marching tubas/BBb 'contrabasses'

[DFragmentor]

I have a dynasty super magnum 5/4. It will kick the crap out of anything. ;)

[tubawarrior]

has no one considered the Kanstul tubas/contras?

I worked with a corps that used Kanstuls...but I don't really know how well the horn works, I never got a chance to try it out and put it through its paces. Heard good and bad about it, nothing specific.

[brassomaniac]

The Dynasty, model 010-M875, 4/4size marching BBb Tuba is FABULOUS. Buy it, you'll love it!

David

We've also found it to be a very good instrument.

The MARCHING DEG Bb Tuba, that is, NOT their convertible model.

[Penn State]

Obviously a lot of you like the Dynasty marching tubas. Why? What makes these horns so superior to the other manufacturers models? How is the intonation, valve action, upper and lower range of the horn, balance, craftmanship ( do they hold up to abuse well), etc...? I would love to have a knowledgable person answer the same questions as it pertains to the Yamaha.

[corps fan]

user removed post

Edited February 7, 2007 by corps fan

[nukeme70]

Obviously a lot of you like the Dynasty marching tubas. Why? What makes these horns so superior to the other manufacturers models? How is the intonation, valve action, upper and lower range of the horn, balance, craftmanship ( do they hold up to abuse well), etc...? I would love to have a knowledgable person answer the same questions as it pertains to the Yamaha.

I can't speak about the DEG tubas, but if they put the same thought into those that they put into the 5/4 contras, I can elaborate a bit.

On the contras, the leadpipe is positioned far enough forward that the horn center of gravity is directly over the shoulder - this makes the horn MUCH easier to tote around - on both the 3V and 4V models, I can balance the horn on my shoulder without steadying/supporting it with my hands.

Where the horn sits on the shoulder, there is a thick added brass plate that reinforces the horn. The tubing where you carry the horn is "bumped out" - kind of a built in handle.

There seems to be plenty of bracing on the horn - I have not broken any braces on my horn in 2.5 years...granted, that's not in jr. corps, but the 3V DEG that I played on in Bluecoats made it the entire season with only 1-2 bracing issues, and I don't remember anyone else breaking any - that was the 3rd year of those horns being in use.

The Willson valves are very nice - I love the larger diameter of the buttons as a result of the larger diameter valves. The bottom valve caps are rubber lined, so your springs don't vibrate and the valves don't clunk when you push them down. I think it is a standard feature on most 4V horns now, but the 1st valve is offset from the other 3 to make it easier to play on all 4 valves... if I remember correctly, the early DEG 4V horns had all the valves lined up, which made you spread your fingers in a very uncomfortable manner to be able to hit them all.

The intonation is kinda weird...in 'Coats, the staff could never tune the contras by ear...they always heard them as being sharp, but by the tuner they were a bit flat...I tend to see a similar effect with my 4V - even at "factory tuning", I have to lip up the pitch a bit to be dead on with the tuner - but when playing, I don't stick out of the ensemble...I have no problems belting out the bass clef D an octave below the staff, and the sound doesn't pinch off when I play into the upper register.

[idontwan2know]

I'm not a tuba player so I won't even try to compare how the two horns play. I believe Joe Exley has mentioned that he thinks the larger Yamaha marching tuba is the best instrument available today.

As far as durability goes, I can venture an opinion, and in this regard the Yamaha suffers greatly. They're made of very thin, light weight, soft alloy that dents if you look at it wrong, and the soldering/bracing is just not heavy enough, IMO. I've also been told that the valve guides in Yamaha horns are prone to wear and breakage. I believe these problems are due to the fact that they use the same manufacturing processes and standards for the marching horns that they do for the concert horns. It may be fine for a pampered concert horn, but they just don't hold up to being slung around a marching field very well.

