchen tried out the J-844LQ CC tuba. Gretchen ordered the sample. Then off to Buffalo. Don Harry, tubist in the BPO and professor of tuba at the Eastman School of Music put the new models through their paces. Don has been very gracious in testing and providing feedback. Mark Jones who plays second tuba in Buffalo was there as well and wrote a review on tubenet http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php?t=50327&p=433306. Mark is NOT an agent or salesman and was not coerced or bribed in any way. I am most pleased he liked the instruments and would be delighted to have anyone come to Elkhart to confirm for themselves. He speaks for himself and ordered a tuba, his second Gemeinhardt. These are the first instruments built in China on the German tooling acquired from Walter Nisrchl and built briefly in Brazil before the tooling was moved to China. In my humble opinion they are second to none. These approval samples are 4 valve instruments. I do not anticipate the dependent rotor having any impact on playability. Somewhat surprisingly both Tony and Don are fans of the J-844 FOUR valve CC tuba and see advantages to the reduced weight of only four. They found the privileged pedal notes to work well and were impressed with the long pulls on all four slides. I don’t think I am mis-quoting Don or Tony in saying this J-744 is THE recommended school BBb tuba period. At a street price of $5227 a quality that rivals any and a playability that arguably blows the competition out of the water, it is no wonder. (BTW if Mark was an agent writing a sponsor ad on tubenet I would have asked him to say that. The H.S. BBb market is the larger market. LOL) (I would also have added a note about the ¾ BBb. It is in stock and a great horn for schools as well.) I expect full production with delivery by the end of August and will be pleased to take the show on the road. Let me know if you would like to set up a local 'dog-and-pony-show' of Gemeinhardt (aka Big Mouth Brass) tubas. Prices range from $5227 for the 4v BBb in LQ to $6517 for the 5v CC in SP. The J-445SP F tuba and J-345SP EEb tuba street @ $4871. I've posted pictures for those curious about the mouthpipe angle. It worked well for Gretchen and Tony. Mark liked it. Don may move it out a little as he rests the horn on his right thigh. BTW Don also compared the new F with cross bar to his own earlier Gemeinhardt without the crossbar. Conclusion: Better ergonomics; no negatives. Alex Cauthen from Dallas was here a couple of weeks ago and came to the same conclusion. Mark asked me to order a cross bar for his F. https://picasaweb.google.com/109504607471605137020/44SamplesArriveAndGetTestedInBuffalo#5754014872211071506 .............................. Gene: "Wow!"

The J-445 had a good run in Chicago. Two concerts in the hall, on tour of Russia and Italy and a recital at Ball State. When I first went looking for a CC tuba in NYC in 1964 Walter Sear said "When the chips are down you go to the tuba you've played most of your life." Gene announced he will be performing the Vaughn Williams tuba concerto on the York. If he's not going to use the J-445 I couldn't be happier that he'll play it on the York. The first time I heard Mr. Jacobs he was playing the VW with the Evanston Symphony. I was a little disappointed in what I heard after hearing about his huge sound. I later learned that he used a shallow cup mouthpiece trying to make the York sound like an F tuba. I sat in his basement and held a db meter while he tried tubas for a later performance. A bell front CC, the Besson F and the York. Again he settled on the York. When he finally recorded the VW with the CSO he chose the instrument for which it was originally written; a instrument with which he was not comfortable; an instrument in a key on which he rarely played. It is a great performance but not, alas, the legacy I felt he should have left. And so when Gene told me he was going to use the York, I could not help but think it was the right one. Here is Gene Pokorny talking about the upcoming performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjMuDlcxGxs&feature=youtube_gdata_player ....I'm looking forward to it.

Gemeinhardt Tuba Goes on Tour

Gene Pokorny has chosen to take the Gemeinhardt J-445 F tuba on the Chicago Symphony’s upcoming tour of Russia and Italy. I went to Symphony Hall yesterday and added some T bar’s to facilitate slide adjustment on 3&4. BTW Gene is performing the Vaughn Williams Tuba Concerto with the orchestra May 15, 17 &19. (The Saturday concert is in Naperville because of anticipated protests downtown from the previously scheduled G8 summit.)

If you would like to try the J-445 F tuba or the proto-type of the CC tuba, I will be displaying these, as well as the full line of Gemeinhardt horns, Euphoniums and trombones (and of course the flutes and other woodwinds), at the Pennsylvania Music Educators' Convention. This year the convention is in Lancaster. Exhibit Hall Hours: Thursday, April 19, 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Friday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

I would really appreciate some input on the I-808 Compensating Euphonium. I will have TWO versions at PMEA.