Information about Mirafone.

[Valerio]

Hi. I found in a shop this tuba. It's a mirafone TE - 186 A, but i don't find information about that. The name isn't miraphone but Mirafone. Who help me?

[bbocaner]

They've spelled it both ways for different markets at various times. 186A means it's the very popular 4/4-sized four valve rotary instrument. The TE means it was built for original sale at the Tuba Exchange.

[Valerio]

The te-186a anyway it's a good tuba? And what mean Tuba Exchange? Sorry but i don't know. Thanks

[highpitch]

It is one of the best all-around Bb tubas, in my opinion.

The Tuba Exchange is a brass instrument retailer in Durham, North Carolina.

Dennis

[Valerio]

Thanks you so much. The serial number is 155XX, when it's made?

[iiipopes]

It is one of the best all-around Bb tubas, in my opinion.

The Tuba Exchange is a brass instrument retailer in Durham, North Carolina.

Dennis

Indeed. I have played several at school, university, community bands, etc. over the decades before purchasing mine, which is also from the early '70's and spelled Mirafone. In addition to being one of the best all-round tubas, they also have by reputation the fastest and most trouble-free rotary valves, which I can attest to: over 45 years old, salvaged from an institution and rebuilt, then needing to have a new bell (I put on a Besson 17-inch New Standard BBb bell), and in spite of its back side looking like it has a ball-peen finish, plays great with fast valves, great intonation and good blending tone.

A 186 is relatively mouthpiece insensitive, meaning you can use just about anything with it, depending on the player's preference. The fifth partials in the middle of the staff tend to play flat, and may or may not need lipping or alternate fingerings, depending on the specimen. My bell was shorter after trimming to fit the stack ferrule, so I had to lengthen the main tuning slide. By luck of the draw, that fixed most of the fifth partial issues due to the position where cylindrical tubing (which tends to expand partials) was added to the conical tubing (which tends to compress partials).

Link to the thread about my tuba: http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic....61956&p=515388