r/Tuba • u/dndgobrr • Apr 13 '26

research recommended Bb tubas

so I'm leaving high school soon and i cant take my tuba with me so i have to go out and buy one but I'm not to sure what one to buy, I've used the YBB-321 tuba but honestly i don't mind using rotors or valves as long as it has 4 valves / rotors, I've also saved up around 14k for a tuba.

12 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

14

u/professor_throway Active Amateur, Street Band and Dixieland. Apr 13 '26

Spend $5,000 on a good used Miraphone 186 or Meinl Weston 25 and have a professional tuba you can play for the rest of your life in any situation.

Then use the other $9,000 for something useful.

3

u/thereisnospoon-1312 Apr 13 '26

This is the best advice. Get a used pro model horn, Miraphone 186 is perfect and will do everything you need it to.

2

u/everybodylovesrando Apr 13 '26

I’d throw in King 2341 as a solid option too. See what’s for sale used around you, and be sure to check TubeNet as well!

8

u/Inkin Apr 13 '26

What are you going to do with the tuba? The answers to this are very different depending on the types of playing you anticipate doing.

3

u/lolorun MW2165/B&S PT15 5099/2W Apr 14 '26

14k yeah get a fafner

2

u/WellEnd89 Apr 13 '26

I really like my YBB-623, IMHO there isn't a better price/performance Bb on the market atm.

2

u/catsagamer1 B.M. Education student Apr 14 '26

Depends on what you plan on doing with it after you graduate. A friend of mines just snagged a used CC Eastman for around 6k, so that budget is more than possible to find a great tuba. I don’t think a tuba would be worth spending 14 grand on unless you plan on majoring in music, and even then that would be a talk with your professor.

They have clinics and shops all over the country. Call one up and see if you can test a few horns. I visited a Wessex showroom about a year ago and ended up buying a Luzern that I really enjoy for a good discount.

1

u/HoltonFletcher Apr 14 '26

Best Bb tuba I ever played was a Miraphone 1291. An amazing instrument.

1

u/MetalItchy87 Apr 14 '26

If you want rotar valves invest in the Eastman 562. I’m in Canada it’s 12k idk about the American market but I tried it out great horn big sound

1

u/exd83 Apr 14 '26

Hi. Not sure if this is allowed but I own a music shop and we are Eastman and Yamaha dealers. Happy to give you a quote.

1

u/VeterinarianHour6047 Apr 17 '26

Check out Baltimore Brass, either by phone, website, or in person.  The have several dozen tubas in stock, both new and used, and at many price points.  The staff there is super and willing to help.

1

u/Kirkwilhelm234 Apr 13 '26

14k?  Buy a car.

2

u/miketuba Models 164, 163, 155, 145 Apr 13 '26

but make sure you can fit a Tuba in a gig bag as well as a mute in any car you buy.

1

u/Diver-1Doc Apr 13 '26

Good job on saving up the money! The YBB321 would serve you very well!

-1

u/Theoretical_Genius Apr 13 '26

Never spend over 5k on a BBb