GREAT discussion! Meinl Weston makes the best tubas. I can't afford a 6450, but I have a 2141L, an Eb with 4 pistons an a rotor. It is great for melodic stuff, and when I get warmed up, I can get E0 up to Bb5 chromatically. It is 24 years old, but the lacquered brass is still perfect, and the nickel silver sleeves for the slides still shines like new. I have replaced the nylon valve guides once. I play in a community band, my church orchestra, and a brass sextet. I also have a Cerveny 601 6/4 CC for the stuff that needs a bigger, darker sound, but my MW 2141 is my favorite.
GREAT discussion! Meinl Weston makes the best tubas. I can't afford a 6450, but I have a 2141L, an Eb with 4 pistons an a rotor. It is great for melodic stuff, and when I get warmed up, I can get E0 up to Bb5 chromatically. It is 24 years old, but the lacquered brass is still perfect, and the nickel silver sleeves for the slides still shines like new. I have replaced the nylon valve guides once. I play in a community band, my church orchestra, and a brass sextet. I also have a Cerveny 601 6/4 CC for the stuff that needs a bigger, darker sound, but my MW 2141 is my favorite.