Some thoughts on downsizing /advice and opinions sought

[prairieboy1]

This is an issue as well for me. Your wife's quote in the above text is something that I often think of when downsizing becomes an issue. The two horns I play the most are the King 2341 and the Holton Mammoth. The other two have memory value for me, however they certainly are not played more than twice a year. The Holton is my "home tuba". I purchased this horn from Lee Stofer several years ago and he did a terrific job in preparing it for me. The sound is dark and dense and I just like playing it despite the pitch issues. I certainly do not want to lug it to at least two rehearsals a week where it might fit. The King is the one that does all the heavy lifting in rehearsals and concerts. It certainly does everything I need and will likely be the very last horn to leave the stable when my playing days are done. Downsizing is a difficult thing for those of us who have memories and or emotions tied up in these horns. This ends my "stream of consciousness" for today.

[bloke]

I should probably downsize, but I'm waiting for Mrs bloke to sell off or give away all but two or three of her weaving looms...

... and it's never been her idea for me to sell any of the tubss that I've sold that were my personal tubas. It's always been my idea, and always to her surprise and with her encouraging me to think again.

As long as the tuba is superb and easily capable of following instructions and input, I'm the music. The tuba is not the music.
That said, I don't have much patience for tubas which aren't particularly responsive to instructions and input.

[2nd tenor]

I'd like to give some background on my playing situation right now and throw it to the Freak Jury to dissect:

Although I do a lot of buying/play-condition repairs/selling (which you probably know if you follow some of my posts on this website), I still have instruments that I consider "my stable":

- Cerveny Piggy CC
- B&S Symphonie F
- Besson 15" bell 4v compensating Eb
- 1925 York 6/4 3v BBb
- Conn 36K fiberglass sousaphone

Likewise with the York: it has sat in its case for most of the time I've had it because it is huge and cumbersome to take out of the house. It is not the easiest tuba to steer! I did use it on a few performances this past summer and it generally got a lot of nice comments.

The York has some issues that need to be addressed: namely, the first valve circuit is waaaay too long, and the third valve circuit is also a bit long. If these were trimmed back and the first aligned better, it would be great. Open series is very good, so it's just a matter of dialing in 1 and 3 to get the intonation more reasonable. But the sound is great, and it's a friggin' York 6/4 tuba, which don't really come around that often at all. But at the end of the day, it is a 3 valve instrument with 101-year-old pistons that show their wear a bit. It could do with a valve job down the road but works fine with slightly heavier oil.

Perhaps I’ve got this wrong but I suggest that you let the York go. Why? Well any Tuba that’s so difficult to transport that you rarely take it out of the house is a liability. It might sound good but it requires significant work and has only three valves as opposed to the much favoured here four. It might not be easy to replace but so what? Would any logical person rush to replace an instrument that’s not really worked for them in the past?

If you want a BBb as part of your stable then, over time, other BBb’s that’ll give you greater utility will either pass through your workshop or within your other reach.

[prodigal]

I'm sure the York has a great sound. Think about portability. I drive a F150 super cab. The horn goes in the second row of the cab. I'm not sure a BAT would fit inside and I don't want an instrument sliding around in the bed. Just my thoughts.

I like B&S basses (in F) and Mirafone CCs for contras, but I'm biased.

[bloke]

I can get my 6/4 Winter case in the passenger seat of my Toyota if I slide the seat back and fold the backrest down, put it in there, and then slide it forward and let the backrest back up.

Sometimes when I'm playing gigs, I'm going to use multiple instruments and I'm also returning repaired instruments to some people who are also on the gigs, as well as dropping off some stuff at a school or two on the way to the rehearsal...
... which is why I know that that described in the previous sentence is possible.