Miraphone 1258a?
Hello,
I am a new member of the forum, but have visited a number of times prior to joining.
WyoBadger - In answer to your question, I have a Miraphone 1258A in lacquer. The horn was bought from WWBW about a year ago, before the dollar tanked vs the euro.
I use the Miraphone for New Orleans jazz funerals and second-lines plus some solo jazz noodling. My viewpoint is definitely from an amateur's perspective. I was playing an old Conn 24-I four-valve, but I was not satisfied with tuning or intonation. My instructor suggested the Miraphone because of their reputation for quality tubas.
I like the dark sound compared to other compensating euphs I have heard (but not played). During second-lines I usually march next to a fat Conn 20-I sousaphone. The sousa players really like the "tenor tuba" sound of the Miraphone. One pundit called it "an F-tuba in disguise".
Check David Werden's tuning comparison page at http://dwerden.com/intonation
I was concerned about the F3 and F#3. The tuning chart is quite accurate for open F3, which really did come in about 15-17 cents sharp! However, this can be easily solved by using the fourth valve for F3. I tune the fourth valve to cover F2, C3, and F3. Third valve is adjusted to handle the 2-3 combinations, and I almost never use the 1-3 combination. Actually the 1-3 combination is fine in most cases, fourth valve is just easier for me.
Check the "How To Tune" post in the tuba-euphonium blog:
http://www.dwerden.com/blog3/m..._blogs.cfm?m=6&y=2005
This tuning sequence works quite well for me.
The fourth valve is a bit of a reach, and I do get a bit of tennis elbow, alleviated by ice packs. I am a six-footer, so this may be a concern for shorter folks. That's one reason why Miraphone came out with the M5000, which is supposed to have a more ergonomic fourth valve configuration.
My lacquer 1258A has a number of scratches and minor dings after a year of use. Not to mention getting knocked off a piano bench and suffering a three-inch crease in the bell! My repairman rolled out the crease and it didn't seem to affect the intonation.
If I were buying today, I would get the Miraphone M5000-UK in silver.
If you can get a used 1258 in good condition for less than $2K, go for it.
Good luck,
Bruce
Bruce H Ward
Houston TX
Besson BE2056-2 4-Valve Compensating Baritone
1946 Conn 30-I Wonderphone 5-Valve Double-bell