Cerveny Tubas (instruments)

[Davidus1]

Cerveny makes good and sometimes really good tubas. They seem very inconsistent in production however and this needs to be a cause for caution when purchasing. Several years ago I bought a CC tuba at the Army Tuba Conference. Due to time I was not able to spend much time on the horn and purchased it and headed back to New Jersey where I was stationed at the time. The next day I and a friend were checking out the new horn with a tuner and could not get the horn down to pitch. Very troubling. I had my friend play it. He's a fine player and he too, could not get the horn down to pitch. I ended up driving back tot he tuba conference on the final day and trading the horn in on another. The dealer was a great to work with and exchanged with no issues whatsoever.

This was my first lesson in the importance of play testing an instrument before purchase. Even the best instrument manufacturers aren't perfect and instruments can vary from instrument to instrument. I have found the "least" variation in tubas with the Miraphone tubas and the King tubas. They are very consistent from instrument to instrument. I suspect the Adams Euphoniums are as well but I have never owned/played one.

What are your experiences with purchases? Ever purchase a lemon?

[58mark]

I have owned three cerveny tubas in the last 25 years, always my main instrument. The best bet for a cerveny is to get a horn that has the curved spatulas on it, which means it was made before quality control fell dramatically. I find the later horns are the ones that are wildly inconsistent

[Davidus1]

I have heard from others that the older ones are the best. I've owned 2 of them but they are of the newer vintage. Nice tubas! Thanks for the post.

[ghmerrill]

In about 1992 I bought a Cerveny 781 BBb tuba sight unseen from WWBW. This is a red brass Cerveny equivalent of the Miraphone 186 (very slightly larger bore). I loved it. Had the first valve vented and I lapped the 1st valve slide. So I rarely used the 4th valve unless it was really necessary. Wonderful horn -- for a BBb rotary tuba. Fantastic sound. A few years ago I sold it and moved back to playing Eb. The choice was a lengthy struggle for me since -- even though I really prefer Eb tubas -- that Cerveny was such a great instrument.

If I'd kept it, I would at some point (after 20 years!) have cut the second valve tuning slide down a bit. But otherwise it was a fantastic instrument.

( If you look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ0e7uZHHFY at about 4:45, you can see me -- in the red shirt -- playing that horn.)

[Davidus1]

In about 1992 I bought a Cerveny 781 BBb tuba sight unseen from WWBW. This is a red brass Cerveny equivalent of the Miraphone 186 (very slightly larger bore). I loved it. Had the first valve vented and I lapped the 1st valve slide. So I rarely used the 4th valve unless it was really necessary. Wonderful horn -- for a BBb rotary tuba. Fantastic sound. A few years ago I sold it and moved back to playing Eb. The choice was a lengthy struggle for me since -- even though I really prefer Eb tubas -- that Cerveny was such a great instrument.

If I'd kept it, I would at some point (after 20 years!) have cut the second valve tuning slide down a bit. But otherwise it was a fantastic instrument.

( If you look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ0e7uZHHFY at about 4:45, you can see me -- in the red shirt -- playing that horn.)

I could see you! Thanks for posting Gary.

[SteveP]

I have owned three cerveny tubas in the last 25 years, always my main instrument.

What is that material you've got wrapped around the bell section where your right hand touches the instrument? And, wouldn't it make sense to also put it in the area where your left hand normally rests?

[58mark]

It's a leather wrap. I gave instructions on how to make them on tubenet

http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64780


on the big horn the left hand rests on the Tuning stick. On the Smaller one, there is a sdlife lever next to the 1st vale slide that I had my hand on.

[SteveP]

It's a leather wrap. I gave instructions on how to make them on tubenet

http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64780

Thanks for the link Mark. I need to do something like that with my Besson and now I know how!

[Asianeuph]

I purchased a Yamaha 642 Neo in silver. I had the horn flushed, where I bought it from, six months later, and the plating was flaking off at the rim of the bell. The music shop contacted Yamaha and the horn was replaced. The both horns played and sang beautifully. I don't think I could tell the difference between the original horn I had bought and the replacement. However, I can tell the difference between a 642 and a 642 Neo.

[GregTuba79]

I love my Amati (Cerveny built) horn, it's dead in tune and now just waiting on a Euro Shank mouthpiece. Gary was yours a Euro Shank lead pipe?

[ghmerrill]

Nope. Standard American shank. In fact, I got a couple of Perantucci mouthpieces for it and had the shanks turned down by Kanstul.

By the way, I made my own wraps for it out of leather I got from the local Tandy store. It's easy enough to do if you take your time and make templates out of paper or just do careful trial and error. But good leather is surprisingly expensive (especially if it's a bit thicker than most of the wraps commercially available).

[GregTuba79]

Nope. Standard American shank. In fact, I got a couple of Perantucci mouthpieces for it and had the shanks turned down by Kanstul.

By the way, I made my own wraps for it out of leather I got from the local Tandy store. It's easy enough to do if you take your time and make templates out of paper or just do careful trial and error. But good leather is surprisingly expensive (especially if it's a bit thicker than most of the wraps commercially available).

Wow interesting on the shank size. I have always wanted to try a leather gaurd for mine. I have used tennis racket tape which is temporary but actually works well to keep the sweat off.

[ghmerrill]

On my Cerveny I used fairly thick (3-4 mm?) leather, punched holes in it, soaked it, and laced it on with rawhide boot lacing. As it dries, it conforms tightly to the surface. (This trick is a "technology transfer" from the use of leather holsters for handguns. Every gunslinger/cowboy knows it's the only way to form fit your pistol to the holster.)

What I'm using now on my Wessex tuba and my bass trombone is easier, cheaper, and probably better: smooth shelf/drawer liner (not the waffled stuff) that I get at Lowes. Once I get it the shape and size I want, I just put it on and super glue the seam(s). Done. It provides a great grip and a total moisture barrier. Before I put it on, I trace the final pattern on a sheet of paper and digitize the image. That way, if I need to cut a guard off, I can make a new one in minutes.