Originally Posted by
davewerden
I've had enough back trouble lately that it limits my tuba playing - carrying it and even moving it between floor and my lap is rough on my back.
I'm facing my own back problems now -- though so far they aren't having an effect on carting the tuba around or playing. However, I have thought that if the time comes that I can't handle something like the Wessex 981 clone and still want to continue with tuba, the thing to look for would be a medium to large bore "vintage" American Eb tuba -- either front or top action. In that case, I might prefer 4 valves; but a lot of those horns have excellent ghost tones and so you really don't need 4. They are MUCH lighter than the British compensating horns. And they're typically relatively VERY inexpensive.
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)