It all depends on what the situation is. If you're looking for a personal horn that you can pamper and maintain yourself, the potentially better playing/sounding Yamaha horn might be the best choice. If you're purchasing for a corps that will be replacing the horns every few years, it would probably be worth it, but you'd need to be prepared to deal with some maintenance hassles(I've also heard getting parts for Yamaha horns is problematic). If you're purchasing for a corps or a school band where the horn is going to need to last for 10+ years with generally poor treatment and maintenance, consider what is going to be the better horn 5, 7, 9, 10 years from now, not just which is better the day you unwrap it from the factory.

I'll say this...every Yamaha concert tuba I've seen that was used in a school environment for several years was an absolute nightmare. The original shape of the horn is almost unrecognizable under all the dents...leaky, clanking valves...really they're a mess. And those are concert horns that aren't taken outside and thrown around a marching field.

[igor230]

Hey, since we're on this topic, I'm wondering if any of you tuba guys who marched dc with tubas and mb with sousas, if you could choose, what would you pick? Based on tone, intonation, durability. We're considering purchasing marching tubas(not convertibles) for our hs band; it's kind of not done around here but I think it might be the best choice. Thanks

[G_Bass]

Hey, since we're on this topic, I'm wondering if any of you tuba guys who marched dc with tubas and mb with sousas, if you could choose, what would you pick? Based on tone, intonation, durability. We're considering purchasing marching tubas(not convertibles) for our hs band; it's kind of not done around here but I think it might be the best choice. Thanks

Although it might not be the social "norm", I would go with marching-only tubas. They are not a s bulky as a sousa, and sure do play a lot better. I just wish I had that option in HS.

Now, for the topic of Kanstuls, I think they're good horns. Albeit I march a modified Contra Grande (it has a trombone tuning slide for a leadpipe, converted from the original S-pipe design) it sits fairly well. I understand that the Convertible BBb tubas are very cumbersome at times (in concert position, the valves are as high as the receiver of the mouthpiece, and you have to place your hand over the leadpipe instead of through in marching position) I played the 5/4 convert at TBA last year. Not really thrilled with it.

I've held a DEG 5/4, and it takes getting-used-to. I've played the Yamaha 202, and its ok. If I had to pick, I'd go with DEG, just because of its history with DBC. They've been making drum corps horns for 30~ years now. And I'll go with the previous argument that Yamahas are not built to specs for DBC. I've seen horns utterly torn apart because of a mishap, and bad run throughs.

Thanks to those who read.

[tubawarrior]

If you're purchasing for a corps that will be replacing the horns every few years, it would probably be worth it, but you'd need to be prepared to deal with some maintenance hassles(I've also heard getting parts for Yamaha horns is problematic).

there is a discussion in the Div I forum:Yamaha is closing 2 American factories and moving all their parts and other stuff back to Japan, so things will probably take even longer to arrive than they used to.

Hey, since we're on this topic, I'm wondering if any of you tuba guys who marched dc with tubas and mb with sousas, if you could choose, what would you pick? Based on tone, intonation, durability. We're considering purchasing marching tubas(not convertibles) for our hs band; it's kind of not done around here but I think it might be the best choice. Thanks

In my experience I have used the following: a convertible Blessing tuba (they don't even make them anymore), a fiberglass sousaphone that was so old you could literally stick your finger through the bottom, a Yamaha brass sousaphone, a Dynasty 5/4 - 4 valve marching only horn, and now I have a brass sousaphone with a Jupiter bell (but I think the body is another brand)...my experience has told me the marching horn was the best, the sousaphones are good for parades only. I have to say I just hate sousaphones and I'll bet it was because the one I used in high school was such garbage, but I don't mind the one I'm using for college pep band that much now. Sousaphones are easier for high school students to carry, and if you do purchase marching only horns I would go no bigger than a 4/4 - 3 valves are plenty. Overall the marching only tubas seem to hold up best, but they get so heavy for parades, I would keep the sousas around for that purpose only. Tubas give you a more focused sound, kids like them because they think they are using contras (be careful on that, educate the students in the difference between tubas and "g" bugles), and it gives you more visual options in a field show. Those are my thoughts, hope they help.

Edited February 9, 2007 by tubawarrior