TubaForum.net

Any opinion on this tuba ?
I read a few posts about it in here, but it's not much.

Not looking for a "fake contrabass", just for a "big bass".

They didn’t make many of them. I’d never SEEN a Kanstul tuba in person until a 90 CC popped up locally years ago.

I’ve heard that they’re the best Eb since sliced bread, and I’ve also heard that they’re not worth the brass they’re made from.

I’m sure there are good ones that exist. I’m also sure that they have more pitch quirks than other Eb’s, just due to how big they are and how limited production was.

Good luck even finding one. I know one was available on the other forum recently, but I believe it has since sold.

I'm in Europe and there is one available in Denmark. Apparently a demo one.
It's too far away to try it, but there would not be any additional tax so I'm tempted.

Could you have the seller play it while on a Zoom call?

I wouldn’t judge its tone or sound by that but the intonation should come across that way.

@Mary Ann ?

Not sure why you tagged me? I don't have this tuba. Zoom is reasonably good for what you're asking, up to a point.

I have been told by Tom Holtz that a GOOD example of one of these is the best Eb he’s ever played. Willie Clark has one that is a good example and he says it’s amazing.

York copy, except instead of staying at .656", the bore through the four valves gets larger, whereby the fourth one is the 687 "King" bore.

I don't know where they got the idea that their bronze metal is "York brass". Also, York instruments didn't dent so easily, other than a particular 6/4 C that had the crap buffed out of it by some shop.

Mary Ann wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2026 9:01 am Not sure why you tagged me? I don't have this tuba. Zoom is reasonably good for what you're asking, up to a point.

I seem to remember you did the Zoom thing with a seller so you could hear and check the intonation.

Sorry, I should have said something like

"@Mary Ann didn't you use Zoom to check out a tuba you were interested in?" :-)

claf wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2026 6:41 am Any opinion on this tuba ?
I read a few posts about it in here, but it's not much.

Not looking for a "fake contrabass", just for a "big bass".

Talk to Lee Stofer. He had a hand in the design and was a Kanstul dealer.

claf wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2026 6:41 am Any opinion on this tuba ?

I don't have a strong basis for comparison, but I like mine.

The valve section has some down sides, principally that it doesn't drain well. It's short a water key or two, but the main thing seems to be an upward bend in the tubing near the valves, where water pools up (assuming the tuba is pointing to your left as it normally would.) Reportedly this valve section was adopted on many or all their models from other tuba/sousaphone models, without a lot of critical thought about how well it would work. The valve caps and water keys are light and flimsy, just a minor defect.

But the sound is fine. Not very sensitive to mouthpiece. The lots-of-valve low end - Bb below the staff, and below - is quite OK, but may have been more substantial on a helicon I used to have. Not sure that's a fair comparison. Some players report difficulty with intonation - not that it won't play in tune, but that it's just as happy to play out of tune if that's what you put into it, which I think would be to some extent a matter of player preference. The top valve version is reportedly easier to play.

It's fairly light, considering its size.

It's one of those tubas whereby a top action valve block has knuckles twisted around so that it is repurposed as a front action... a whole lot like the Yamaha 621 tubas.

bloke wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2026 12:00 am It's one of those tubas whereby a top action valve block has knuckles twisted around so that it is repurposed as a front action... a whole lot like the Yamaha 621 tubas.

If I recall (and it has been years) I seem to recollect this horn was based on the York Model 33 with upright valves - but again I’m neither particularly knowledgeable about York or Kanstul nor was I a potential buyer paying close attention). Kanstul was going to offer both an upright valve version & a front action version. This was back when Lee had some prototypes in hand to evaluate for Kansul and before production. I remember him talking about Kanstul had researched the brass makeup of the Yorks & recreated it to use in these horns.

I played a couple of those York-patterned E flats they made, judged them to play well, and I've seen some of their other instruments.
I've just never seen any Grand Rapids instruments made out of bronze, nor of a gauge that thin.

I’ve owned a 66T for many years. I believe they are a great sounding horn. I get the best sound for me using a Sellsmanberger symphony mouthpiece. I also have used the imperial version with good success. I use it for community band. It easily supports a band of around 40 members. I got my horn for Lee. I believe it was one of his demonstration horns.

I sure wish those hand held XRF analyzers weren't so damned expensive. I'd get one to see if there's really tin in the bell. Not that it would matter a lot.